I'm a sucker for a sucker! Here's my money!

January 4, 2008 6:15 PM

Why do banks have free lollipops (for suckers?)

I remember going to the bank with my grandparents years ago and getting a DumDum from the teller right before weighing myself on the big scale with the cool gears showing through the face. My local Chase branch continues the lollipop/sucker tradition. Why do banks do this and when did it start?

posted by @homer to grab bag (21 comments total)

I suspect it's to keep kids happy. When I take my preschooler and baby to the bank, it's an ordeal. No kid wants to sit through a teller transaction, let alone a discussion of investments or loans. My bank has stopped giving out suckers because people in my community prefer healthier snacks (and because kids under a certain age will choke). However, they have given us little toys.
posted by acoutu at 6:17 PM on January 4, 2008

Kids sucking on a lollipop aren't as loud. It's like a gag, but humane.
posted by smackfu at 6:19 PM on January 4, 2008 [3 favorites]

One of the banks in my hometown gave out little packs of gum, one used the 'safe-t-pops' (lollipops with a loop instead of a hard stick), one gave out tinky packs of jellybeans - for all of them, it was usually used as a reward, and trust me, every kid going in knew if they were good, they got candy.
posted by pupdog at 6:26 PM on January 4, 2008

My bank has the free lollipops AND dog biscuits (for dogs in the drive thru).

I think it's basically a way for parents and tellers to bribe children into being quiet and shutting up for the transaction. I always hear parents telling their kids to behave or no sucker when I'm in line.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 6:26 PM on January 4, 2008

I just called my mom. She remembers getting suckers when she was little at the bank and the guy who owned the drugstore also gave them out apparently. My mom is 65 years old and grew up in a small rural town in Indiana.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 6:27 PM on January 4, 2008

Kids sucking on a lollipop aren't as loud. It's like a gag, but humane.

Yep.

The alternative is best summed up by a sign I once saw:

"Unaccompanied children will be given an espresso and a free puppy."
posted by ericb at 6:28 PM on January 4, 2008 [19 favorites]

Sorry have to do it:

Metafilter: It's like a gag, but humane

But to Nth the answers its totally to keep the kids quiet while the "adults" do their business. My local band does it, and when my 4 1/2 year old knows we are going there she is extra good.
posted by ShawnString at 7:00 PM on January 4, 2008

Seems to be a big trend to have dog biscuits. My bank has them, my pharmacy, my coffee shop, my bookstore . . .
posted by Enroute at 7:17 PM on January 4, 2008

I remember me and my brother yelling which color suckers we wanted from the backseat as kids, so it has been going on for a while.

ericb, if I ever start my own shop, that sign is going in the window.
posted by slavlin at 7:55 PM on January 4, 2008

The BoA branch... er, banking center, I worked for a few years ago not only had the lollipops and dog biscuits, but also gave out Halloween candy in the drive-through lanes on Halloween and candy canes all through December.

Man, those dogs would get really excited about the bank. They knew what was coming and would lean out the driver's side window expectantly.

We were encouraged not to mention the c word ourselves if we saw kids in the car. Plenty of parents didn't like tellers assuming that kids in the back of the car = toss a few lollipops in the cylinder. So we'd wait until the parents would mention candy, or we'd prompt them with silly things like "Would your friend back there like anything?"
posted by emelenjr at 8:11 PM on January 4, 2008

My kids think that the drive-thru window is there just for the purpose of getting lollipops. If they get cavities, I'm blaming my husband's boss for not providing direct deposit.
posted by saffry at 8:34 PM on January 4, 2008

Because they can't afford to give away toasters like they used to.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:39 PM on January 4, 2008

"Mommy has to go to the bank. If you're good little boys and girls, you'll get a lollipop."
"Yay! We want to go to the bank, Mommy! You don't need to find a babysitter. We'll come with you and be very quiet while you wait in line for 20 minutes so we can get candy."
posted by HotPatatta at 10:39 PM on January 4, 2008

Our bank always gave out dum-dums but in addition they provided a big plate of donuts.

We were also given dum-dums when we went to the liquor store with dad!
posted by triggerfinger at 2:31 AM on January 5, 2008

"A full mouth is quiet mouth."
posted by plinth at 4:10 AM on January 5, 2008

When I was five, one of the town's liquor stores was staffed by a sweet old lady who always gave me candy, usually PAL gum, my favorite. I was always eager to go there. I remember climbing on my dad and saying, "I wanna go to the treat liquor store!" ("Nah," he replied, "let's go to the butt liquor store.") Maybe that was why they stopped taking me there.

My bank has stopped giving out suckers because people in my community prefer healthier snacks . . .

That's a tiny little slice of depressing right there. I mean, yes, sure, very reasonable and all, but . . .
posted by Countess Elena at 6:09 AM on January 5, 2008

The alternative is best summed up by a sign I once saw:

"Unaccompanied children will be given an espresso and a free puppy."
posted by ericb at 9:28 PM on January 4

ericb, that didn't happen to be at Darwin's in Cambridge, MA, was it? I live a block over from there. The sign is still at the register, and I crack up every single time I go in and see it.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 6:37 AM on January 5, 2008

NotMyselfRightNow,

That sign lives in many places:

From passiveaggressivenotes.com
posted by SpiffyRob at 7:10 AM on January 5, 2008

I have to say that the lollipop did keep me quiet when my girlfriend was doing some business at the bank yesterday! Next time we're there I am definitely going to hit that bead coaster.
posted by @homer at 8:36 AM on January 5, 2008

I went to my bank recently and they had Christmas cookies! They were just cheap supermarket sugar cookies, but still. Score! I imagine this whole bank feeding children thing has to do with the old idea of having a "relationship" with a bank. Plus keeping kids quiet- they should have suckers more places.
posted by MadamM at 10:53 AM on January 5, 2008

Our Bank of Amer has a popcorn machine with always fresh hot popcorn and sometimes has a table of cookies, cakes and chips.... and the lollys at the teller... I'm waiting for the seafood buffet
posted by meeshell at 4:16 PM on January 5, 2008