What if there were no "free refills"?

Wow, this may be the worst idea/thread I've seen in a while. We really need the government enforcing soft drink refill policies for private businesses? Seriously? Can you even think of a more trivial area of our society for government to get involved in? Next I suppose we'll have people wanting federal officers arresting anyone who consumes a donut (heaven help you if you're caught with a box donuts, as that's clearly possession with the intent to distribute). And to the people who equated banning soft drink refills to banning indoor smoking ... give me a break. There is no such thing as second-hand fat.

:laugh: @ possession with intent to distribute

We used to have free refills and still do in Nandos (UK) but I used to still have to take my first drink away because I took so long. I also only ever really get one or 2 plates at a buffet. All about self control and only eating until you're full

junky a-hole

This was an awesome post. Love the way you tell a story. Made me feel a bit sick, just reading it.

:sick:

I'd actually tip less if I have to sit and wait before I can get another drink. It's their job to make sure u have everything you need. Especially since u can't go back into the kitchen and get it yourself.

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.

No one suggested refills are an inalienable right. It has been suggested many times that if the option is available, it's a matter of self control and choice. I was able to go from being overweight to a health weight while still getting a refill (free or not) during the time it took me to lose that weight.

Why do people that support this love to say something like, "I'm all for personal choice" or "I'm not really about limiting choices" and then immediately, in the same sentence no less, say the exact opposite?

Bottom line: Obesity exists in countries where free refills and all-you-can-eat buffets don't. So why ban something that's obviously not the reason for obesity? Instead of totally ineffective reactionary measures like this one, try focusing on precautionary and potentially useful ones like nutrition and exercise education?

Totally agree. The people with high blood pressure are gonna want them to keep the salt off the table next.

I think that's actually a pretty spot-on equivalent.

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.)

Huh? You do realize that servers only bring refills when the glass is empty, right? If you hadn't drank the first 5 glasses the server brought you, they wouldn't have to bring you a 6th. Most times they ask. When they just bring one, I leave it, and they see a full glass and don't bring anymore. This is one of the most non-sensical ideas I've ever read. What's the difference between limiting a soda to 16 oz with free refills, or allowing 64 oz sodas with no refills? Both ideas are stupid, and do nothing to fix the problem, which is a lack of education about nutrition.

Also, all you can eat buffets have been around at least 60 years, longer than you've been alive.

I was brought a "fresh" drink when my cup had 1/3 left just last week. WITHOUT my asking for (or wanting) a new one.

That's a courtesy though. I'd rather get a free refill unprompted that run out if soda and not seeing my server. Especially if I'm eating something spicy lol

I wouldn't. It seems hugely wasteful to me.

Yeah, I vaguely remember having to pay for refills on soda back in the day...I MOSTLY remember, b/c my grandparents would B & MOAN about being charged for a refill. Then, they just switched to drinking water at restaurants, b/c it was free. Hey, I'm all for being cheap, but their complaining was very annoying.

Anyway back to the point...free refills can't possibly make that much of a contribution to the rise in obesity...b/c you can just go home and down a whole 2 liter. Free refills are just a symptom of a bigger problem.

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.)

Huh? You do realize that servers only bring refills when the glass is empty, right? If you hadn't drank the first 5 glasses the server brought you, they wouldn't have to bring you a 6th. Most times they ask. When they just bring one, I leave it, and they see a full glass and don't bring anymore. This is one of the most non-sensical ideas I've ever read. What's the difference between limiting a soda to 16 oz with free refills, or allowing 64 oz sodas with no refills? Both ideas are stupid, and do nothing to fix the problem, which is a lack of education about nutrition.

Also, all you can eat buffets have been around at least 60 years, longer than you've been alive.

I was brought a "fresh" drink when my cup had 1/3 left just last week. WITHOUT my asking for (or wanting) a new one.

That's a courtesy though. I'd rather get a free refill unprompted that run out if soda and not seeing my server. Especially if I'm eating something spicy lol

I wouldn't. It seems hugely wasteful to me.

You can ask them not to.

Indeed. After they've poured it and brought it.

Or at the very beginning when you are seated…

Like someone else pointed out, servers are usually pretty willing to comply with requests, especially simple ones like this where it is LESS work for them.

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.)

