I'm on my high horse - a 'Meal Deal' Gripe

I'm annoyed  ... very annoyed!  Probably unnecessarily so ........... but:

Prior to giving up the booze, I used to LOVE the Marks and Spencer's Two Dine for £10.00 meal deal (with FREE wine .. in large writing or non-alcoholic beverage in smaller writing).  I used to love it so much that I would frequently buy 2 or 3 'meal deals' at once - because the wine was FREE!  I would sometimes go for the most expensive one, but often I'd go for the one that had the highest alcohol content.  I didn't matter to me that it tasted of rancid vinegar ..... it was FREE WINE!

Anyway, since being sober I've kept away from these kind of deals.  Partially to keep away from temptation, but also because I came to the realisation that deals such as this are encouraging the drinking of alcohol.  Today, though, I thought that I am strong enough (after 110 days sober) to not be bothered or tempted by the alcohol.

I wasn't remotely bothered by the booze which really impressed me, but what got me on my High Horse was the lack of choice in the non-alcoholic section!

On a tiny little display located well away from the FREE WINE stood three lonely double packs of Coffee Spritzer!  Coffee Spritzer???? Does anyone drink coffee spritzer?  The shelves that were meant to be housing the Elderflower Presse or the Orange and Mango Presse were empty.

When I went to locate a helpful floor supervisor to ask what other non-alcoholic alternatives they had rather than coffee mixed with cold sparkling water, I was 'ahem' helpfully told "That's what there is".  So, still wanting the meal deal, I asked (nicely) if they had anything else in their stockroom - you know, such as the Elderflower or Orange and Mango Presse?  Mr Helpful Floor Supervisor skipped off to their stockroom to check for me (okay - I lied about that bit.  He stomped off).  After only making me wait for 10 minutes (not an exaggeration), he came back brandishing a pack of two cartons of still lemonade like a trophy.

By now, I was beginning to seethe just a little bit about the lack of choice, so I asked if that was it - they had two separate bottles of Elderflower Presse on their shelves - couldn't I have two of those?

"No" was the reply.  "This is all there is.  Don't you want to just get the wine?  I explained (not smuggly at all) that I don't drink alcohol.  His response?  "Put it away for Christmas then." WHAT!!

Not wanting to make a scene and draw attention to myself, I took the lemonade.

There are two things that have infuriated me this afternoon:

1.  The lack of choice for those who choose not to drink booze.  (Actually, you are even penalised for not getting the FREE WINE - The wine costs about £7.00 whilst the non-alcoholic beverage costs £3.90 for a pack of two)

2.  The fact that I had to explain that I don't drink alcohol.  Had I not have been 'strong' enough, I could have easily have been tempted to get the FREE WINE to put it away and use it as a Christmas present.  Would it have lasted till Christmas?  I hope it would have done, but I really, really do not want to put myself in that situation.

I think I may very well fire off an email to Marks and Spencers to complain about their lack of choice.