Fountain soft-drinks at restaurants

[Ralph Wiggum]

This may be a rant and could belong elsewhere, but anyway...here goes.

Has anyone noticed how exponentially more restaurants are charging for fountain "drinks/soda/pop/coke"?  I do realize that profit margins are thin for a lot of foods served at dine-in restaurants, especially being an accountant and all.  I'm also well aware that charging these prices are an easy way for restaurants to pad their pockets.  Most businesses do that in one way or another.  But $2.99 or $2.50 for a Diet Coke?  It wasn't that long ago that those fountain drinks were a buck or $1.50.  Yeah, I know you get refills, but some places won't even give you more than one refill.  

Stopped for brunch at a popular local BBQ place last Sunday and it was $2.99.  Went to lunch on Monday at an Old Chicago and it was $2.50.  I'm all for contributing to the economy when possible, but it seems to be getting ridiculous.  Hell, if I were so inclined, it would have been cheaper to drink a freaking bottle of beer.

Jeez, I must be getting old.  And get off my lawn!!!      

[Eupher]

Beverages are historically where restaurants make most of their money. Food not as much. I usually get a refill when I order a soda -- sometimes more than one.

[Maxiest]

Damn where do you live???  Most places around here it has gone up but only to about $1.99. 

[thundley4]

A couple of places it's cheaper to buy a bottle of beer than a soft drink.  That's messed up.

[JohnnyReb]

Ghetto rats(and DUmmies) run the prices up around here on anything that is "All you eat/want".

[Ralph Wiggum]

Damn where do you live???  Most places around here it has gone up but only to about $1.99. 

Central Iowa.

[NHSparky]

It's to the point I stick to water.

[Dori]

Can't remember the last time I drank a soda.  If I want something cold it's either unsweetened iced tea or water.

[RobJohnson]

The food cost for the soda syrup, ice and cup is about two cents an ounce. The equipment is a little pricey and it does require some upkeep and filter changes. It is the bread and butter to help make up for the bottom line in the restaurant business.

[Karin]

It's not only sit down restaurants.  I was on a little road trip yesterday, and stopped by Burger King for a pee break.  I got myself a Whopper Jr. and a small soda.  It was $3.79, which kind of shocked me.  I look at the receipt.  $1.79 for the burger, and $1.89 for the dinkiest size cup.  I didn't make a stink or anything, but it's the last time they're taking me. 

[SaintLouieWoman]

It's not only sit down restaurants.  I was on a little road trip yesterday, and stopped by Burger King for a pee break.  I got myself a Whopper Jr. and a small soda.  It was $3.79, which kind of shocked me.  I look at the receipt.  $1.79 for the burger, and $1.89 for the dinkiest size cup.  I didn't make a stink or anything, but it's the last time they're taking me. 

Water is always a go solution. I stopped drinking diet coke a while ago. We were at a Square One Burger place a few days ago. (A local Florida chain). All they had as Pepsi. That made the decision for water easier. I really can tell the difference, greatly prefer Coke.

[Dori]

All they had as Pepsi. That made the decision for water easier. I really can tell the difference, greatly prefer Coke.

Years ago when I drank soda, I preferred Pepsi.  Coke seemed too sweet and not fizzy enough. 

[SaintLouieWoman]

Years ago when I drank soda, I preferred Pepsi.  Coke seemed too sweet and not fizzy enough. 

That's so funny, shows beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I always thought pepsi seemed too sweet and too flat. 

I did take one of those blind taste tests at a grocery store and picked the Coke over Pepsi in 3 tries. It's all an acquired taste.

[Dori]

That's so funny, shows beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I always thought pepsi seemed too sweet and too flat. 

I did take one of those blind taste tests at a grocery store and picked the Coke over Pepsi in 3 tries. It's all an acquired taste.

Maybe they've mucked around with the formula since I drank it.

Have your ever drank dr. Pepper?  That tastes like prune juice to me. My favorite soda was Fresca, before they outlawed the sweetener.  Never liked it after they used a substitute.

[Gina]

What I do notice are these idiots that are taking a bit from each flavored dispenser.  I see them getting Sprite and some Koolaid and a dash of dr pepper.    

[Chris_]

What I do notice are these idiots that are taking a bit from each flavored dispenser.  I see them getting Sprite and some Koolaid and a dash of dr pepper.    

And they take forever to do it.

[obumazombie]

And they take forever to do it.

In my youth, those sere called "suicides".

[njpines]

No preference on Coke v. Pepsi but I do notice that Coke Zero goes flat a lot faster than Pepsi One.  Must be that one calorie that holds all the carbonation 

And what's the deal with all the 10 calorie sodas? Is that to market to men who don't want to drink a "diet" soda? I don't really taste the difference.

[Ralph Wiggum]

No preference on Coke v. Pepsi but I do notice that Coke Zero goes flat a lot faster than Pepsi One.  Must be that one calorie that holds all the carbonation 

And what's the deal with all the 10 calorie sodas? Is that to market to men who don't want to drink a "diet" soda? I don't really taste the difference.

I've been drinking diet coke for over 20 years, and don't give a damn if someone thinks it is not "masculine".  I simply don't like all the sugar.

[thundley4]

I've been drinking diet coke for over 20 years, and don't give a damn if someone thinks it is not "masculine".  I simply don't like all the sugar.

I had switched to Diet Coke for the same reason. Before I quit drinking Diet Coke and switched to water, I was drinking 6-8 cans a day during a 12 hour shift in the summer. 

[zeitgeist]

This may be a rant and could belong elsewhere, but anyway...here goes.

...  blah, blah,  blah ...
Jeez, I must be getting old.  And get off my lawn!!!      

Old?  Did you ever sit at a real soda fountain where they had multiple syrup dispensers?  We use to get a "nickel coke" which was a squirt of syrup and then carbonated water.  If you asked they would do a squirt of coke and a squirt of vanilla, or cherry.  Couple old Greek guys ran the fountain, candy store, cigar store, SS Pierce specialty foods, and, non prescription drugs (cough syrup).   They also did frappes and ice cream but that was way more money than I had to spend except on special occasions.  Two bits was a hefty sum when I was a kid, had to last you all week.  

[Gina]

No preference on Coke v. Pepsi but I do notice that Coke Zero goes flat a lot faster than Pepsi One.  Must be that one calorie that holds all the carbonation 

And what's the deal with all the 10 calorie sodas? Is that to market to men who don't want to drink a "diet" soda? I don't really taste the difference.

I like the first sip of Diet Pepsi but after 5 minutes it's flat.

[Thor]

It's to the point I stick to water.

Maybe it's time for a bath? 

[Thor]

My first real job was at Jack in the Box back in 1974. (Texas child labor laws) The management instilled in us that the soda was 5¢ & the cup was 5¢. If we brought our own glass, we could have all the soda we could drink. As Eupher & Rob Johnson said, beverages are where the restaurants make their money. They really don't make much $$ from the food.

[zeitgeist]

My first real job was at Jack in the Box back in 1974. (Texas child labor laws) The management instilled in us that the soda was 5¢ & the cup was 5¢. If we brought our own glass, we could have all the soda we could drink. As Eupher & Rob Johnson said, beverages are where the restaurants make their money. They really don't make much $$ from the food.

My first job was a clam shack on the Maine Coast ('64) the owner use to say "the first cup pays for the pot, it's all profit after that."  On a good day I would make more money in tips than the ole man did for eight on the deckplates.