Server charged me 4x for refills on soda

No, it's not an issue of your perception of the default being that you are entitled to something for free. If the menu says cokes are $2.00 and does not specify that refills are free, you are not entitled to have them for free. You are entitled to pay $2.00 for them. Assuming otherwise for whatever reason does not mean you are right.

If the server nickles and dimes me I just take an equivalent amount off of the tip. Simple. No stress. No confrontation.

easy answer wrote:

If the server nickles and dimes me I just take an equivalent amount off of the tip. Simple. No stress. No confrontation.

+1

coffee me wrote:

easy answer wrote:

If the server nickles and dimes me I just take an equivalent amount off of the tip. Simple. No stress. No confrontation.

+1

It was probably the owner of the struggling dump that waited on you.

Any self-respecting waitress knows that if they comp the refills (when they are not free) they will get a much better tip.

small portion size wrote:

It was probably the owner of the struggling dump that waited on you.

Any self-respecting waitress knows that if they comp the refills (when they are not free) they will get a much better tip.

So you are saying the owner would be better off hiring a bunch of thieves so they can steal from him and give to you.

Sack up and just go in and rob the joint yourself then use the money to buy all the cola you... hell better yet steal a truck drive to the cola wholesaler and load up in the midnight hour.

grammer and speling wrote:

Waiter/waitress obviously sussed you out as a punk that is all talk and no action, and loaded up your check. And you proved him/her right by not speaking up and standing your ground and questioning the bill or demanding the refills be removed from the check. You meekly pulled your wallet out and went home. America is proven to be great once again.

This is why I come to LR.

WiT wrote:

OP wrote:

The place was half empty/half full depending on which way you want to look at it but no where near capacity.

By your logic since they were half empty they should not have charged you for your meal.

Well after all they had plenty of seats for other folks they could charge so why did they charge me?

or

Well they were half full plenty of other people paying for what they ordered so why did they charge me?

When your view of "restaurant dining" is limited to Mickey Ds, WE BE MYSTERYMEAT AND STUFF and Mr Piggy Swinetrough's All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and Muffler Repair Shop your view of the world is unbalanced.

If you go into say Paddy O'Furniture's and sit at the bar all night drinking cola do you really think 2.00 bucks should cover the bill?

DUMBEST. LOGIC. EVER.

I would have asked the waiter about it and then manager if necessary. If he insisted, it would have come out of his tip.

Plus, your buddies should have paid for yours anyway since your were the DD.

Mr usual wrote:

DUMBEST. LOGIC. EVER.

...

Plus, your buddies should have paid for yours anyway since your were the DD.

And then, you should have paid for your buddies' drinks, since it was their drinking that allowed you to be the DD and get yours paid for.

I'm a soda addict and this is what I hate about traveling to Europe on work trips. First, the soda serving sizes are very small compared to fat American expectation. Second, no free refills of any kind. F' Europe.

The norm is ONE free refill (not unlimited). after that, they will charge in addition.

I do think a small amount of ice is needed to keep a drink cool, but you know there are issues when the cup is filled with ice.

Was your gf impressed when you took on your waitress over this soda injustice? I'll bet she rewarded you later that night and treated you like an alpha.

Classic. The OP not only wanted something for free, but is actually upset and angry that he didn't get it!

Let me guess, you were born after 1986, weren't you?

RunWild wrote:

The norm is ONE free refill (not unlimited). after that, they will charge in addition.

I do think a small amount of ice is needed to keep a drink cool, but you know there are issues when the cup is filled with ice.

That's not my experience at all. Unlimited free refills ARE standard (90%+ of restaurants I've been to). Occasionally I'll see places that don't have unlimited free refills - 90%+ of the time these places either specifically list "No free refills" or the waiter specifies as much when offering a refill.

Some of this may be regional, though. I'm from the Chicago-land area.

Phoenix Home Owner wrote:

Classic. The OP not only wanted something for free, but is actually upset and angry that he didn't get it!

Let me guess, you were born after 1986, weren't you?

He was entitled to the free refills. That's why he was so angry when he didn't get them.

9/10, great work here. Original and subtly hinting at some good themes. 4 sodas was a nice touch.

OP voted for Obama? Gross.

It's an old school waiter scam. You charge for refills, back it out later, and pocket the cash. The server probably thought you were a tool and decided to screw you. What did you do to get on his bad side?

Only in America would numerous posters claim the expectation is that you pay for one over-sized empty-calorie vat of sugar and get unlimited additional beverages free of charge. I'm surprised the world can still rotate unaffected by the excess lard you all sport!

Confused Briton wrote:

Only in America would numerous posters claim the expectation is that you pay for one over-sized empty-calorie vat of sugar and get unlimited additional beverages free of charge. I'm surprised the world can still rotate unaffected by the excess lard you all sport!

It's the norm - it shouldn't be something outrageous when someone is surprised when the industry standard isn't adhered to.

Also, I wouldn't be too cocky about obesity rates if you're from the UK, as your name suggests.

You are quickly catching up to the US, and one of the top 3 worst in the world.