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

[flynnibus]

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

Implied how? Because you are tasked to fill the cup?? (The real reason the machines are there...)

The simple location of the machine does not imply 'free' or 'refills'. - That is a business decision by the vendor.

 

[sporadic]

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.

I live in Charleston (where this happened) and it's the same way down here. Any restaurant I've been to it's free refills on fountain drinks / tea / coffee for the length of your visit. Even behind the counter at fast food places like Chik-Fil-A and Wendy's where you ask for fill-ups. It's just assumed, especially when the machines are in the dining area. I haven't bothered watching the video, was this guying paying once each day then just getting refills or not paying at all?

EDIT: And I've never seen a "free refills" sign down here...

 

[flynnibus]

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.

Do you ask the same employees why they bother selling different sized cups if refills are always free?

Do you expect them to say nothing if you bought a soda and instead decide to fill up your water cooler instead? Hey... refills are free right?

 

[tissandtully]

Implied how? Because you are tasked to fill the cup?? (The real reason the machines are there...)

The simple location of the machine does not imply 'free' or 'refills'. - That is a business decision by the vendor.

Except when it does. There's a reason the machines were moved from behind the counter. I remember it plainly, it was quite the deal when McDonald's started allowing free refills, then the rest followed. Well, I was a lot younger, so it was a big deal to a small me, ha. Now all I care about is refills on my unsweet tea.

 

[tissandtully]

Do you ask the same employees why they bother selling different sized cups if refills are always free?

Do you expect them to say nothing if you bought a soda and instead decide to fill up your water cooler instead? Hey... refills are free right?

They sell different sized cups because people don't always want a refill. Geez, it's a matter of choice and having options. Is everything an argument with you, can't you ever just stand back and say.. "Hey, maybe my thoughts on this particular subject aren't correct?"

 

[flynnibus]

Except when it does. There's a reason the machines were moved from behind the counter. I remember it plainly, it was quite the deal when McDonald's started allowing free refills, then the rest followed

The reason was labor savings masked by offering 'customer choice'. "have it your way..." as the Burger King slogan reminds us. The fast food places followed places like 7-11 that demonstrated you could throw that burden over to the customer and stop having to pay employees to sit there and wait for the cup to fill. Later they improved it even for prepared orders by improving the dispensors to automatically shutoff for the correct sizes. It was all about efficiency - not offering refills as the reason for putting the machines out there.

 

[flynnibus]

They sell different sized cups because people don't always want a refill. Geez, it's a matter of choice and having options. Is everything an argument with you, can't you ever just stand back and say.. "Hey, maybe my thoughts on this particular subject aren't correct?"

It's about people lacking attention to detail and then rewriting what they think the rules are based on that slop. It doesn't matter that the cop doesn't pull you over for less than 10mph over... the speed limit is still what it is.. not what you assume the new rule to be because 'usually they don't care'. It's basic courtesy. You don't assume something is yours for the taking. You are offered.. or you ask.. you don't take with the answer of "oh I just assumed..."

 

[sporadic]

Do you ask the same employees why they bother selling different sized cups if refills are always free?

Do you expect them to say nothing if you bought a soda and instead decide to fill up your water cooler instead? Hey... refills are free right?

LOL, that's easy. Low price brings them in and everyone is a sucker for a cheap upgrade. The profit margin on soda in the food industry is huge and outweighs anything else a fast food place would sell. That $1.09 coke may cost the store .15. Ever notice how most fast food places ask you "medium or large" when placing your order? They don't imply the standard small is available. Most people either go large or say medium even though they just wanted the small. It's by design. They just netted another .45 off your .50 upgrade. They're making money hand over fist when you upgrade your drink size and most people want it so they can take it with them. They could care less if you get a few refills during your visit. Now, you come back in later that day or next with the same cup? Yeah, there's a problem. Grew up in the fast food business so yes, I know a little about this.

Bringing in a water cooler? Sorry, it's not their container.

