What if there were no "free refills"?
ChelinIL
Posts: 14 Member
My boyfriend and I were discussing this the other day, as I was thinking about some municipalities trying to ban or limit sizing on soft drinks.
When I was younger, when you ordered a soda you got a glass of soda, and if you wanted a refill, you paid for it. I remember begging mom for another refill, which she'd usually allow me one. Now, it's considered good service if you are brought a refill on your drink without having to ask for it. I think I've probably had 6 glasses of soda when a waitress was on her game. (And of course, water was always free.)
We also didn't have all-you-can-eat buffets when I was a kid. We had a "buffet" where you would pay for each item, like a cafeteria line. That was always a treat when I was a kid--I got to eat what I wanted rather than what mom made for me, and had quite a variety to choose from. But I better get what I want on the one tray I went through the line with, and I better eat it all because mom was paying for every ounce.
I think this is a better solution to banning soft drinks. Just have restaurants charge for refills. In my opinion, every wins.
(Btw, I quit drinking soft drinks about a year ago, but every so often I still get a soda.)
When I was younger, when you ordered a soda you got a glass of soda, and if you wanted a refill, you paid for it. I remember begging mom for another refill, which she'd usually allow me one. Now, it's considered good service if you are brought a refill on your drink without having to ask for it. I think I've probably had 6 glasses of soda when a waitress was on her game. (And of course, water was always free.)
We also didn't have all-you-can-eat buffets when I was a kid. We had a "buffet" where you would pay for each item, like a cafeteria line. That was always a treat when I was a kid--I got to eat what I wanted rather than what mom made for me, and had quite a variety to choose from. But I better get what I want on the one tray I went through the line with, and I better eat it all because mom was paying for every ounce.
I think this is a better solution to banning soft drinks. Just have restaurants charge for refills. In my opinion, every wins.
(Btw, I quit drinking soft drinks about a year ago, but every so often I still get a soda.)
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Replies
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Um no. How about self control? If I want another soda and it fits my macros I am having another soda and I shouldn't have to pay for something that is already included.0
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Yeah i agree with above self control.0
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if it is a diet soda refill then that is zero calories anyway.
Overeating leads to obesity not free re-fills or all you can eat buffets. I guess I would flip your question around on you, if people got fat on free re-fills and all you can eat buffets, then how have they had success losing weight while there are still re-fills and all you can eat buffets?
Personally, I hardly ever go to buffets the food, in my opinion, is gross and does not taste good; I would rather go somewhere and pay more and have one good meal then four large servings of crappy food…..0 -
where I live in Bahrain, there are no free refills on soft drinks, and there is still an obesity epidemic0
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My boyfriend and I were discussing this the other day, as I was thinking about some municipalities trying to ban or limit sizing on soft drinks.
*snip*
I think this is a better solution to banning soft drinks. Just have restaurants charge for refills. In my opinion, every wins.
How is banning free refills any different from limiting sizing?0 -
Hey, if we can legislate things just right, pretty soon we won't have to control or think for ourselves at all. I'm all in!0
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Where I live there are no free refills or jumbo meals and there's a lot less processed crap, and I'm grateful for it. Bread is fresh from the bakery and the cheese and meat is local. I just don't see why North Americans have to make everything bigger. I'm from Canada but have grown up in Europe. Here people view the North American "bigger is better" mentality as ludicrous and unnecessary. When you tell them "yeah, but if you have self control then it's not a problem" they'll just answer "yeah, but why should six glasses of coke with a meal even be an option? Why would anyone in their right mind drink that in the first place?"
In a sense it's true, I notice when I go back to visit family I just binge on crap for 3weeks because I can. Congrats to everyone with self-control but I don't think it should even be necessary.
I see both sides of the story, I'm all for personal freedoms, don't get me wrong but I just think it's ridiculous to offer people something so bad for them, so cheap in the first place.0 -
Australian chains charge for refills and we still have major issues with obesity and diabetes is on its way to being the nations biggest killer. I wish it were that simple but it's not. They are considering classifying obesity as a disease which would change how doctors are required to interact with obese people in as far as addressing the long term impacts of being significantly overweight, I am in favour of this.0
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Never come across free refills in the UK and obesity is still rampant so I doubt it will make a massive amount of difference, going back to the basics and teaching people to cook healthy nutritious foods from scratch and educate them about portion sizes.
