It pays to be polite, especially when shopping at the Apple Store. According to a TikTok posted by a former Apple Store employee, Apple gives out free perks to "really great people."

In other words, if you go to an Apple Store and are nice to the staff in the store and don't act as if they aren't people too, you might get some free perks. If you are disrespectful you will have to pay for everything.

The term Apple allegedly uses is "surprise and delight," and apparently each Genius has a quota available when a customer needs something. An example given was a free replacement when a customer came into the store with a water-damaged cell phone.

Normally, there is a charge for repairing water damage, even if the customer has Apple Care+. In some cases, however, it appears that customers were able to get a replacement unit without paying anything. All thanks to surprise, delight, and the fact that they did not behave rudely or abuse staff.

Many people, including customers and former Apple retail staff, corroborate this claim, while others refute it. Some deny that Apple ever had such a policy, while others believe that "surprise and delight" is being confused with a policy that has since been abolished.

In any case, it is always good to be nice to retail staff. The job often requires long hours, low pay, and constant human contact. The most annoying thing for a store clerk is when an irate customer throws a tantrum because he dropped his iPhone 12 in the toilet and now has to pay to have it repaired.

Plus, you might be able to get free stuff for your trouble--without having to shop at the Apple Store. But if you still have to pay, don't let your hackles fly. From the sound of things, these freebies are going to be rare. Apple did not become one of the most valuable companies in the world by offering free technology to everyone.