 

[Mawg]

Went to Panara Bread this past weekend. I asked for smaller cups for the kids drinks. The lady told me to just use the free water cups they have next to the soda fountain. I said, but they want a soda. She said, people just use them for soda all the time. I use to always ask if refills were free but it's becoming pretty common that if you put a soda dispenser in your restaurant for the public to use then refills are free. What caught me off guard is that typically you need to buy a cup for the free refills but in this case I was told to just steal our soda.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

The reason was labor savings masked by offering 'customer choice'. "have it your way..." as the Burger King slogan reminds us. The fast food places followed places like 7-11 that demonstrated you could throw that burden over to the customer and stop having to pay employees to sit there and wait for the cup to fill. Later they improved it even for prepared orders by improving the dispensors to automatically shutoff for the correct sizes. It was all about efficiency - not offering refills as the reason for putting the machines out there.

Actually, the main reason was for cost savings... not just in labor, but in syrup consumption. Believe it or not, even with free refills, syrup consumption goes down when customers fill their own drinks. There is just less wasted soda. If you have someone filling soda all day, they will fill, pour out bubbles, fill more, pour out more, fill to top. An average customer will fill, wait for bubbles to die down, fill again, then wait, then fill to the top.

Even if they get refills, the cost savings becomes rapidly apparent.

And the different size of cups... you can't very well take that drink machine with you, can you? So the different sized cups are there to let you decide how much you want to take with you after you leave. Some people also use it as a means of controlling their own consumption for dietary reasons.

I swear, you seem to be arguing this for the simple sake of arguing. Soda is widely accepted in many places to be refillable for free. Don't try to compare it to any other product, or taking your own containers. Those are not the same case.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

'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.

My lawyers would disagree with you.

 

[Mawg]

I don't recall the commercial but I've seen one quite often that sip stealing is not a felony in all 50 states. Has anyone ever heard of a case where the cops were called for refilling a drink? It's legal until a judge rules it's not.

 

[Mawg]

Ok, so after a google search, the only arrest I could ever find for soda stealing were when someone brought in their own cup or used the free water cup. I think if there was no free refill sign up and someone stole a refill the establishment would have a had time going after the "criminal". But if there is a large sign up that states no free refills, best not to do it.

 

[sporadic]

There's plenty of money in the soda market. Coca-Cola Corporation is even nice enough to rent out Universal Studios to host parties for your franchising company's annual convention For certain larger chains that is. Free food and booze throughout the park with no wait times. They even had tables setup with bartenders throughout the park and buffet spreads in the restaurants. People walking around just handing out food. Was pretty much 3 hours of awesomeness. This was back before the HP stuff done but we got to walk through the queue.

 

[flynnibus]

Actually, the main reason was for cost savings... not just in labor, but in syrup consumption.

While that is a benefit, The practice originated in the convenience stores where they didn't have extra positions behind the counter and they were focusing on quick in n out. Self serve kept the clerk free to move through patrons quicker. ( while being able to pitch people as being in control of their own coffee mix, etc)

I swear, you seem to be arguing this for the simple sake of arguing. Soda is widely accepted in many places to be refillable for free. Don't try to compare it to any other product, or taking your own containers. Those are not the same case.

'Commonly' does not mean you freely assume it and then put responsibility on the other party to prove otherwise.

Women may commonly accept your advances that doesn't mean you are free to take what you want from one unless there is a sign around her neck announcing 'no touching'

This line of justification always ends up with rediculous justifications like this guy who just posted 'it's legal until a judge says no'

Morals are becoming extinct

 

[doctornick]

I would agree with others that the default nowadays is that patron accessible machines imply free refills unless otherwise stated. And also most family restaurants give you free refills as well. If a place does not allow free refills, they will typically state it explicitly (often with a "refills $0.70" type of notation or the like).

That said, the relevant thing for WDW is that the refills are for that visit only. You can't bring the cup back the next day and refill it for free. Some places do have refillable mugs that allow for reduced rate refills on future visits. Even Disney allows for multiple refills on their "one visit" cups at the resorts. It's pretty crazy that people think they should be able to buy one soda and get free refills in that cup for their week long stay (or worse yet, just take a free cup from their room).

