Free Water?

Seldom do I go to fast food restaurants, but when I do, water is my preferred beverage. It has always been free until I stopped at a Rally's and was charged 10 cents for the cup of water. The manager said this practice was started several months ago. I seem to remember that years ago, McD's wanted to stop giving away water and I believed were forced to offer free "courtesy" cups. I really don't mind paying a dime, I know that the cup costs the store something, but do any of you food service insiders know if there are any governmental regulations covering water at restaurants. Just curious....

My guess is the dime is for the cup, not the water.

Mark,

THat's a good question! An architect or restauranteur would know if they are required to provide access to free drinking water : restaurants that seat over a certain number (I think it's 12) have to have separate male and female bathrooms. They may also be required to have a drinking fountain ( public buildings over a certain size are required to have drinking fountains). I don't know, but maybe the reason you very rarely see a restaurant with drinking fountains is that this code does not apply to them, since they can provide the customer with free drinking water, and this was assumed in the codes. So maybe if they charge for a cup, and don't have a drinking fountain, they are in violation of code. But that would be building code, not health code. There is nothing in Metro Health code that requires you to provide potable water for Patrons (they are worried about water for washing).

This of course is all my unsubstantiated logic.

Personally I totally disagree with charging for water or a cup; what lousy customer service. We gave anyone who asked a large cup of ice water for free (with a smile). I also don't mind Panera making you use small, cheaper cups for free water.

Deb

Since most places seem to offer only the small cup, which is never enough if you are grabbing something in the car between meetings, I used to always say "you can give me to small cups or one larger one, your choice." It totally baffled the (usually) young man or woman at the window, as the economics didn't become the central argument in their mind, but rather whether the would get in trouble by giving out a larger cup (gasp!). Makes no sense to me. Now I just ask for two of the smaller cups.

Since most places seem to offer only the small cup, which is never enough if you are grabbing something in the car between meetings, I used to always say "you can give me to small cups or one larger one, your choice." It totally baffled the (usually) young man or woman at the window, as the economics didn't become the central argument in their mind, but rather whether the would get in trouble by giving out a larger cup (gasp!). Makes no sense to me. Now I just ask for two of the smaller cups.

A place I worked in my teens did inventory based on the number of cups. If you gave a large cup away, your register would be short.

My husband told me he stopped in for lunch at a McAllister's this week for lunch and asked for a large water to go with his sandwich. They wanted to charge him $1.95 for the water. He then asked for 3 small cups of water instead...all of which were no charge.

we charge for the cup at our restaurtant if you want it to go, if you're there and dining in the water is on the house

you have to allow the business to recoup the cost of the cups they give away, and i'm sure most of these "free water" cups are never recycled, so reduce, reuse, and recycle

try asking the cashier or waitstaff to refill a cup/thermos/water bottle for you
rather than waste a cup

[Robin Garr]

A place I worked in my teens did inventory based on the number of cups. If you gave a large cup away, your register would be short.

Slugger Field does that, and I think most mass concessions do. I suppose it's necessary for cost control, but it also seems like a nice way to tell your employees, "We don't trust you," an effective methodology for building worker loyalty and team spirit I'm sure ...

We give the cup and the water for free. If I can't absorb the cost of a cup and some water then I probably don't belong in the customer service industry.

Fortunately, this sounds like an occurance specific to larger chains and probably the product of corporate manuevering.

The flip-side of this policy is places (typically fast-food) that insist on sending you on your way with far too many consumables. I've had this experience at Arby's a number of times: both the one around the corner and the one in Bardstown, so I'm wondering if there is some corporate guidance here. I'm not talking about a few extra napkins: so many extra napkins, spoon fork packages, salt etc that even my clients have commented on what a waste it is...(and how much it's costing the owner)

Anybody else run into this?

Deb

A place I worked in my teens did inventory based on the number of cups. If you gave a large cup away, your register would be short.

Slugger Field does that, and I think most mass concessions do. I suppose it's necessary for cost control, but it also seems like a nice way to tell your employees, "We don't trust you," an effective methodology for building worker loyalty and team spirit I'm sure ...

I have owned a liquor store and also a bar. When there is a cash operation, you simply can't "trust" your employees. Fastest way in the world to go broke. Absolutely must have some controls. Sad, but true.

Even if the employees do not steal cash, they have friends and the peer pressure is often to much to handle. Free stuff across the counter.

Plus, how often do you read about the "trusted" employees, including church folk who have been trusted to sign checks, etc who have taken large sums.

As a life-time resident of Kentucky, so far, I have always held the belief that any restaurant which provides table service must provide free water. I also believe that any restaurant in this state which offers a buffet must provide a clean plate for each trip, which is not the case in Oklahoma (Ewww!). Where I came by these beliefs I do not know, and I really don't relish the idea of searching the Kentucky Revised Statutes; but how can you be a restaurateur and not know if you are required to provide water to your patrons?

absorbing the cost of one cup is no big deal, but imagine that your business is close to a public park and you get a large number of request for "free" waters
then you absorb the cost of cases of cups

it really depends on the situation

but, i would never refuse to provide water to a thirsty person
i just may not provide it to them in a convenient disposable container
that in the end does affect the bottom line

the inventory by cups is an effective way to control costs and prevent employee theft and waste in the world of big business and who can blame them
we certainly don't want to pay more than $5 for anything mass produced and tasteless, do we?
totalitarian cost control keeps consumer prices low - isn't that what we demand

If you don't like being charged a dime for a cup, then you'll love this story!!!

http://lioninoil.blogspot.com/2007/09/n ... adium.html

Someone REALLY dropped the "ball" concerning this...