When my kids were in grade school, the school raised money by selling "scrip" - a fancy word for gift certs to various places and the school gets a cut. I almost always had some of these in my purse and that's what I'd offer street people if they were begging. Unless they've cut a deal with a buddy at McDonald's or wherever, however, they don't really want these because it's not about food - it's about cash, usually to buy drugs and/or alcohol.
One of the most brazen "begs" I've ever come across was a woman who parked her car at the local In 'n' Out and was hustling everyone through the drive-through with sob story about having an abusive husband and having to take the kids and run but the car broke down... I don't know or care if it was even true or what parts were true. Because that wasn't the most outrageous part of this beg. When I offered her $5, she was offended - she wanted someone to buy her entire family dinner at In 'N' Out! I told her $5 was all I could give her, she could probably get 4 or 5 more people to chip in and she'd have enough - take it or leave it. She turned it down. I was completely amazed - I have never had a beggar turn down money before - or tell me what I was offering wasn't enough. :flame: