History PlayingWith / BankToaster

* '''Subverted''': Alice politely declines the free toaster offer, claiming she never buys bread nowadays (too many chemical preservatives) and hence has no use for a toaster.
* '''Double Subverted''': But the bank manager reminds Alice that toasters can still be used for Pop-Tarts and frozen waffles, so she takes one after all.

* '''Zig Zagged''': ???
* '''Averted''':
** The bank hasn’t given away free toasters in years, or more likely decades.
** The bank promotes a rewards points program.
** Alice keeps her money at the bank known as “First Mattress”

* '''Discussed''': ???
* '''Conversed''': ???

%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

** Alice receives a complimentary item that is not a toaster, but rather something much more expensive/outrageous. The joke will also depend on if she opens an account [[Fiction500 with a deposit so large]] that it makes sense for such a gift to be given (even if it would make more sense for Alice to purchase it herself) or she opens an account [[DisproportionateRestitution with a $10 initial deposit]].

** Alice is given an UndesitablePrize as a gift for opening her account.

** Alice is given an UndesitablePrize as a gift for opening her account.

* '''Played For Laughs''': Alice examines the “floor model” toaster in the bank lobby, and when releasing the pop-up lever, plastic snakes fly out of the slots. All the tellers and most of the other bank customers laugh hysterically.

* '''Implied:''': Alice got a new job, and is seen opening a bank account. A later scene shows her leaving for work in the morning with an envelope from the bank in one hand (on which a faint “Welcome to Nth National...” can be deciphered), and a slice of steaming toast in another.

* '''Played For Drama''': Alice rushes her 7-year-old son Chuck to the hospital when he burns himself by sticking his hand in the (bank) toaster. A lawyer Alice meets in the ER offers to help sue the bank that gave her the toaster. There's some discussion of the Unfortunate Implications of being lawsuit-happy and how no one takes responsibility. Then the judge throws out the lawsuit when investigation by the bank reveals that Alice was busy text-messaging in another room, while little Chuck was playing alone in the kitchen and tragically got burned.

** When Alice finishes the new-account paperwork and asks for the free toaster, the teller hands her a glass of champagne and says “Here’s to no fee checking and high [=APR=]s” ([[DontExplainTheJoke - it’s a TOAST]])

** When Alice finishes the new-account paperwork and asks for the free toaster, the teller hands her a glass of champagne and says “Here’s to no fee checking and high [=APR=]s” ([[Don’tExplainTheJoke]] - it’s a TOAST)

** When Alice finishes the new-account paperwork and asks for the free toaster, the teller hands her a glass of champagne and says “Here’s to no fee checking and high [=APR=]s” (don’t explain the joke - it’s a TOAST)

** Alice receives a coupon for a free toaster at

** The toaster Alice receives is the industrial kind you find in cafeterias -- you know, where you place the bread on a conveyor chain and it slides out the other end.
* '''Downplayed''': Alice receives a cheaper-than-cheap toaster. It can only take one slice of bread at a time, is not UL-approved, only has a 4” extension cord, is notorious for burning toast, and has a faulty spring.

** Alice receives a toaster from the bank as a parting gift when ''closing'' an account.
** The bank actually uses the account sign-up forms to obtain customers' information so they can break into their homes and ''steal their toasters!''

* '''Untwisted''': When the teller offers Alice a free toaster with her new account, she starts describing (or in a cutaway scene) how she and Bob just got married in their mid-30s and they already have 2 of everything, including 2 late-model toasters in perfect condition, plus the shiny new toaster-oven they received as a wedding present. The last thing they need is another piece of clutter, especially since 9-days-out-of-10 they grab their breakfast at either Dunkin Donuts, a fast-food drive-thru, or the local diner. Then Alice accepts the toaster anyway, because “Hey, it’s free.”

* '''Defied''': ???

Back to BankToaster

** Alice has to ''give the bank teller'' a free toaster in order to open an account
** Alice receives a toaster from the bank as a parting gift when ''closing'' an account

* '''Double Subverted''': But the bank manager reminds Alice that toasters can still be used for Pop-Tarts and frozen waffles, so she takes one after all

** Alice receives a genuine electric toaster, but is informed that she must agree to a $35 service agreement, plus some sales tax; a quick search on her smartphone reports that the same toaster is available for $22 on [=GoodEnoughBuy=] dot com.
** A miffed Alice wants to know why she just received a glossy wall photo displaying superhero characters. The teller replies that she got a free poster for opening an account -- what did you THINK I said?

** The bank gives away electric blankets.

* '''Lampshaded''': ???
* '''Invoked''': ???

* '''Played For Laughs''': Alice examines the “floor model” toaster in the bank lobby, and when releasing the pop-up lever, plastic snakes fly out of the slots. All the tellers and most of the other bank customers laugh hysterically.

* '''Untwisted''': When the teller offers Alice a free toaster with her new account, she starts describing (or in a cutaway scene) how she and Bob just got married in their mid-30s and they already have 2 of everything, including 2 late-model toasters in perfect condition, plus the shiny new toaster-oven they received as a wedding present. The last thing they need is another piece of clutter, especially since 9-days-out-of-10 they grab their breakfast at either Dunkin Donuts, a fast-food drive-thru, or the local diner. Then Alice accepts the toaster anyway, because “Hey, it’s free.”

* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

* '''Played For Drama''': ???

Back to [Trope]
----

** When Alice finishes the new-account paperwork and asks for the free toaster, the teller hands her a glass of champagne and says “Here’s to no fee checking and high APRs” (don’t explain the joke - it’s a TOAST)
** Alice receives a genuine electric toaster, but is informed that she must agree to a $35 service agreement, plus some sales tax; a quick search on her smartphone reports that the same toaster is available for $22 on GoodEnoughBuy dot com.

* '''Enforced''': ???