Question for restaurant servers.

GetSoda
GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
How come y'all never refill my soda pop? At least half the time I'm trying to eat, I'm sitting and waiting for soda pop while my food gets cold. Some are better than others, but I'd say 9/10 times, I'm sitting there thirsty. And the pop gets taken out of the tip! (Which is $1.99-$3.99 here.)

Only one waitress ever caught on. She left a pitcher for me. I tipped her 100%.
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Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Soda and water refills are entirely what my tip amounts are based upon. And I refuse to ask for a refill. I just sit silently with my empty glass on the end of the table counting how many times they pass by without noticing.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants
  • bearkisses
    bearkisses Posts: 1,252 Member
    i dunno, i tip based on accommodating service. bringing me hot sauce...and.....not touching my fiance on the arm.
  • DalekBrittany
    DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member
    If you are really nice, but you never refill my drink and I have to ask someone else to do it...I assume you're busy. If you're a flaming ***** and you never refill my drink...I assume you are a busy *****. You will get tipped according to how friendly you are, not how much you refill my drink.


    Unless the restaurant is empty...then, I tip 20% if you don't refill but you're nice, 10% if you don't refill and you're also a *****.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.
  • MelMoly
    MelMoly Posts: 1,303 Member
    for sure!
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    In the US, they rarely charge for refills on fountain drinks (soda). Bottled sodas, which are usually specialty/more expensive, are per bottle. I've found refills on milk to be free at some places, but that appears to be dependent upon how well behaved my kids are being at the time.... Americans do tend to drink huge amounts of soda as well -- a typical restaurant glass (plastic cup) is 16oz.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    In the US, they rarely charge for refills on fountain drinks (soda). Bottled sodas, which are usually specialty/more expensive, are per bottle. I've found refills on milk to be free at some places, but that appears to be dependent upon how well behaved my kids are being at the time.... Americans do tend to drink huge amounts of soda as well -- a typical restaurant glass (plastic cup) is 16oz.


    Yep.. I'll take 3-5 refills on average. 5-7 at a mexican place. Up to 10 or more at places that have free refills on food (all you can eat) stuff.
  • DalekBrittany
    DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    Yes, very! Most people I know don't exclude a restaurant because they don't offer free refills on soft drinks, but I think (please correct me if I am wrong!) that America has quite a lot more "cheap" restaurants than other countries have. You can go and sit down and have your order taken, and you could probably get some wine, but the food is decent at best and the wine is probably out of a box.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    I don't like wine. If I'm going to drink, I'd prefer a nice whiskey -- but not with my dinner. As such, I can assure you that all the finer quality restaurants also offer soda, tea, and water. And if I'm paying upwards of $50 a plate, I definitely expect someone to be paying attention to whether my drink is empty.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member

    Yes, very! Most people I know don't exclude a restaurant because they don't offer free refills on soft drinks, but I think (please correct me if I am wrong!) that America has quite a lot more "cheap" restaurants than other countries have. You can go and sit down and have your order taken, and you could probably get some wine, but the food is decent at best and the wine is probably out of a box.


    Well, I don't drink. At all. I order sodas at the $80-100 a plate places too.
    But mostly I dine at $15-25 a plate places.

    But even $8-15 places have service here too.


    $120+ bill at a restaurant one time, we were about the only customers there (well before dinner rush.) didnt get a single refill. Paid in cash, tipped 3 cents.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    you drink wine at every breakfast, lunch and dinner?
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Nah best place to get refill is in Nigeria pay the equivalent of abut $5 and you get two bottles of wine and two pitchers of tea. Ice is another story but beggars cant be choosers.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    you drink wine at every breakfast, lunch and dinner?

    It's europe wouldnt you?
  • DalekBrittany
    DalekBrittany Posts: 1,748 Member

    Yes, very! Most people I know don't exclude a restaurant because they don't offer free refills on soft drinks, but I think (please correct me if I am wrong!) that America has quite a lot more "cheap" restaurants than other countries have. You can go and sit down and have your order taken, and you could probably get some wine, but the food is decent at best and the wine is probably out of a box.


    Well, I don't drink. At all. I order sodas at the $80-100 a plate places too.
    But mostly I dine at $15-25 a plate places.



    $120+ bill at a restaurant one time, we were about the only customers there (well before dinner rush.) didnt get a single refill. Paid in cash, tipped 3 cents.

