The other day, I ordered a coffee at a restaurant. I sipped it slowly for 15–20 minutes, and then I asked for the bill. I waited a few minutes, and caught the manager’s eye. He said, “Sorry for the delay—don’t worry about it, it’s on the house.”

The saying goes, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” This is true! The free stuff usually happens as an exchange. Somebody may ask for your forgiveness for a blip in quality (so they retain your business in the future), or your feedback so that the company can improve their products (and make more money), or your consideration the next time you see their product on the shelf (a free sample).