Rapid Fill Mug Program Fails (at more ways than you might think)

[jaklgreen]

Shareing a beverage is stealing now? So at the movies I should buy a giant tub for each person if I get one because that theatre chain allows refills on that tub? Wow. That's a very broad definition of stealing. Big difference between a buffet, where you pay per person upon entrance to the restaurant and McDs where you pay for what you're going to consume.
McDs doesn't care who or how many people consume their large coke. I've seen people set up in Mcds with their laptop and only get a coffee and nuggets the entire day. That's ok, but splitting sodas among kids isn't?

Restaurants actually do care that you are sharing a drink but with all of the social media and bad press now they don't want to say anything. What they do is just keep raising prices. I truly have no problem with 2 little kids sharing a soda because I know they would never finish a whole drink between the 2 of them, but when you have several kids getting numerous refills while only paying for 1 drink, then that is crossing the line a bit. And people, the lemons sitting out are for the purchased iced tea not your free water.

 

[Seth7721]

Restaurants actually do care that you are sharing a drink but with all of the social media and bad press now they don't want to say anything. What they do is just keep raising prices. I truly have no problem with 2 little kids sharing a soda because I know they would never finish a whole drink between the 2 of them, but when you have several kids getting numerous refills while only paying for 1 drink, then that is crossing the line a bit. And people, the lemons sitting out are for the purchased iced tea not your free water.

Really? They will give you lemons in your water no matter where you go. People really over think this stuff.

 

[Goofyernmost]

i dont really understand why people dont like i mean it think its a bit fussy but when i was there i worked fine didnt bother me a bit

I'm sorry...what? Try it with punctuation and capitalization. All I see are 29 totally unconnected words.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

One thing I did notice on my last trips is that some guests are using their Mugs at the Refillable stations inside the parks (Backlot Express, RestaurantOsaurus, & Electric Umbrella)...And I mean A lot of people were doing this and they weren't being stopped by CM's from doing this....It's getting out of hand..

 

[tissandtully]

One thing I did notice on my last trips is that some guests are using their Mugs at the Refillable stations inside the parks (Backlot Express, RestaurantOsaurus, & Electric Umbrella)...And I mean A lot of people were doing this and they weren't being stopped by CM's from doing this....It's getting out of hand..

They don't enforce drink refills inside the parks. Which is fine, since there really isn't a sign saying otherwise. Once you buy your drink you can literally refill all day if you want to make the trips.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Coca Cola has launched a national advertising campaign that essentially encourages you to steal soda. It basically says that "Sip Stealing" is not a felony in all 50 states. I'm thinking it's okay to get refills no matter what at this point. Most people still need cups. And paper cups eventually stop working anyway. It just is one of those things that doesn't make sense to police, no matter how you look at it.

 

[jaklgreen]

Really? They will give you lemons in your water no matter where you go. People really over think this stuff.

Please let me rephrase. A slice or two of lemon in your water is totally acceptable, especially if you paid to eat the food. Coming in and asking for "free" water and putting half of a lemon in and a packet of sugar to make your own lemonade is not ok. I see this a lot where I work.

 

[Gabe1]

Some people don't like it because it limits their 'free' drinking. Others, like me, don't like how TDO went out of its way and spent a bunch of money to limit something so minimal in the scheme of things.

I think I know where you are going with this. This was an expensive Fix to a relatively small problem in the grand scheme to the loss column in beverage sales for Disney. I always purchase or have a cup included so I am never in the thievery situation. Like the woman I saw trying to use her room foam cup to scam some Diet Coke she stormed off, she didn't actually go purchase Coke. Disney didn't loose cheap product but they didn't make any revenue either.

When the year is over I do wonder and will never know if the savings Disney has saved from the thieves will cover the overall expenses of the machines, chipped cups and having the soda machines behind most counters of Park QS establishments needing employees to fill all these beverages. I'd love to see the data in the end. My dining plan came with a beverage beyond the mug, at QS were always ordered the bottled water so we could take it with us as we continued our days into the park over soda in paper cups we'd have to pitch at an attraction, we did the same at breakfast. Worked well, only had to purchase bottled beverage twice in 10 days in the parks, both on the days it reached 90.

 

[flynnibus]

For those who assume all self-serve fountain sodas are free refills... you should be thankful no one lowered the hammer on you like they did to this guy

http://www.ksla.com/story/25269079/man-hit-with-525-federal-fine-after-he-doesnt-pay-for-soda-refill

$525 citation for shoplifting after not paying for his drink refill.

Extreme... but illustrates the point.. refills are not to be assumed.

 

[note2001]

Please let me rephrase. A slice or two of lemon in your water is totally acceptable, especially if you paid to eat the food. Coming in and asking for "free" water and putting half of a lemon in and a packet of sugar to make your own lemonade is not ok. I see this a lot where I work.

Not one of my things, but I've known folk who've done this at other locations. Their reasoning as I inquired was not to get something for free, but rather that the beverage choices catered to those who like soda, *ultra* sweetened iced tea/lemonade or who can drink the artificial sweeteners. By adding a slice of lemon and a packet of sugar they're at least getting something they can drink other than water.

BTW - I've never noticed lemons on the counter at Disney. Where have you seen this?

For those who assume all self-serve fountain sodas are free refills... you should be thankful no one lowered the hammer on you like they did to this guy

http://www.ksla.com/story/25269079/man-hit-with-525-federal-fine-after-he-doesnt-pay-for-soda-refill

$525 citation for shoplifting after not paying for his drink refill.

Extreme... but illustrates the point.. refills are not to be assumed.

