Server charged me 4x for refills on soda

I love dining ina subwaytunnel wrote:

coke for the DD please!!!

FAIL!!!

It's the norm- for FAST FOOD restaurant chains that have a free refill policy and have a free standing customer operated sodafountain machine - it shouldn't be something outrageous when somethe industry standard isn't adhered to.

The "HalalsixinchJared" in my area that has a free refill policy also sells a price increase the larger the cup. It seems they must have a client base with the mindset:

"I'll buy the big cup so I don't have to get up and walk the to the free refill machine so often."

I'll allow for the idea that it would be good industry wide practice to voluntarily not charge for fountain soda at the bar when group is the DD but not that it is a legal standard that must be adhered to under penalty of the law.

No, not only fast food. Honestly, 95% of the sit down restaurants I go to offer free refills. The only of off the top of my head that doesn't is a family owned Japanese steak-house. Again, this may be regional. Nobody is saying that it should be law that there are free refills - it's just that when a place goes against the industry standard without explicitly stating so on the menu or when serving, it's kinda shady.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the larger sizes offered at fast food restaurants are helpful for those that are not dining in, and don't have access to the free refills.

Hmmm, as an American (born in '75) who has lived in most regions of the U.S. I never knew that free refills had become the norm, unless you are at a fast food place or maybe a chain. I guess I'll have to glutton it up a bit more...

usually, there is a charge for soda or hot chocolate refills but not for iced tea or coffee.

five fingered discount wrote:

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.

Dude, any self respecting owner already knows that is how it works. Why do you think they pay the waiters/waitresses about a buck an hour and charge 2 bucks for 9 cents worth of soda?

The customer is happy they got something "free", the waiter/waitress got a bigger tip, and the owner will make lots of money because happy customers keep coming back.

Obviously that wasn't happening at the restaurant the OP went to. That's why it was only half full.

In all my life I've only been to one restaurant that didn't have free refills.

You would think that given the fact that you ordered two sodas (and then more) that the waiter/waitress would have thought, "This dude must think the refills are free. I better let him know."

sjq wrote:

You would think that given the fact that you ordered two sodas (and then more) that the waiter/waitress would have thought, "This dude must think the refills are free. I better let him know."

Bet you'd be pissed if you were out on a date and the waiter saw you order a third round if drinks and thought This guy just ordered another round does he know he has to pay for refills, I better tell him. So he says you know the refills are not free don't you. Alas the potential gf hears it as if the waiter is saying: can you actually pay for all the stuff you are ordering? and thinks bet he had trouble with my date paying his bill the last time.

Any decent server/bartender wouldn't charge you for refills of soft drinks. Especially when their buddies are drinking alcoholic beverages. Hell any decent bartender wouldn't charge the DD for soda AT ALL let alone for numerous refills as a gesture of being responsible adults doing the right thing...giving the other people room to drink more since they don't have to drive. Fountain soda is one of the biggest profits for restaurants and bars. literally costs like 5 cents or less for a glass of soda and they charge you 2-3 dollars for it. So refills of soft drinks aren't costing a restaurant or bar hardly anything at all. I was at a casual restaurant and me and my other half ordered coffee....I specifically asked the server if we could switch up to soda she said yes. Then charged me for soda and coffee. I asked her why I was charged for both. She said coffee and soda are separate charges...this was AFTER I asked her if I could switch up to soda. Did she really think I asked her that question for my health? Or that I wouldn't be allowed to order both? Long sorry short it came off her tip and I don't feel bad. Any decent server doesn't do that.

Well, since we're on the bump old threads kick, I'll add my $2. Many beach resort towns have restaurants that have no free refills. South Beach/Miami are notorious for this type of practice. Surcharges on splitting checks or meals. Things like that. And then portion sizes are much smaller than Americans are accustomed to. Anyhow, stop being a cheapskate and pay for what you order. OP is long gone, but they originally stated there was too much ice. Then said they were watered down. So which is it? They're icy or they're watery? You drank four, you fat glutton, so the ice didn't melt to water since you were pounding them. Final thought, the cups get filled with ice for one main reason and a few smaller reasons. I won't bore you with why since you wouldn't understand anything outside your massive mutual fund and training for the Olympic trials.

Yes, it is ridiculous that you were charged. Obviously the place is not worried about having your group become returning customers.

What's more ridiculous though?: After you got one watered down Coke, why did you get more?

I like a good Coke, but a watery Coke is no good.

What's really ridiculous is responding to a thread started 7 years ago.