I have never been to America (and I would love to) but we do have some food programs from there and I always joke to the other half that I would have to order childs portions in the restaurants there as I would never be able to finish adult portions they are massive!0 -
Please tell me you're trolling. Obviously you are either very old, or grew up in a very secluded area to not have the concept of either "free" refills or all you can eat buffets (started over 200 years ago).
The reason fast food joints offer free refills is because its more cost effective and gives the impression that you're getting something "free". Years ago the drink machines were behind the counter. Then they realized they could offload that work to the customer to reduce labor costs and move to the next order faster, thereby increasing profits. With restaurants where wait staff comes to your table, the drink refilling offers the staff the opportunity to check in periodically to try to sell more. It's a win-win. The net cost of soda to the food joints is nearly zilch.0 -
Please tell me you're trolling. Obviously you are either very old, or grew up in a very secluded area to not have the concept of either "free" refills or all you can eat buffets (started over 200 years ago).
The reason fast food joints offer free refills is because its more cost effective and gives the impression that you're getting something "free". Years ago the drink machines were behind the counter. Then they realized they could offload that work to the customer to reduce labor costs and move to the next order faster, thereby increasing profits. With restaurants where wait staff comes to your table, the drink refilling offers the staff the opportunity to check in periodically to try to sell more. It's a win-win. The net cost of soda to the food joints is nearly zilch.
Sorry, with all due respect, what's your point? I don't think you understand the question…0 -
Where I live there are no free refills or jumbo meals and there's a lot less processed crap, and I'm grateful for it. Bread is fresh from the bakery and the cheese and meat is local. I just don't see why North Americans have to make everything bigger. I'm from Canada but have grown up in Europe. Here people view the North American "bigger is better" mentality as ludicrous and unnecessary. When you tell them "yeah, but if you have self control then it's not a problem" they'll just answer "yeah, but why should six glasses of coke with a meal even be an option? Why would anyone in their right mind drink that in the first place?"
In a sense it's true, I notice when I go back to visit family I just binge on crap for 3weeks because I can. Congrats to everyone with self-control but I don't think it should even be necessary.
I see both sides of the story, I'm all for personal freedoms, don't get me wrong but I just think it's ridiculous to offer people something so bad for them, so cheap in the first place.
This was a paragraph of contradiction. :huh: :huh:0 -
I have never been to America (and I would love to) but we do have some food programs from there and I always joke to the other half that I would have to order childs portions in the restaurants there as I would never be able to finish adult portions they are massive!
Many don't; we almost always take home leftovers.0 -
Who doesn't love to stereo type folks from the US?
It's OK we're cool that way. I take home left over food from restaurants if I bother to eat out. I usually drink unsweetened tea. I bake my OWN breads/baked goods and cook from scratch with veggies and herbs from my suburban garden. I weigh what I weighed in high school. Peace out! 0 -
Who doesn't love to stereo type folks from the US? It's OK we're cool that way. I take home left over food from restaurants if I bother to eat out. I usually drink unsweetened tea. I bake my OWN breads/baked goods and cook from scratch with veggies and herbs from my suburban garden. I weigh what I weighed in high school. Peace out!
That's right!!
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I don't even finish my FIRST cup/glass lol0
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Where I live there are no free refills or jumbo meals and there's a lot less processed crap, and I'm grateful for it. Bread is fresh from the bakery and the cheese and meat is local. I just don't see why North Americans have to make everything bigger. I'm from Canada but have grown up in Europe. Here people view the North American "bigger is better" mentality as ludicrous and unnecessary. When you tell them "yeah, but if you have self control then it's not a problem" they'll just answer "yeah, but why should six glasses of coke with a meal even be an option? Why would anyone in their right mind drink that in the first place?"
In a sense it's true, I notice when I go back to visit family I just binge on crap for 3weeks because I can. Congrats to everyone with self-control but I don't think it should even be necessary.
