Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

alternative promise

A contractual promise to do one of two or more things, any one of which must satisfy the promisee for the promise to qualify as consideration. "A promise in the alternative may be made because each of the alternative performances is the object of desire to the promisee. Or the promisee may desire one performance only, but the promisor may reserve an alternative which he may deem advantageous. In either type of case the promise is consideration if it cannot be kept without some action or forbearance which would be consideration if it alone were bargained for. But if the promisor has an unfettered choice of alternatives, and one alternative would not have been consideration if separately bargained for, the promise in the alternative is not consideration." Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 77 curt. b (1981).