Free lunch

A free lunch is the providing of a meal at no cost, usually as a sales enticement to attract customers and increase revenues from other business. It was once a common tradition in saloons and taverns in many places in the United States, with the phrase appearing in U.S. literature from about 1870 to the 1920s. These establishments included a "free" lunch, which varied from rudimentary to quite elaborate, with the purchase of at least one drink. These free lunches were typically worth far more than the price of a single drink. The saloon-keeper relied on the expectation that most customers would buy more than one drink, and that the practice would build patronage for other times of day.

For other uses, see Free lunch (disambiguation).

The hardships of the Depression marked the curtailing of the widespread practice for reasons of economy, and it never really returned. Free food or drink is sometimes supplied in contemporary times, often by gambling establishments such as casinos. The present day Happy Hour in many lounges and taverns often feature free appetizers or low-priced menu items.

Economists highlighted the phrase as misleading in a popular adage that took on a life of its own, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

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