Something tells me we don't have the whole story there. This has to go far beyond the .89 refill for him to have someone there watching, waiting and then make it so he's not allowed to return and in so, out of work.

 

[flynnibus]

Something tells me we don't have the whole story there. This has to go far beyond the .89 refill for him to have someone there watching, waiting and then make it so he's not allowed to return and in so, out of work.

Motivation is not relevant to the point that the rule and means to enforce it exist. In these threads people have advocated theories that because its self-serve, refills are a given.

 

[sporadic]

For those who assume all self-serve fountain sodas are free refills... you should be thankful no one lowered the hammer on you like they did to this guy

http://www.ksla.com/story/25269079/man-hit-with-525-federal-fine-after-he-doesnt-pay-for-soda-refill

$525 citation for shoplifting after not paying for his drink refill.

Extreme... but illustrates the point.. refills are not to be assumed.

LOL. I live in Charleston and may know some people who work down there. I'll dig into this


EDIT: Here's the local station that originated the story and the local paper. You'll start seeing comments pop-up on the sites once it starts circulating.
http://www.live5news.com/story/2526...eral-fine-after-he-doesnt-pay-for-soda-refill
http://www.postandcourier.com/artic...25-for-drink-refill-at-charleston-va-hospital

 

[tissandtully]

Not one of my things, but I've known folk who've done this at other locations. Their reasoning as I inquired was not to get something for free, but rather that the beverage choices catered to those who like soda, *ultra* sweetened iced tea/lemonade or who can drink the artificial sweeteners. By adding a slice of lemon and a packet of sugar they're at least getting something they can drink other than water.

BTW - I've never noticed lemons on the counter at Disney. Where have you seen this?



Something tells me we don't have the whole story there. This has to go far beyond the .89 refill for him to have someone there watching, waiting and then make it so he's not allowed to return and in so, out of work.

Sounds like power-hungry police officer to me actually.

 

[tissandtully]

Motivation is not relevant to the point that the rule and means to enforce it exist. In these threads people have advocated theories that because its self-serve, refills are a given.

Yes, but this story it said there were signs. There are no signs at WDW parks saying you can't refill your soda after you purchased your intial one at the self-serve machines. Big difference if you ask me.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, but this story it said there were signs. There are no signs at WDW parks saying you can't refill your soda after you purchased your intial one at the self-serve machines. Big difference if you ask me.

Are people looking for signs that say they CAN get refills before assuming they can? I'm speaking towards this assumption.

This guy ASSUMED and ignored/missed the signs. Maybe if he didn't assume refills are free.. things would have turned out different.

 

[note2001]

Yes, but this story it said there were signs. There are no signs at WDW parks saying you can't refill your soda after you purchased your intial one at the self-serve machines. Big difference if you ask me.

To this man's defense, the illiteracy rate of adults in of SC is quite high (searching, it's up around 11% in some areas http://www.lowcountryliteracy.org/about/literacy-facts). He may not have been able to read the refill signs.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Are people looking for signs that say they CAN get refills before assuming they can? I'm speaking towards this assumption.

This guy ASSUMED and ignored/missed the signs. Maybe if he didn't assume refills are free.. things would have turned out different.

I really don't know where you're from, but where I live, if there is a quick service or fast casual restaurant with a self-serve soda fountain, or even a table service restaurant that serves soda in a cup, it is generally accepted that the facility has free refills. No signs needed unless that is not the policy. This becomes more about societal norms now. The norm in my area is to have free refills on soda. If it is not the case, the customer must be informed of it ahead of time.

If there were signs, that makes it different. But this guy claims there were no signs.

 

[tissandtully]

I really don't know where you're from, but where I live, if there is a quick service or fast casual restaurant with a self-serve soda fountain, or even a table service restaurant that serves soda in a cup, it is generally accepted that the facility has free refills. No signs needed unless that is not the policy. This becomes more about societal norms now. The norm in my area is to have free refills on soda. If it is not the case, the customer must be informed of it ahead of time.

If there were signs, that makes it different. But this guy claims there were no signs.

Yes, I was gonna chime in with the same thing. Ever since Fast food establishments moved the machines from behind the counter, it's always been implied that places are free refill unless they say otherwise. Heck, even if they still have them behind the counter, you can usually just walk up and they know exactly that you want a free refill and they are happy to oblige.

 

[flynnibus]

I really don't know where you're from, but where I live, if there is a quick service or fast casual restaurant with a self-serve soda fountain, or even a table service restaurant that serves soda in a cup, it is generally accepted that the facility has free refills.

'generally accepted'?? Seems like a rather self-determined conclusion.

No signs needed unless that is not the policy. This becomes more about societal norms now. The norm in my area is to have free refills on soda. If it is not the case, the customer must be informed of it ahead of time.

Yet you take this 'conclusion' and go to saying now the burden IS ON THE BUSINESS to explictly say it's not?

This sounds exactly like the people who claim "there was no sign saying I couldn't take it...".

You are in a store or place a business... not your friend's pantry. There is no assumption that product is free unless stated otherwise.

 

[tissandtully]

'generally accepted'?? Seems like a rather self-determined conclusion.



Yet you take this 'conclusion' and go to saying now the burden IS ON THE BUSINESS to explictly say it's not?

This sounds exactly like the people who claim "there was no sign saying I couldn't take it...".

You are in a store or place a business... not your friend's pantry. There is no assumption that product is free unless stated otherwise.

Do you really ask every time you are in an establishment with a drink fountain if the refills are free? I'd love to see the blank stares you got from the employees.