    Yepp, that's the places I eat too (Chilis, TGIFridays, Red Robin, etc.) because it's what I can afford. I would expect higher class establishments to also carry soft drinks as 1. I'm not even old enough to drink and 2. I don't even like wine.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    And hellz to the yaz I better be gettin my water and tea refill or u aint be see'in no dime
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    you drink wine at every breakfast, lunch and dinner?

    It's europe wouldnt you?

    on vacation sure :)
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I'm a bartender in a steakhouse. I can't understand, personally, how people can consume ten 12 oz glasses of sugary, carbonated pop and still eat appetisers, steaks, starches....however, it's not my job to police other people's diet habits. Spec at my restaurant is to bring a refill when the drink is 1/3 full, and we abide by that whenever possible. However, if a guest needs a new pop every four minutes and I have guests waiting for a first drink, I have to prioritise and bring the refill after the first drinks when I am very busy. We are forbidden from serving anything but water from carafes and cannot leave them at tables.

    Bottom line? I and my coworkers do our very best to never, ever leave a guest with an empty drink, but the occasional guest who simply drinks an unreasonable amount does exist. And we try to accommodate those people as well, but sometimes we can't do it perfectly.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    I'm a bartender in a steakhouse. I can't understand, personally, how people can consume ten 12 oz glasses of sugary, carbonated pop and still eat appetisers, steaks, starches....however, it's not my job to police other people's diet habits. Spec at my restaurant is to bring a refill when the drink is 1/3 full, and we abide by that whenever possible. However, if a guest needs a new pop every four minutes and I have guests waiting for a first drink, I have to prioritise and bring the refill after the first drinks when I am very busy. We are forbidden from serving anything but water from carafes and cannot leave them at tables.

    Bottom line? I and my coworkers do our very best to never, ever leave a guest with an empty drink, but the occasional guest who simply drinks an unreasonable amount does exist. And we try to accommodate those people as well, but sometimes we can't do it perfectly.

    Why not bring them two at a time?
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    If this is a common occurance, maybe it's you? I've never been to a restaurant that didn't at least offer to refill my drink.
  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member
    Ask for what you want - you're much more likely to get it.
  • _Krys10_
    _Krys10_ Posts: 1,234 Member
    A server that brings me a fresh drink before my old one is empty gets a bigger tip and if they take away the old glasses its even better. I can't stand it when I'm trying to play Tetris with dishes on my table yet they walk away empty handed.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I'm a bartender in a steakhouse. I can't understand, personally, how people can consume ten 12 oz glasses of sugary, carbonated pop and still eat appetisers, steaks, starches....however, it's not my job to police other people's diet habits. Spec at my restaurant is to bring a refill when the drink is 1/3 full, and we abide by that whenever possible. However, if a guest needs a new pop every four minutes and I have guests waiting for a first drink, I have to prioritise and bring the refill after the first drinks when I am very busy. We are forbidden from serving anything but water from carafes and cannot leave them at tables.

    Bottom line? I and my coworkers do our very best to never, ever leave a guest with an empty drink, but the occasional guest who simply drinks an unreasonable amount does exist. And we try to accommodate those people as well, but sometimes we can't do it perfectly.

    Why not bring them two at a time?

    Also prohibited. Very strict service standards. All I can do is bring one in a 20oz pint glass with easy ice rather than a 12oz tall glass. Even so, the occasional guest can still defeat this strategy.
  • fionahay
    fionahay Posts: 44
    I agree with simply ASKING for a refill - and nicely, too. Nothing worse than a rude customer.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Americans are very odd

    We usually have to pay for extra drinks in restaurants

    Yeah. I won't go to places that don't have free refills. Exception being shopping mall restaurants, because the rent there is 2-3x more expensive. Usually its the super cheap/dirty hole in the wall places that charge for refills around here.

    Cost for a refill of a soda is pennies to the restaurant. So.

    I usually have wine in a restaurant, clearly my idea of a restaurant is different to yours

    you drink wine at every breakfast, lunch and dinner?

    we don't typically have soda with our pancakes at IHOP
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    I agree with simply ASKING for a refill - and nicely, too. Nothing worse than a rude customer.

    There is one thing worse... a lazy server ;)

    But seriously. Of course I'll wave the server down if possible. Sometimes I have to go to the kitchen because they are sitting in there chatting.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    I just don't tip.
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    why don't you just drink water? they refill that more often because they leave pitches out and don't have to go to the back.

    plus it doesn't rot your teeth :)
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    I can rarely finish a soda before it's refilled or replaced. I guess I just don't go to cheap restaurants?