Poll: Soda Fountains -- Club Soda Ethics (1 Viewer)

If available, is club soda free if you ordered water?

  • Yes - Free

  • No - You're Stealing

  • Only Free w/ an Order of Tacoes


Results are only viewable after voting.

Waymer

Waymer
Super Moderator
VIP Subscribing Member
Gold VIP Contributor
Joined
Sep 1, 1997
Messages
12,295
Reaction score
3,733
Offline
We've all seen them. The soda fountains that have a small gray tab for water, but also one for "soda."

So my question -- if one orders water, should they also be allowed soda for free also?

The support for that line of thinking is that a) syrup isn't being utilized, so there is no additional cost to the company since the soda water is carbonated for the other drinks, and b) restaurants do not advertise club soda as an option, in the same way they don't for water -- which is given away for free typical (and mandated by some states).

Now, there may be some middle ground where someone says no it shouldn't be free, but it shouldn't be the cost of a normal fountain soda. For the exercise in this thread, let's assume there is no middle ground. Only full soda cost or free, since clearly no restaurants are out there selling just club soda at its own price point.
 
I think if you want a club soda you should ask for a club soda. Let the establishment determine whether it’s free or not.

I would tend to agree, but the point was made that in many cases you don't know the club soda button is an option until you get your cup, since it is not listed with an advertised cost. (Of course nothing stops you from going back to the counter and telling them that after the fact.)
 
I would tend to agree, but the point was made that in many cases you don't know the club soda button is an option until you get your cup, since it is not listed with an advertised cost. (Of course nothing stops you from going back to the counter and telling them that after the fact.)

I think it can get risky if you don’t know for sure. If the establishment has a drink nazi that will tackle you if you’re discovered to have helped yourself to a coke when you asked for a water, would anyone blame the drink nazi for assuming you helped yourself to a Sprite since the carbonation is easy to spot from across the room with a cheap pair of binoculars? It’s a risk I’m not willing to take.
 
We've all seen them. The soda fountains that have a small gray tab for water, but also one for "soda."

So my question -- if one orders water, should they also be allowed soda for free also?

The support for that line of thinking is that a) syrup isn't being utilized, so there is no additional cost to the company since the soda water is carbonated for the other drinks, and b) restaurants do not advertise club soda as an option, in the same way they don't for water -- which is given away for free typical (and mandated by some states).

Now, there may be some middle ground where someone says no it shouldn't be free, but it shouldn't be the cost of a normal fountain soda. For the exercise in this thread, let's assume there is no middle ground. Only full soda cost or free, since clearly no restaurants are out there selling just club soda at its own price point.


They overcharge so much for Soda, that even if you filled your cup with Mountain Dew, you shouldn't feel the need to go to confessional over it.
 
Sodas themselves have become so taboo that they will darn near give you as much of it as you can drink at certain places just to keep your addiction up. The establishments want you to have it just to get you in the door to buy other things. It’s like when people stopped buying magazines at five bucks a pop but the magazines still need their advertising dollars so if you look in the right place you can get a year subscription for a little bit of nothing.

im looking at you 99 cent 64 oz Big Gulp. Who needs a bucket of diabetes
 
CO2 isn't free.

Agreed, but neither is water.
I think if you want the soda, you tell the establishment your desire and let them tell you if there is a charge or not.
I think most places would not charge you.

On a related note, I have never seen a tab that is unflavored soda water, so what do I know.
 
Sodas themselves have become so taboo that they will darn near give you as much of it as you can drink at certain places just to keep your addiction up. The establishments want you to have it just to get you in the door to buy other things. It’s like when people stopped buying magazines at five bucks a pop but the magazines still need their advertising dollars so if you look in the right place you can get a year subscription for a little bit of nothing.

im looking at you 99 cent 64 oz Big Gulp. Who needs a bucket of diabetes

I'll never give up Coke( I'm talking about the Cola ) or Dr. Pepper.

There are far worse things you can put in your body.
 
I'll never give up Coke( I'm talking about the Cola ) or Dr. Pepper.

There are far worse things you can put in your body.

yea I’m not knocking people who do. I still have my vices (I’m looking at you ice cream). It’s the state of their marketing though. They have been in a frenzie to figure out a way to get another generation hooked because most parents these days don’t let their kids get hooked like our generation was.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom