Do you give them a reward or something?
 

Thursday night I lost my wallet in downtown Boston. Easy enough to cancel a few cards and order a new license online. Only thing of real value was the wake card to my grandfather's funeral. Got a call today from a good Samaritan who found it and tracked me down. Meeting tomorrow to get it.

What's the best thing to do here? Cash seems gauche. A restaurant gift card? A sincere thank you?

What?

I think I’d express appreciation and hand him a few 20’s so he could take a significant other out to dinner on you.

BTW...all kinds of whackos out there. Don’t go to the meeting alone.

Cash plus something personal...

I know, I know but nothing says thank you like a few bills.

Nicely done by the person, btw...I love it.

You mean like the guy who waved a handgun at me today on an exit ramp?

Yep...like that!

A restaurant card sounds like a great gift. Sometimes people refuse money.

restaurant gift card..if he balks at it, tell him it can only be used by stand-up people like himself.

I would offer $40-60 cash firmly and a handshake. Presented well (you just saved me a ton of grief...please go have lunch somewhere on me) it will not be refused. The restaurant gift card is a good one but if the wrong place a burden on the person accepting it. YMMV.

Cash, fold it up so they cannot see the amount (two twenties, a fifty, whatever). If they protest, tell them they do not have to keep it, they can pass it on to whoever they want.

Fwiw, I found a wallet with + $400 cash in a parking lot not long ago... took 3-4 days to track him down. Hard working guy and greatful I returned it. He tried giving me $50. I told him pay me back by returning something he finds in the future, especially a wallet.

Glad you got your wallet back.

Cash is king. Don't feel awkward.

I'd give him a $50 and a firm handshake.

Keep it simple.

That's probably more than many would do.

The important part is the firm handshake and "Thank you!" The $50 just reinforces your appreciation.

Sometime just offering the reward is enough reward.

Yeah, this kind of thing makes good people feel awkward, on both sides. Pride gets in the way. I usually find that if I tell the guy, as I'm giving him a token of my appreciation, to "buy something nice for your wife", they usually don't feel quite as awkward.

I found a wallet at a car show a few weeks ago.
It had a bunch of money in it, along with credit cards, license, etc.
It also had his biz card with cell number.
I called it and he didn’t even know he had lost it.
We met up, he tried to give me some money, but I just laughed and said “if I wanted your money I would have just kept all of it!”
He laughed, said good point, and that was that.

+1
Get a drug store “Thank You” card, put a $50 in it, present it well. Don’t let him open it in your presence. JB is right about Restaurant gift cards.

[emoji1787]

Go online and check your recent credit card purchases. They might have already rewarded themselves. :D

I'd flip them $50 and say thanks.

Years ago I found a women's wallet in the parking lot at 7-11 in SLO. Drove to the address on the DL and it belonged to Virginia Madonna of Madonna Inn fame.

Told her I didn't want any cash and she wrote "Good for dinner for two" on the back of her business card and said she would notify the restaurant manager.

Had a great meal (I had the lobster). Get a gift card to a restaurant.

All great replies, thank you!

Since I don't have any way to get cash today, but do have a credit card I don't carry, I'm getting him a restaurant gift card. There's one that is good for 5 different local restaurants and that should work. Or I could give him the $70 Michelin debit card I got in the mail yesterday after getting the A/S 3+s for winter.

I had almost the same thing happen several years ago when my boys were young
The guy who’s wallet I found was the GM of a local water park and he gave me a season family pass for the water park

Hahaha...exactly this ^. I found a zippered bank envelope in a parking lot with $1,100 in cash. It was the day's receipts for a nearby bar. I found the envelope at 7:30 a.m. before they were open. No idea how it sat there all night.

Anyway, I took it in to the bar after work and the owner was sitting there. He was beside himself in relief and appreciation and desperately tried to give me $100. I told him the same thing McLovin said...If I wanted your money, I would have just kept it. We shook hands and I moved along.

JA

A few years back, my family met at a restaurant, my sister left her purse on the arm of the chair when leaving. Called the restaurant when getting home...they said they found it as we were leaving and would keep it in the back for her to pick-up.
Of course, the money was all cleaned out. They said they weren't responsible for the workers.
At least she got the purse back!

Just met the guy, nicest guy, of course he said the gift card wasn't necessary, and he meant it. We were both happy on parting.

Glad it worked out. Still some good folks out there!

Similar situation, but a briefcase. Gave him dinner for 2 at local restraunt.

Got a nice text from the guy an hour ago so a restaurant gift card is a good option.

I've been supernaturally lucky with regards to my lost wallet. I've gone back hours later and found it in shopping carts, on store shelves, or at the store in a manager's vault. The store usually has a policy against accepting rewards.

If someone somehow found my lost keys, I'd give him a couple of fifties or a gift card probably for around $100. I try to make a statement if I'm going to communicate non-verbally like that.