 Free Samples
Free Samples is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season Eight. In this episode, Mr. Krabs loses patrons because of Plankton, so he resorts giving food away for free.
Synopsis
Plotting to ruin Mr. Krabs, Plankton comes up with a "new and original" idea: giving out free samples. However, Karen points out this idea isn't "new and original" at all. Plankton gives out free Chum Sticks to eager Bikini Bottomites, but not long after they eat his chum, they become gravely ill. He makes a run for it, and the sickened customers pursue him to the Chum Bucket, where he hides from the furious mob. Plankton angrily points out that the people would never do this to Mr. Krabs if he gave out free samples, and gets an idea.
He sells Chum Burgers under the name "Krabby Patties" and gives them out for free, with the intent of smearing the Krusty Krab's name. Sure enough, the customers get sick. When SpongeBob goes to the Krusty Krab, he sees an angry mob, mistaking it for a crowd of hungry and impatient customers. When he enters, he sees Mr. Krabs hiding behind a table, who explains that the customers have turned on him and the Krabby Patties. A brick is thrown through the window, wrapped in a piece of paper which says the Krabby Patties taste terrible. SpongeBob is shocked, and they realize they need to win their customers back. Mr. Krabs comes up with the idea to triple the prices, but SpongeBob says it's not a good idea, so Mr. Krabs decides to lower prices: by one cent. SpongeBob tells Mr. Krabs the only way to win them back is to give away free samples, which horrifies Mr. Krabs. When he realizes that no customers at all is worse than as free samples, he reluctantly agrees.
Soon after, SpongeBob went on the streets with a grill, ready to give away free Krabby Patties. Mr. Krabs is having second thoughts, but SpongeBob chains him to heavy concrete blocks, telling Mr. Krabs that it's for his own good. SpongeBob announces his free goods, but nobody answers. SpongeBob uses his backup plan: playing a calliope with Squidward acting as the monkey. People are attracted to the sounds of the calliope, and Squidward (in a monkey costume) dances to a woman and a baby in a stroller. When the baby throws a coin at Squidward's head, he rips off his costume and leaves. When the people learn that SpongeBob is giving out free Krabby Patties, they are hesitant. Mr. Krabs laughs that even free isn't good enough for them, then is horrified when he realizes how bad that is for business. He gives up and leaves. Plankton watches from afar, celebrating his accomplishment in ruining the Krusty Krab.
SpongeBob tries a different approach: selling "New" Krabby Patties. This doesn't work at first, until a customer's hunger gets the best of him and he realizes he'd rather take his chances than go hungry any longer. As soon as he takes a bite, he is instantly smitten with the Krabby Patty. He empties his pockets and asks how much it will get him. More people come to eat free samples, as well as paying extra, feeling the Krabby Patty is so good it shouldn't be free. When Plankton hears the commotion, he walks over, and gets upset. A truck dumps money on SpongeBob, as does a helicopter, which causes money to fly all around. One bill lands on Mr. Krabs' nose, he runs to the stand. He leaps into the pile of money, right on top of Plankton and makes money angels. SpongeBob joins him, but they stop when they hear Plankton's high-pitched screams. Mr. Krabs asks what that noise was, and SpongeBob asks, "What noise?". They resume making money angels.
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