evidently | creative communications

For the past few months, I’ve been noticing an interesting trend in the food and beverage industry -- everyone wants to give me something for free! 
McDonald’s consumers shouted “You had us at free” with free coffee during breakfast hours for two weeks this past April. In a world where we’re taught that nothing in life is free, is offering the consumer a chance to walk in, ask for a coffee & walk out without any money changing hands a strategy for long term trust or simply a way to increase foot traffic for the day?
From 12:00 PM through to 4:00 PM on May 21, Tim Horton’s offered any consumer who walked in a free small iced coffee; a brilliant way to introduce the loyal Timmy’s faction to a new product offering without demanding anything of their consumer…except a little patience for long lines. 
Finally, on May 24, Canadian Harvey’s franchises offered consumers free original hamburgers during the lunch rush. Your burger your way, completely free of charge. 
Are the fast food giants finally seeing what Ben & Jerry have known for 31 years; that free ice cream for a day is a price worth paying to create a loyal consumer?  Or do they  understand the fickle nature of the economy? As with everything else, what goes down must come up; when the economy is booming again where will people be spending their money? Will they remember the free iced coffees, hamburgers and ice cream? I know I will. Thanks Tim Horton’s -- you saved me $2.10 and introduced me to my new favourite iced treat -- don’t tell me how many calories are in it and I won’t forget you gave me the first one free…