Customer Service — and Comfort Food — Are Always on the Menu

Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch?

After Black Friday and the gluttonous attack on the big box stores and their “specials” (which are always limited in number, on purpose) and before Cyber Monday, when all artificial intelligence androids receive a free upgrade and a weekend in "the Cloud," falls Small Business Saturday.

This year Nov. 26 marks Small Business Saturday, a promotion that American Express is offering for the second year in a row that encourages consumers to shop at small, local businesses. The sardonic among us would probably say that this is a cynical Amex ploy to look all warm and cuddly, supporting small business. They are even offering $25 of credit to Amex cardholders who register their cards to participate in Small Business Saturday.

The nerve! Amex would probably serve small business better by reducing its transaction fees. I’m sure you know this already, but every time someone uses a credit card, the store is charged a "swipe" fee and a percentage of the sale.

Bigger stores can bargain with the credit card companies and get lower transaction fees. The Obama administration has capped the swipe fee at 12 cents. Before this was changed, the fee could sometimes be as much as 44 cents.

These fees really add up for small businesses, and American Express’ percentage of the sale is the most of all the major credit cards. Someone has to pay for those free "points" you earn! You.

This is why you see stores asking for a minimum purchase to use a credit card. Debit cards do not take a percentage. Yet. So on a small purchase, a merchant might actually lose money.

Technically, stores cannot do this, but as a matter of survival, it’s worth a try. When I had my shop and I would tell most people about the minimum they usually had no problem with it and would pay in cash or buy an additional item.

One time, though, some guy wanted to buy four $1 items with a credit card, and when we told him about the minimum, he got bent out of shape, told us that we couldn’t do that and left the store in a huff.

It didn’t bother us that much because it was a small sale. It’s still good to support local small business. If Small Business Saturday gets people out to shop, that’s a good thing.

Half Nych Hotdogs
Speaking of good things, I was on my way to Safran’s Market, admiring the , and I glanced into Half Nych Hotdogs. The woman working there gave me a big smile, and I went onto .

After purchasing some delicious Biscotti Brothers biscotti, I again walked by Half Nych's, and she motioned me to come in. Having a weakness for nice people, I went inside and met Kerry Beveridge, owner of Half Nych Hotdogs.

The intimate Half Nych Hotdogs at 441 ½ Walnut Street has been open since Sept. 10. Beveridge has done many jobs in her career, and this time she wanted to be the boss.

“I love it! I don’t get in trouble for anything. If I burn the chili, nobody gets mad,” she joked.

The hotdogs at Half Nych (rhymes with Mitch) are unique and not what I expected. They are served open-faced with tons of toppings on them. The buns are delicious -- I had poppy seed -- and they must be eaten with a fork. It’s a hotdog as a meal, and you do not leave hungry.

The most popular dog is the Betsy Dog with chili and cheese, but the menu is quite extensive. There's the Sewickley Dog, the Zsa Zsa (featuring kupusta, a Polish sauerkraut recipe that Beveridge got from her grandmother), the Boom (for youngsters) and Kerry’s Favorite featuring cheese, pickles and Fritos.

She asked me if I’d like to try one, and having a weakness for hotdogs I said, "Yes." I got the Betsy Dog, and it was the first time I'd had a turkey dog. It was delicious.

What about the name?

“Nych is my maiden name," she explained. "The Beveridge side can’t cook, so it’s Half Nych.”

Half Nych Hotdogs will be open late , so this would be a perfect time to try one and soak up some of the booze in your system before you get in your car.

Speaking of cars, when I got back to mine, I had a parking ticket. It was the complete experience! I guess there is no such thing as free lunch.