[Z]

Not sure if this can really be considered 'serious' but I think it's a debate nonetheless...

What do you think of free refills in restaurants on soft drinks? Do you think it's great because you can have as much as you want or do you think it's wrong that certain products are pushed as the obvious choice in certain restaurants because you can have an unlimited amount, i.e. more value for your money, despite them being bad for you?

[Ninastar]

i think it's good. drinks are waaaay over priced anyway

[Kizzy]

I suppose it's good business in these all you can eat places, there's only so much fizzy pop you can drink without bloating you up.
It does seem gluttonous though, that's my pet hate... just have a drink, you don't need 6 gallon ffs!!

[Marsh.]

Well it's all bad for you anyway. Everything in moderation as they say.

They know you won't have that much of it anyway because it bloats you, as Kizzy says. Or reduces your intake of the food.

[Smithy]

it's annoying they always water it down

[Josy]

Hmm I suppose it's good for anyone who likes to drink a lot with their food.

I don't drink fizzy drinks so I never get them

[Kizzy]

Has anyone seen 'supersize me' by Morgan Spurlock?
All you can eat/drink things always remind me of that..... When we used to be ashamed of overeating, now it's expected that people want to gorge till they vomit

[Vanessa]

Everything in moderation is fine i think. I only have a soft drink if i'm eating a KFC.

[King Gizzard]

The ratio of water to actual drink is ridiculous so they should be free refills yeah, but restaurants are clever because they know people are realistically not going to drink more than 2-3 glasses so they bump up the price a little bit but make it a free refill so it seems good when really you're just paying for the amount you're likely to drink

[Kizzy]

I read 'Fast food nation' and the cost of the syrup in a regular soft drink equates to about 2 cents (1p)
So yeah they're still winning haha.

[Shaun]

I don't think I've ever needed to refill.

[Ammi]

..I think it's good that drinks have free refills because it's a hugely expensive part of the meal but I think it should be all non alcoholic drinks, including fruit juice as well..(maybe because I don't drink fizzy drinks so never get a free refill..)........

[reece(:]

It's a persuading factor when I go into restaurants.

[Z]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..I think it's good that drinks have free refills because it's a hugely expensive part of the meal but I think it should be all non alcoholic drinks, including fruit juice as well..(maybe because I don't drink fizzy drinks so never get a free refill..)........

Yeah that's what annoys me... like I'd go for an orange juice on a free refill rather than getting a 7up or a Pepsi, but they always price the fruit juice at a way more expensive price so if you had two of them you'd be paying like £6 but if you get a free refill fizzy one you're paying like £2.50... very clever, I expect most of these restaurants have partnership deals with the soft drinks companies. Also always makes me laugh "Can I have a Coke please?" "Is Pepsi okay?" "Is Monopoly money okay?!"

[King Gizzard]

the real test of a good restaurant is whether they have bottles of ketchup/bbq etc, can't be having those bowls of ketchup or those ****ty little sachets

[smeagol]

They do it for kids if you order orange or something in a pub. usualy the next is free

The places would be full of tramps here in england if there was free coffeee refils

[Beastie]

I went to Cosmo restaurant. I got refills of water and the water was free! There was some rubbish in the news about closing these "All you can eat" places down because of obesity. Then if that happens what about all the fast food places like McDonalds, KFC, takeaway Chinese, Pizzas, Indians, etc..

When I went to Cosmo there was quite a few "skinny" people as well. Things are aloud to be done in moderation.

I do like healthy eating as well. There should be cafes/restaurants that sell "healthy meals only" but I have never seen a café or restaurant do this. Should be a new organic new age phenomenon. As long as keeping the usual fast food/all you can eat franchises.

[BigSister]

Because i only drink soft drink i like it but I only usualy fill up once if I use the refill. I dont like that waterered down diet coke you get in pubs though it doesnt taste right.

[Kizzy]

Isn't wagamama a healthy restaurant? sushi is healthy.
I love free tea refills.....just keep it coming baby!

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I read 'Fast food nation' and the cost of the syrup in a regular soft drink equates to about 2 cents (1p)
So yeah they're still winning haha.

This, it's pure profit so they still make plenty of money, even if you have 10 full glasses of the stuff.

I worked as a pub chef whilst I was at Uni in a student bar. Cola / lemonade on tap was free for staff to drink as much as we wanted... The managers reasoning? "Its basically free, you could drink it all day and it would only cost us about 20p".

And yet, a pint glass of draft cola over the counter... £1.50. Something like 98% profit . Bars must love it when people just order soft drinks...


One thing to note, though: sit-in eating establishments have to offer free water if you ask for it. You can have as much as you want. So thats free refills, free in the first place, and not full of sugar. Most places will even put lemon or lime slices in at no extra cost! So, we tend to just get a jug of water for the table when we go out to eat.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

This, it's pure profit so they still make plenty of money, even if you have 10 full glasses of the stuff.

I worked as a pub chef whilst I was at Uni in a student bar. Cola / lemonade on tap was free for staff to drink as much as we wanted... The managers reasoning? "Its basically free, you could drink it all day and it would only cost us about 20p".

And yet, a pint glass of draft cola over the counter... £1.50. Something like 98% profit . Bars must love it when people just order soft drinks...


One thing to note, though: sit-in eating establishments have to offer free water if you ask for it. You can have as much as you want. So thats free refills, free in the first place, and not full of sugar. Most places will even put lemon or lime slices in at no extra cost! So, we tend to just get a jug of water for the table when we go out to eat.

I was about to say this. The profit they still make for free refills is hilarious as on average most people will only have a pint and a half and they still have paid more then they would