I see both sides of the story, I'm all for personal freedoms, don't get me wrong but I just think it's ridiculous to offer people something so bad for them, so cheap in the first place.
wait so you binge when you are in the US but when you are in canada and go to the "bakery" you do not binge on all the goodness in there?????0 -
I think america is the only place where you get free refills, when I came over there for a year I was also shocked at the amount of soda you can get. I think the biggest size you can get in germany is like an american medium, which is in germany a large. And no refills of course, also they are WAY more expensive. 0.3 liters of soda in a restaurant like mcDonals are usually like 1.50 dollars.0
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No just no. People need to be responsible for their own decisions. The nutrional information is available.
If I were to legislate anything weight/diet related it would be for doctors to provide patients with their BMR information after physicals. I rather people be educated than dictated.0 -
Where I live there are no free refills or jumbo meals and there's a lot less processed crap, and I'm grateful for it. Bread is fresh from the bakery and the cheese and meat is local. I just don't see why North Americans have to make everything bigger. I'm from Canada but have grown up in Europe. Here people view the North American "bigger is better" mentality as ludicrous and unnecessary. When you tell them "yeah, but if you have self control then it's not a problem" they'll just answer "yeah, but why should six glasses of coke with a meal even be an option? Why would anyone in their right mind drink that in the first place?"
In a sense it's true, I notice when I go back to visit family I just binge on crap for 3weeks because I can. Congrats to everyone with self-control but I don't think it should even be necessary.
I see both sides of the story, I'm all for personal freedoms, don't get me wrong but I just think it's ridiculous to offer people something so bad for them, so cheap in the first place.
wait so you binge when you are in the US but when you are in canada and go to the "bakery" you do not binge on all the goodness in there?????
Re-read the bolded part.0 -
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I think they were trying to say that they do binge in Canada and are not picking on the USA.0
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How about we learn to restrict ourselves, rather than imposing laws on everyone because a few can't seem to self-regulate? :huh:0
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Read that part again. What's your point? It was stated clearly that when the person that wrote that post visits family a 3 week binge ensues. How is that not lack of self control? That person is taking the when in Rome approach then blaming someone else for offering the food so cheap. That's a great way to not accept personal responsibility.Where I live there are no free refills or jumbo meals and there's a lot less processed crap, and I'm grateful for it. Bread is fresh from the bakery and the cheese and meat is local. I just don't see why North Americans have to make everything bigger. I'm from Canada but have grown up in Europe. Here people view the North American "bigger is better" mentality as ludicrous and unnecessary. When you tell them "yeah, but if you have self control then it's not a problem" they'll just answer "yeah, but why should six glasses of coke with a meal even be an option? Why would anyone in their right mind drink that in the first place?"
In a sense it's true, I notice when I go back to visit family I just binge on crap for 3weeks because I can. Congrats to everyone with self-control but I don't think it should even be necessary.
I see both sides of the story, I'm all for personal freedoms, don't get me wrong but I just think it's ridiculous to offer people something so bad for them, so cheap in the first place.
wait so you binge when you are in the US but when you are in canada and go to the "bakery" you do not binge on all the goodness in there?????
Re-read the bolded part.I think they were trying to say that they do binge in Canada and are not picking on the USA.
^^That was my point. The poster never mentions the USA. They are saying that when they are in Europe they don't have a problem due to not necessarily needing self-control, but when they're in Canada they do because everything is in their face.0 -
Not going to comment on the bulk of this, but just one thing: I DON'T consider it good service with the server brings me a new glass with a new drink (iced tea in my case) when I didn't as for it. It usually sits there untouched, and seems so wasteful. I'd prefer they ask me if I want a refill.0
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No free refills where I live, and people are still overweight. I don't think soda has a lot to do with it.0
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I do agree with you. 100%! Most of the folks spouting about self control and choices are folks under 30 or so. They have grown up with the glutinous mentality that has infected this country. Refills are not a inalienable right that an individual has, they are a luxury that has been turned into a mandate due to competition between restaurants. There is no self control in this country anymore, go to WalMart and see who is using the handicap parking and scooter chairs. Morbidly obese. When did obesity become ok? We pass laws about when and where people can smoke but no one is complaining about that. I am not really about limiting choices, just making people pay for them. Let see how bad you want to be fat.0
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all this legislating on everything is raising a generation of people who don't take responsibility for their actions and choices.
yes we have establishments here that offer free refills (harvester, pizza hut etc) but just because their offering doesn't mean you have to drink like its going out of fashion0
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