And a large water please...

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Fast food. It is a way of life and there is no getting around it for me. I now know the options each place has that I can eat/drink to stay under my allowed calories. I do not drink soda (47 days now) and I do not drink tea (nasty). So, my options at a fast food place is lemonade or water. McDonalds, Subway, and maybe more have a Minute Maid Lite Lemonade that is only 5 calories per serving and I go for that when I can. If a place does not have the Lite Lemonade, I go for water. My gripe is that most places will not give you a large water. My wife gets a large unsweet tea and it comes in a huge plastic or Styrofoam glass. My water is often half the size (if I am lucky). I understand they don't make much money off of water but still. I would rather have the option to pay a quarter or something for the cup than to get stuck with a child sized drink. Rant over!
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Replies

  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
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    I also wish I could get a large water, particularly if it is a take out/drive through event. I can't steal the beverage if I drive away. Ultimately, I just order multiple waters. It's a waste of cups but it is what it is. I agree with bringing your water bottle with you but if the bottle is empty then you still have to order water!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    I've never had them refuse to give me a larger cup if I ask. I always get large waters in fast food places.

    They just have a set procedure, but are still about customer service.
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
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    My local McDonald's charges me 1.00 for a large water in Styrofoam cup or 1.79nfor bottled. I once asked seriously even thru drive thru where you know what your giving me! The answer was well the cups aren't free it's to offset our loss of giving water
  • rlarkin591
    rlarkin591 Posts: 39 Member
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    You are all right. Still is a small victory ordering water when, 2 months ago, it would have been a large diet pepsi or, if they had coke products, it would be a large coke (because diet coke should only be used for changing motor oil, lol)
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    Would they fill up an empty bottle? My sister has a really nice reusable bottle she carries around everywhere. Lots of fast food places are self serve with drinks, you could refill a reusable bottle.

    Although I ran into a 7-11 during a long run and could not find the water option... just ice and soda. I thought all those fountain drink dispensers had a little lever for water. I felt dumb. No drinking fountain either.
  • kyubeans
    kyubeans Posts: 135 Member
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    Bring your own water!
  • czmiles926
    czmiles926 Posts: 130 Member
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    I just ask for tap water in McDonald's and they give it to you for free.
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
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    When you are with your wife, have her order her ice tea and a water; then you order a water for yourself - now you have two.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    MossiO wrote: »
    I carry my water bottle with me wherever I go.

    I'm getting like that too, it's a good habit to cultivate, both for health and for budget!

    Another poster mentioned having to order water if it runs out. I'm lucky that I live in a place where pretty much all the tap water is drinkable, so I have lots of options to fill it up, but even if that isn't the case where you live, you can buy huge bottles of water at the supermarket to refill it, for much less than what they charge for a small bottle in a restaurant.
  • R1rainbows
    R1rainbows Posts: 129 Member
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    zdyb23456 wrote: »
    Would they fill up an empty bottle? My sister has a really nice reusable bottle she carries around everywhere. Lots of fast food places are self serve with drinks, you could refill a reusable bottle.

    Although I ran into a 7-11 during a long run and could not find the water option... just ice and soda. I thought all those fountain drink dispensers had a little lever for water. I felt dumb. No drinking fountain either.

    I can not speak for all places but I used to work in a fast food joint back in the day, and we could not refill the customers' bottles, cups, etc because of OSHA and multiple food safety policy constraints. We also weren't allowed to throw people's old cups away when they asked us to at the drive through window....that happened a lot lol.

  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
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    I carry my water bottle everywhere. Most fast food places don't have an issue with allowing me to fill my bottle at their drink station as long as I ask nicely.
  • nhmom80
    nhmom80 Posts: 11 Member
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    When you are ordering a large drink at a fast food place, the cup cost more than the soda you are putting in the cup. If I wanted a large cup for my water I would just tell them that I will pay the cost of the large drink.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
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    nhmom80 wrote: »
    When you are ordering a large drink at a fast food place, the cup cost more than the soda you are putting in the cup. If I wanted a large cup for my water I would just tell them that I will pay the cost of the large drink.

    This is what I do. You pay the cost of the cup.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
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    I'm wondering why fast food has to be a way of life? What did people do when fast food didn't exist? I know that's not the point of this thread :D but I know people who are super busy everyday and never have fast food.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
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    perkymommy wrote: »
    I'm wondering why fast food has to be a way of life? What did people do when fast food didn't exist? I know that's not the point of this thread :D but I know people who are super busy everyday and never have fast food.

    Because people like it?
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited July 2017
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    rlarkin591 wrote: »
    Fast food. It is a way of life and there is no getting around it for me. I now know the options each place has that I can eat/drink to stay under my allowed calories. I do not drink soda (47 days now) and I do not drink tea (nasty). So, my options at a fast food place is lemonade or water. McDonalds, Subway, and maybe more have a Minute Maid Lite Lemonade that is only 5 calories per serving and I go for that when I can. If a place does not have the Lite Lemonade, I go for water. My gripe is that most places will not give you a large water. My wife gets a large unsweet tea and it comes in a huge plastic or Styrofoam glass. My water is often half the size (if I am lucky). I understand they don't make much money off of water but still. I would rather have the option to pay a quarter or something for the cup than to get stuck with a child sized drink. Rant over!

    Would having a diet soda not be an option for you at times like this?
  • Cynt214
    Cynt214 Posts: 11 Member
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    I carry my own cup with me. Buy several cups and keep one in your vehicles, one on your desk at work, and one wrapped in your gym bag. This way you will always be able to get water if that is your preference. Restaurants may not allow you to use your cup at their fountains due health codes. However, you could take the small cup they will give you and use that to fill up your own cup.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Cynt214 wrote: »
    I carry my own cup with me. Buy several cups and keep one in your vehicles, one on your desk at work, and one wrapped in your gym bag. This way you will always be able to get water if that is your preference. Restaurants may not allow you to use your cup at their fountains due health codes. However, you could take the small cup they will give you and use that to fill up your own cup.

    This is the best answer/solution.

    The cups run at food cost of 5-15 cents. The beverage you're putting in them(water costs a couple pennies and the syrup in the soda is another couple pennies.

    As others have stated, the cup is the most expensive part... the syrup next and the water comes through the same filters minus the carbonation filter(which is done on site)