A lagniappe (pron.: // LAN-yap) is a small gift given to a
customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase (such as a 13th
doughnut when buying a dozen), or more broadly, "something given
or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure." The word
entered English from the Louisiana French adapting a Quechua
word brought in to New Orleans by the Spanish creoles. It
derived from the South American Spanish phrase la yapa
(referring to a free extra item, usually a very cheap one). The
term has been traced back to the Quechua word yapay ('to
increase; to add'). In Andean markets it is still customary to
ask for a yapa when making a purchase. The seller usually
responds by throwing in a little extra. Although this is an old
custom, it is still widely practiced today in Louisiana. Street
vendors, especially vegetable vendors, are expected to throw in
a few green chillies or a small bunch of cilantro with a
purchase. The word is chiefly used in the Gulf Coast of the
United States, but the concept is practiced in m