Interesting that sitting in a cafe offering people $5 cash for their opinion would be a terrible idea, but offering them a free coffee is brilliant.
To @vishl, I don't take food from people on the street. I don't trust it. "What if it's poisoned?" What you're thinking does happen - some people offer me free candies, Reese Peanut Butter cups etc as an incentive to talk to me on the street. I avoid them.
The coffee coming from Starbucks directly makes it safer.
I think psychologically the voucher is worth more because it's something they were already going to spend, it's a tangible saving. I'm not a social scientist or whatever, but logically I think that's how people may look at this offer.
I definitely agree that if you're not producing the consumable that's a benefit too (although of course they'd probably use $5 cash to buy a coffee).
'disgust' is interesting and not necessarily rational.
Give most people a glass of water and ask them to spit in it, and then ask them to drink it. Most people don't drink it. It's their spit, it's only just come out of their mouth, so why don't they drink the water?
To @vishl, I don't take food from people on the street. I don't trust it. "What if it's poisoned?" What you're thinking does happen - some people offer me free candies, Reese Peanut Butter cups etc as an incentive to talk to me on the street. I avoid them.
The coffee coming from Starbucks directly makes it safer.