- Deli counter, Wong supermarket, Miraflores; photo c. Barbara Drake 2008
I bought Braendt salami from this guy at Wong supermarket a few nights ago. It wasn’t a lot of salami — maybe 100 grams — but my purchase merited a regalo: half a ham/salami/cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread, with lettuce and tomato.
Nice guy, no?
8 Comments
Rachel in Peru
And the store didn’t scold you for taking the guy’s picture? LoL.
I think he gifted you a “lonche.” π
Barb
Totally a lonche, Rachel. I was like, “I’m going to have to eat a Wong every day!”
Nobody hassled me for taking the photo. I was in the back of the store, and no managers were around. Like a lot of Peruvians in uniform, the sandwich guy liked having his picture taken. (Weirdly, policemen in Miraflores really get a rise out of being photographed. They will smile and ham it up, like it’s a photo shoot for GQ.)
Rachel in Peru
Speaking of PNP posing for photos, we took a trip to Cuzco for the first time in 2007 and I had my husband ask two PNP officers in the Plaza de Armas if they would take a picture with me, they were like “Why?” My husband laughed b/c they said it with hesitation in their voices, but they obliged and I got my photo.
Miguel
This is called “yapa” in Peru. People give something extra when you buy something so that you come back and buy from them again π
Barb
“Yapa.” Thanks, Miguel. I learned something new today!
Miguel
You are welcome. “Yapa” or “La yapa” was something very common to give to customers in the past, but then it became less common as the economy went bad. But, now it seems “la yapa” is coming back to stay as a part of the customer buying experience. Yay! π
Here is an old ad from la “Tinka”, as you probably know is a very popular lottery game in Peru. This ad speaks briefly about the history of the yapa and then talks about its own yapa. This ad is from 1999. Here is the youtube link; it’s in Spanish tough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6S8OEdqAgg
Barb
Miguel, you’re on to something here, connecting the dots between Peru’s growing economy and the return of La Yapa. I’ll add my “yay” to yours.
What a funny ad — it really dramatizes the concept of la yapa. (Readers, check out Miguel’s link, above.) I love the bit about the lady in the supermarket being loaded down with an extra melon / yapa.
Miguel
yup. I think this is what it is. As the economy gets better, then they can afford to have yapas for customers :).
I really like the ad, too. It’s very funny as you said and very creative, too.