Huh? You do realize that servers only bring refills when the glass is empty, right? If you hadn't drank the first 5 glasses the server brought you, they wouldn't have to bring you a 6th. Most times they ask. When they just bring one, I leave it, and they see a full glass and don't bring anymore. This is one of the most non-sensical ideas I've ever read. What's the difference between limiting a soda to 16 oz with free refills, or allowing 64 oz sodas with no refills? Both ideas are stupid, and do nothing to fix the problem, which is a lack of education about nutrition.

Also, all you can eat buffets have been around at least 60 years, longer than you've been alive.

I was brought a "fresh" drink when my cup had 1/3 left just last week. WITHOUT my asking for (or wanting) a new one.

That's a courtesy though. I'd rather get a free refill unprompted that run out if soda and not seeing my server. Especially if I'm eating something spicy lol

I wouldn't. It seems hugely wasteful to me.

You can ask them not to.

Indeed. After they've poured it and brought it.

Or at the very beginning when you are seated…

Like someone else pointed out, servers are usually pretty willing to comply with requests, especially simple ones like this where it is LESS work for them.

On the flip side: when entering a new restaurant folks could say: hey, do you have free refills, bring em coming. I'd rather they ASK ME before bringing unwanted things to my table. Hard to know going in, unless you're a regular. If it's not there, I won't feel like I "should" (I don't) drink a little of it. It's just such a silly waste. And not something I've seen in ANY other country. I've never seen a waiter bring a fresh soda (tea, whatever) in a fresh glass when a full 1/3 of the glass of the previous drink is still there. WITH NO PROMPTING. To me it's just silly and wasteful. I'm not saying limit, legislate etc. I'm just saying: ask me before bring refills. Water, drinks, bread...
Otherwise, I'm generally of the mind that we all make our choices and we all live with those choices. If you want 3 or 4 20ounce sodas? Go for it. The ONLY times I've ever complained about the choices others make is when they are blowing smoke toward me, or taking up part of MY expensive airplane seat. Otherwise, their choices are their own.

I'm in Canada, it's happened here too. Usually you are asked but I know I've been to a couple of chains where they just bring you one.

Huh? You do realize that servers only bring refills when the glass is empty, right? If you hadn't drank the first 5 glasses the server brought you, they wouldn't have to bring you a 6th. Most times they ask. When they just bring one, I leave it, and they see a full glass and don't bring anymore. This is one of the most non-sensical ideas I've ever read. What's the difference between limiting a soda to 16 oz with free refills, or allowing 64 oz sodas with no refills? Both ideas are stupid, and do nothing to fix the problem, which is a lack of education about nutrition.

Also, all you can eat buffets have been around at least 60 years, longer than you've been alive.

I was brought a "fresh" drink when my cup had 1/3 left just last week. WITHOUT my asking for (or wanting) a new one.
[/quote]

That's a courtesy though. I'd rather get a free refill unprompted that run out if soda and not seeing my server. Especially if I'm eating something spicy lol

I wouldn't. It seems hugely wasteful to me.

You can ask them not to.

Indeed. After they've poured it and brought it.
[/quote]

Or at the very beginning when you are seated…

Like someone else pointed out, servers are usually pretty willing to comply with requests, especially simple ones like this where it is LESS work for them.

On the flip side: when entering a new restaurant folks could say: hey, do you have free refills, bring em coming. I'd rather they ASK ME before bringing unwanted things to my table. Hard to know going in, unless you're a regular. If it's not there, I won't feel like I "should" (I don't) drink a little of it. It's just such a silly waste. And not something I've seen in ANY other country. I've never seen a waiter bring a fresh soda (tea, whatever) in a fresh glass when a full 1/3 of the glass of the previous drink is still there. WITH NO PROMPTING. To me it's just silly and wasteful. I'm not saying limit, legislate etc. I'm just saying: ask me before bring refills. Water, drinks, bread...
Otherwise, I'm generally of the mind that we all make our choices and we all live with those choices. If you want 3 or 4 20ounce sodas? Go for it. The ONLY times I've ever complained about the choices others make is when they are blowing smoke toward me, or taking up part of MY expensive airplane seat. Otherwise, their choices are their own.

I'm in Canada, it's happened here too. Usually you are asked but I know I've been to a couple of chains where they just bring you one.

Canada, yes. I've had that happen at Earls, but not many other places. Where did you have that happen? It sure says a lot about mark up!