 

[Cubfan300]

While that is a benefit, The practice originated in the convenience stores where they didn't have extra positions behind the counter and they were focusing on quick in n out. Self serve kept the clerk free to move through patrons quicker. ( while being able to pitch people as being in control of their own coffee mix, etc)

I don't know where you get your ideas, but as someone who knows owners of convenience stores, the LAST thing that they want is quick "in and out" customers. The longer a customer is in that store gives the store more time to sell them something. Why do you think that candy bars are right at the counter? The earlier comment was right...I think that you argue sometimes just for the sake of arguing. You are wrong on this one.

 

[note2001]

Back when they first introduced the chip-in-the-refillable-mug concept, some wondered why they didn't just link the refills to the room key (or now days, the magic band.)

Can you imagine the commotion if every time you activated the drink dispenser it added a charge to your room? So many people would be claiming their kids could not have possibly racked up $20 of drinks in a day, that some were mis-pours, others were non-functional... yada yada.

 

[CDavid]

Has anyone ever heard of a case where the cops were called for refilling a drink?

Despite this article, I just can't imagine the police getting involved over an unauthorized drink refill, particularly if the individual can plead ignorance ("I thought refills were allowed"), unless there is repeated (after being asked to stop) or excessive abuse (filling a gallon jug or cup from home), or the individual is belligerent or something. I would expect the restaurant employees to handle the matter ("sorry sir, we don't offer free refills, so please don't do it again"). Which may well have occurred previously in this case, and if this guy had been told to stop taking free drinks several times but had just ignored the 'request', then I certainly could see it becoming a police matter. Law enforcement would also properly get involved in matters of aggression, which they claim this man was. Of course, very rarely you do get police officers on a power trip (people standing on a public sidewalk being threatened with arrest for taking pictures of trains, in one instance); Ordinarily they would try to diffuse the situation, such as letting the man pay for the drink.

While that is a benefit, The practice originated in the convenience stores where they didn't have extra positions behind the counter and they were focusing on quick in n out. Self serve kept the clerk free to move through patrons quicker. ( while being able to pitch people as being in control of their own coffee mix, etc)



'Commonly' does not mean you freely assume it and then put responsibility on the other party to prove otherwise.

Women may commonly accept your advances that doesn't mean you are free to take what you want from one unless there is a sign around her neck announcing 'no touching'

This line of justification always ends up with rediculous justifications like this guy who just posted 'it's legal until a judge says no'

Morals are becoming extinct

Morals are indeed on the endangered species list. If people had and used them, there would be no need for RapidFill or maybe even to post signs. And no, it most certainly is not legal until a judge says no (don't people take civics class anymore???). Maybe free refills are an activist interpretation of the 21st amendment to the Constitution.

That said, advances toward women is not the best analogy. Free refills are not universal but are quite *common* in fast-food restaurants where the beverage counters are in the dining room, whereas advances toward women are *never* permissible (perhaps beyond initial, innocent flirting) unless they give you reason to believe your advances are welcome.

I would agree with others that the default nowadays is that patron accessible machines imply free refills unless otherwise stated. And also most family restaurants give you free refills as well. If a place does not allow free refills, they will typically state it explicitly (often with a "refills $0.70" type of notation or the like)

It is common enough that people may well assume refills are free even in the few places where they aren't. If there is no sign either prohibiting or permitting refills, it probably shouldn't be a surprise when people go ahead and fill up.

I don't believe the local buffet place (like Golden Corral) has any sign specifically stating you can make repeated trips to the buffet, but of course you can. I don't know if all of these such establishments really meant for people to make several trips to the prime rib station, but of course people do. With both drink refills and buffet lines, it might be nice if they told us either way what is included in the unlimited price, and what would mean an extra charge. Don't put people on the spot when they are made to guess, and some guess wrong.

 

[Violiav]

"You go now! You been here four hours!"
I swear I've seen that bit on Family Guy or The Simpsons.