Say Hello to my Little Friend

The guys wanted to go out to eat lunch yesterday, instead of ordering in.
Hell, we were slow due to the Columbus Day Holiday, so I was ok with it.

We walked about 5 blocks to an "authentic Mexican restaurant"
Read: It wasn' Taco Bell.
(No disrespect there. I like Taco Bell...!)

Anyway, we each ordered an entree...and since I knew It was going to be hot (both temperature hot and spicy hot) I made sure I ordered a Coke with it.

Ans since we were noshing on chips an salsa while WAITING for said entree, I was pleased to see the waitress bring our sodas right away.

Well...I was pleased until she got there.

Being an 'authentic' Mexican restaurant, they brought my Coke in an authentic, glass, bottle.

But if you look closely, you'll see it wasn't much larger than the salt shaker!
Which means they charged my over $2.00 for a lot of glass and a little soda.
Which ALSO means no Free Refills.

*sigh*
So I nursed my Little Coke for as long as I could.

Then, instead of ordering another Coca sin hielo  I had to ask for a vaso de agua

That's what I get for being authentic.

A Very Sanitary Refil

Some time ago I lamented how a fast food restaurant would not refill my soda.

Which restaurant?  Roy Rogers.

(How could such a congenial cowboy not give free refills? Right?!)

Well, let me tell you about their change of heart...

Due to the fact that my son and wife feel they have the best Roast Beef anywhere, I have been unable to completely boycott Roy.

So once and again they talk me into going back.
Begrudgingly, of course.

So yesterday we were there....and it occurred to me that the young lady taking my order was rather nice. Uncharacteristically nice given my past experiences here.

While it's been a long while since my LAST bad experience, the soda fountain is still behind the counter...so you still have refills on lock down.

Or do you?

I took my empty cup to the counter, found the smiling young lady and innocently asked "Do you refill here?"

"Oh of COURSE." she smiled.

I handed her my cup, and she looked a little concerned for a moment.

"Just take the lid off of it for me, please." she replied.

O-kaaaaaay.

I took off the lid and she smiled again and refilled my soda.

Handing it back to me she said 'It's a sanitary issue. We dont want to touch the lid or the straw."

Ah! Ok, I GET that.
I APPRECIATE that!

So Roy...while I lambasted you in the past for poor refill procedures, I commend you today for your new policies. The cleanest, most sanitary refill I've ever experienced.

.

:

What happened to free refills?

So we go out for lunch today. I get a Reuben and my standard, Coke-no ice-lemon.
The waitress tells me they serve Pepsi here.
Hell, I don't care. I just want a cola that doesn't taste like Gasoline....

So we're more than half way thru lunch and it's hard to get the waitress' attention to BEGIN with...and all I want is a refill. Finally, falling just short of standing on the table and yelling 'YOO HOO! Over HERE!". I get her attention and the refill.

Soon after, we're ready for the check.
Not so suprisingly, that comes a helluva lot faster than the refill.

Geez...this bill looks a bit high. Not 'exorbitant', but still higher than I expected.
I take a quick glance at the check, and there it is:
They charged us for refills.

Look, if I order a BEER, I expect to get charged for each one.
Maybe a buy back if I'm sitting at the bar and I tip well.

But charge me for a SODA refill?!
CAH MAHN!
What do these soda fountain drinks cost the restaurant per serving? A quarter? 50 cents?!
(Hey...seriously. If you own/run a restaurant and you know the answer, be sure to leave a comment!)

Traditionally, I do NOT return to a eatery if they charge me for refills on Fountain Soda.
I even felt 'beat' once because the waiter in Chili's talked me into a second bottle of Creme Soda and then charged me for it...but that was a bottled soda that he served me (I poured it myself, so I know!) so I sorta' gave him a pass.

But Fountain Soda Refills??!?!
Uncool.

It's back to Burger King for me. The refills are always free.