Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling access to or from a facility associated with providing services and/or sales of merchandise. The facility has an automatically operated, normally closed access gate and a scanner. Patrons may access the facility free of charge or at a discount by displaying an article of merchandise such that the scanner reads a bar code inscribed upon the merchandise. Data corresponding to the scanned bar code is compared to data entered into the memory of an automated data processing device. If that comparison results in establishing a correlation between data from the scanned merchandise and data entered into memory corresponding to merchandise for which a discount is accorded, then a control signal is generated and transmitted to the access gate. The access gate then opens and allows the patron submitting merchandise for scanning to enter or leave the facility.