Current Events > Did most of you already know that Mcdonald's wants to get rid of free refills ..

(+) Yeah! (+)

...for dine in customers? Yeah all the ones by me at least are getting rid of their self service soda machines? Are any of you peeved by this? Is Mc's the only fast food place or major restaurant chain that will not allow free refills even in you buy their soda in the store? Iirc they want to get rid of it in all parts of the u.s. , possibly the world...over..? Unsure.

This isn't a big deal. It's uncommon for me to ever sit long enough at a fast food place to need a refill.

It's so shortsighted. Pissing people off to save what amounts to pennies. The markup on these drinks is crazy as it is.

Most countries, they have never done free refills.

chris1001_the_sequel posted...

It's so shortsighted. Pissing people off to save what amounts to pennies. The markup on these drinks is crazy as it is.

I agree.

ai123 posted...

Most countries, they have never done free refills.

Oh really? Did not know this. Guess americans had it good, maybe. Like in u.s. at least almost all fast food will give free refill iirc.

chris1001_the_sequel posted...

It's so shortsighted. Pissing people off to save what amounts to pennies. The markup on these drinks is crazy as it is.

Not sure if I agree with this. Imo it is more than pennies, maybe a lot more. Iirc though the soda you buy at a store, the container costs more to produce than the liquid inside of it.

I really dont eat at fast food restaurants often at all. When I did, Id typically finish the drink with the meal, then get a refill for the road.

The_Popo posted...

I really dont eat at fast food restaurants often at all. When I did, Id typically finish the drink with the meal, then get a refill for the road.

Yeah, refill for the road, maybe most people do that, maybe not anymore.

Given how McDonald's likes to pinch on their sauces, it's the most plausible for them to do something like that. But given the prices people pay, pinching on one to two cents of soda syrup just looks bad, and gives other chains an opportunity to steal away some market share.

Well, if I'm eating there, I usually have my own water bottle anyways.

Oddly, I think this is somewhat psychological - if the fountain is available, I'd never want for more; without it, maybe it feels like I'm missing out.

Anyways, long live the 3/4 full sodas from the employee who truly couldn't care.

2001mark posted...

Well, if I'm eating there, I usually have my own water bottle anyways.

Oddly, I think this is somewhat psychological - if the fountain is available, I'd never want for more; without it, maybe it feels like I'm missing out.

Anyways, long live the 3/4 full sodas from the employee who truly couldn't care.

Do you fill your water bottle at their self service machines though?

I really don't know how they can justify charging these outrageous prices, while also serving literal garbage.

DuneMan posted...

Given how McDonald's likes to pinch on their sauces, it's the most plausible for them to do something like that. But given the prices people pay, pinching on one to two cents of soda syrup just looks bad, and gives other chains an opportunity to steal away some market share.

Their sauces, do you mean like the sauces they put on their burgers or like packages of mcnugget sauce?

Smallville posted...

Not sure if I agree with this. Imo it is more than pennies, maybe a lot more. Iirc though the soda you buy at a store, the container costs more to produce than the liquid inside of it.

My father-in-law used to manage a gas station, fountain soda was easily their most profitable item. A cup was 15 cents, lid was a couple of cents, straw was another couple of cents, and the actual ice and soda was another few cents. All and all a 32 oz drink costs less than a quarter and they sold for 99 cents. Refills were even better at 95% profit.

Were_Wyrm posted...

My father-in-law used to manage a gas station, fountain soda was easily their most profitable item. A cup was 15 cents, lid was a couple of cents, straw was another couple of cents, and the actual ice and soda was another few cents. All and all a 32 oz drink costs less than a quarter and they sold for 99 cents. Refills were even better at 95% profit.

Yeah possibly it is much cheaper to produce the soda out of those machines than those 20 oz plastic bottles though.

I mean the point is, at those price points a customer would need to get at least 50 refills before McD lost any money on drinks.

the last time i clearly remember mcdonalds cutting corners was while working there as a teenager in 2008

bad macro indicator

Smallville posted...

Their sauces, do you mean like the sauces they put on their burgers or like packages of mcnugget sauce?

Sauces for nuggets. A lot of McDonald's locations will strictly ration out the sauces for nuggets, with customers getting less sauce per nugget if they order larger package counts, and then charge for individual packets.

All this when basic BBQ can be purchased by the entire bottle for what McDonald's charges for 2-4 packs. I doubt the wholesale prices for the boxes of 1,000 packs has gone up to such a degree that Mc.Donald's needs to resell them for $250-$500 to customers.

It's penny pinching greed, simple as.

DuneMan posted...

Sauces for nuggets. A lot of McDonald's locations will strictly ration out the sauces for nuggets, with customers getting less sauce per nugget if they order larger package counts, and then charge for individual packets.

All this when basic BBQ can be purchased by the entire bottle for what McDonald's charges for 2-4 packs. I doubt the wholesale prices for the boxes of 1,000 packs has gone up to such a degree that Mc.Donald's needs to resell them for $250-$500 to customers.

i know this isn't indicative of every McDonald's

but like them shits are free

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/fa8c6b8e.jpg

Its Mcdonalds trying to find ways to save money to offset the losses due to not as many people going there due to the increased prices

Its just a band-aid thats not addressing the real problems

Smallville posted...

Not sure if I agree with this. Imo it is more than pennies, maybe a lot more. Iirc though the soda you buy at a store, the container costs more to produce than the liquid inside of it.

not a mcdonalds, but a medium coke costs us about 7 cents, plus 7 cents for a cup and 5 cents for a lid and 2 cents for a straw.

ConfusedTorchic posted...

i know this isn't indicative of every McDonald's

but like them shits are free

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/fa8c6b8e.jpg

What is this post, not sure what the pic means, they never have to pay?

I read about this a while ago. I believe this is less about cutting costs and more about discouraging dine-in business. The logic is that take-out is more profitable.

When I was 6 here in Australia, I remembering getting so mad that the McDonald's didn't have free refills.

They have been phasing out self-serve machines for years now. I think only Wendy's with their cocacola freestyle machines are left.

008Zulu posted...

When I was 6 here in Australia, I remembering getting so mad that the McDonald's didn't have free refills.

Oh they have never had it in australia? Do any food places, Is like restaurant tipping a thing there?

Yeah. McDonald's used to be worth going for their dollar any size drinks.

The one I went to this morning resigned and had it removed, if it wasn't for their hotcakes I probably wouldn't go to them anymore

They really are trying to squeeze blood from a stone if they think getting rid of free refills is a good idea.

GranTurismo posted...

Oh they have never had it in australia? Do any food places, Is like restaurant tipping a thing there?

Some places might have a cup where people can drop their loose change, if they don't feel like carrying it around. But tipping is generally something that is not done here. When you're paid a liveable wage, you don't need it.

ai123 posted...

Most countries, they have never done free refills.

Yeah, well most countries are wrong.