drinking soda instead of water

[broadway]

I was my local Panera for lunch.


They have the small clear plastic cups if you tell them you only want water and do not want to pay for iced tea or soda or coffee etc.


Today I saw two women with the small plastic cups with red liquid. Either fruit flavored ice tea or fruit punch.


Have you seen this before?


Who do they think they are fooling?
Of course the employee who brings them the food and takes the plates away sees it too but does not comment.

[braumeister]

That is something you will only see today, Halloween. The women were witches and they were drinking blood. Not as common as it once was.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister That is something you will only see today, Halloween. The women were witches and they were drinking blood. Not as common as it once was.

[SumDay]

I've seen people do it. They're the ones who have to look themselves in the mirror.

[REWahoo]

My frugal sister takes individual packets of Crystal Light drink mix to restaurants and orders water with her meal. She occasionally gets a look from the waitstaff but leaves the empty packet near the glass in the spirit of full disclosure.

Did I mention she was frugal?

[CaliKid]

There is a famous picture of one of Trump's kids eating at In-n-Out drinking a dark drink in the free water cups. Google it. Not a joke. Real news. Lol.

[timo2]

The individual staff doesn't get paid enough to cause a stir. That's what the manager is for. As as we all know here, it is a mystery how most managers in the world got their jobs!

[broadway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo My frugal sister takes individual packets of Crystal Light drink mix to restaurants and orders water with her meal. She occasionally gets a look from the waitstaff but leaves the empty packet near the glass in the spirit of full disclosure. Did I mention she was frugal?

I wonder if that constitutes bringing outside food and drink into the restaurant which is explicitly a sign at some restaurants.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway I wonder if that constitutes bringing outside food and drink into the restaurant which is explicitly a sign at some restaurants.

I think she's been using her status as a little old lady (now 83) as a form of immunity against prosecution. Worked so far...

[joeea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway Today I saw two women with the small plastic cups with red liquid. Either fruit flavored ice tea or fruit punch.

Did you call the Panera police? Were they arrested and put in Panera jail?

[jollystomper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeea Did you call the Panera police? Were they arrested and put in Panera jail?

You might not want to... it might end up like this: https://heavy.com/news/2018/07/mcdonalds-fight/ (WARNING: portions of video in article may be NSFW)

Quote:

According to Dayag, a customer, who has been identified as Sabrinah Fontelar, asked for a water cup and then allegedly tried to fill it with soda. The McDonald’s supervisor, Erika Chavolla, turned off the soda machine to prevent the woman from filling her water cup with a soft drink, which angered Fontelar.

[Jerry1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 The individual staff doesn't get paid enough to cause a stir. That's what the manager is for. As as we all know here, it is a mystery how most managers in the world got their jobs!

Plus, the cost of the sugar water coming out of the fountain is so low that it’s not worth making a scene, even by the manager.

My wife shakes her head at me when I fill my cup with water and then give it a small amount if their lemonade. About the same flavor wise as adding a lemon. I wouldn’t fill the cup, but a spritz of lemon I’ve justified in my head. Oh well.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo My frugal sister takes individual packets of Crystal Light drink mix to restaurants and orders water with her meal.

She should pay a corkage fee. Or is it a packet free?

[CardsFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry1 My wife shakes her head at me when I fill my cup with water and then give it a small amount if their lemonade. About the same flavor wise as adding a lemon. I wouldn’t fill the cup, but a spritz of lemon I’ve justified in my head. Oh well.

So you are one of those people too

DW does that sometimes, and it does irk me. Can't explain why, I know it is a fraction of a penny in value. But it just does not feel right. Maybe because it is usually at the movie theater on $5 tuesday with free popcorn?

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollystomper You might not want to... it might end up like this: https://heavy.com/news/2018/07/mcdonalds-fight/ (WARNING: portions of video in article may be NSFW)

Thanks, now I can skip the Jerry Springer show today

[Lakewood90712]

Cherry Liqueur from a flask in her purse.

[Kelor]

I have a friend that owns several McDonalds. He says he loses 6 figures/year on people that steal soda.

They do it multiple ways. He said I couldn't imagine how many people show up with old McDonalds cups on every visit. His revenue goes up every time McD's changes the look of their cups. Then a few days later it drops precipitously.

[CaptTom]

I really doubt any McDonald's "loses" six figures per year on soda. The unit cost of the soda itself is so low that often the cup is worth more. And some places are getting $2 or more per serving. It's almost all pure profit.

I get water because (1) I prefer it to carbonated or sugary drinks, and (2) I'm not addicted to caffeine any more. But also because I just can't bring myself to pay $2 or more for something that's worth $0.05 or less.

[RobbieB]

They have to charge more to cover the theft.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelor I have a friend that owns several McDonalds. He says he loses 6 figures/year on people that steal soda.........

That would be $27 a day. My local McDonalds typically has any size soft drink for a dollar. So, even counting losses at full retail, that would be someone stealing a full drink every hour 24 hours a day.


Maybe, but I doubt it.