Self Service Soda Fountain = Free Refills? (1 Viewer)

[Denward]

My wife and I have a small disagreement over this. When you go to a fast food place and you have to fill your own drinks, does this imply free refills? Some places remove the ambiguity by placing signs either allowing or forbidding free refills, but I'm talking about places without signs.

My opinion is that if you own/manage one of these places and decide to install self service fountains, you've probably decided it's not worth the hassle to police it so you just give them away as a goodwill measure.

What do you think?

 

[brentl]

Free refills during that visit only.

Mcd's has had free refills for many years, you only needed to ask them to tefill it.

Brent

 

[ThomasC]

Seeing as the soda itself costs just a few cents per drink, I'd say free refills during that visit only as well.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

I don't know of any place that I've had to pay for refills. Free refills for everyone!

 

[MarkHastings]

If there's no sign, then why not?

And if someone gives you a hard time, demand some compensation for having to "work" (i.e. pour your own) soda.

The reason they can afford the refills is to speed up the lines, thus making more $$ for the retaurant by taking it away from the server. If the place didn't allow free refills, then they are getting away with having you "work" for your food.

This is why I don't use the 'self-check outs' at the stores. I am paying the same amount of money wether or not I use them, so I want to be certain that the price I pay includes the service (i.e. the payed cashiers time).

Don't settle for anything less than you pay for.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

If there is no line at the self-service checkouts, I will opt for that option every time. After all, my time is worth something, and I would rather not spend it standing in line waiting for a cashier.

Using your logic, I guess you do not use ATMs either.

 

[Henry Gale]

Certainly. It's all good for the restaurant. They free up a lot of space on or behind the counter by not have the drink dispenser there. Most people don't get a refill, but as someone else mentioned the majority of fast food vendors freely offer them from behind the counter so it's not a big loss.

 

[MarkHastings]

But my bank compensates me with me with free checking (if I use the ATM) and not use the tellers (they also compensate me with quickness).

The fast food places compensate you by offering easily accessible "free refills". (i.e. they always did, but you'd have to wait in line to get them).

The self-check outs don't compensate you for using them...if there was an incentive (like free items), then maybe I would use them more often. The "quickness" isn't incentive enough for me to use them.

 

[John Alvarez]

I've tried the self check and have a problem with some freaking bar code every time so I quit using them.
As for refills..if it's in the lobby and self serve then it's always free. Just bring your own cup from home....

 

[DaveNel]

Well I use the self checkouts if I only have a few items, Because certain times you look at the regular check out lanes and they are packed solid. So I opt to go to the self serve area and be done in 3 minutes instead of waiting for 20 minutes or more standing in line..

 

[DaveNel]

Some Mcdonalds and other fast food services has a self serve soda machine in the dining area. Just open your lid, And get your own drinks. ALso some of the restaraunts just hand you a cup when you order your food and you fill your own drinks. And yes free refills

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This just goes to show we all have different perspectives on convenience vs. cost. Personally, I'm in favor of anything that gets me out of the store quicker -- but I hate shopping in stores anyway.

 

[MarkHastings]

My brother used to save his cup at those Burger King rest stops on the highway. When he'd finish, we'd pull into another one and he'd "fill up" again.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Self serve = free refills IMO.

I've only seen one place that put a sign up on the soda dispenser that said "refills $.25" which I thought was pretty crappy since everyone else offers them free... unless they had a problem with youngsters coming in and drinking soda all day.

 

[Ted Lee]

absolutley free refills. ususally the only time you see those "one time only" signs is at the smaller mom 'n' pop shops. just another example of mark's whacked train of thought.

 

[MarkHastings]

My gripe with the system is, I don't want to let the stores know that I prefer to do the work myself, in order to save time. They should be doing something MORE about getting you out quicker, rather than making you work for your time.

It's the above equation that makes me not want to support the 'self-checkouts'.

I guess it goes back to the self-serve gas pumps where you'd pay a cheaper price if you did it yourself (i.e. compensation). I just think these self-checkouts should be giving you more in compensation, rather than tricking you into thinking they are providing you with a 'real' service, by making you think you are saving time by ignoring the real problem.

It's all mind games.

 

[Ted Lee]

buzz, what's a "flashing twelve"?

 

[Brian W. Ralston]

I think he is referring to the people in this world who have the clock on their VCRs and appliances at home flashing "12" all the time because they are lacking the mental capacity to figure out how to set it. So it is another way of calling certain people dumb.

It is from a stand up comedy routine, but I forget who.

 

[Ted Lee]

heh...that's pretty good!

 

[David Williams]

I think his name was Wes Borg.