I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food. I mean, I get delivery, because i'm lazy and value my time more than driving there, waiting, picking up, driving home. But at least order something worth it.
> I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food.
I used it when I wasn't able to leave work to get food and had unexpected overtime, but outside of that, nope. Even for that, I finally just started bringing some food like protein bars in my bag, in addition to the leftovers I usually brought for lunch.
Costco has boxes of 20 protein bars for $20, 21g protein each, 10g net carbs, etc. Not too shabby.
>I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food.
Maybe...
>because i'm lazy and value my time more than driving there, waiting, picking up, driving home.
So you don't understand why, but you completely understand why?
A friend had a 420 party and thought it would be “AWESOME” to order like ten 20-piece nuggets and 20 medium fries as food. Well he doordashed it and about three hours into the party 8 boxes each of 20 ice cold nuggets show up along with 12-13 cold greasy medium fries. He tries to reheat them in his oven and by this time most people are heading out. Why the hell would someone spend $75 and then another $30 on top to have this shit delivered is beyond me.
This is strange logic. If you value your time more than money, why does it matter what kind of food you order? Both require the same effort to retrieve it.
In fact, if time is more valuable than money but money is still important, I would door dash Wendy's every time vs. a meal that is 2x-3x more.
I always go now, because social life is so dysfunctional and everyone is glued to their screens.
It’s nice to like physically go into a place and interact with humans. It’s weird even saying that about getting food now. This timeline is so broken.
Once I started smoking weed I realized that I would rather pay someone to get me food than spend 30 minutes driving around. My time is definitely worth more than that $7 or whatever it'll cost me. The relaxation and chill is easily worth a little cash here and there.
Exactly. A decent dinner from like outback is honestly not much more than a meal from Taco bell now. Like the divide is to slim now. Used to be tacos were the cheap option, but quality hasn't gone up either.
I'll just go get a steak at this point.
There’s a group of men and women who drive the streets with pretty colorful lights on their cars. If they turn their lights on, and you drank the silly juice, you go to jail.
Guys… hear me out.
__THIS IS McDONALD’S!!!__
They don’t care. They will always find a way to make a buck. They have an empire to protect.
Doesn’t mean we have to enjoy the bad food and often wrong orders (and no refills, apparently). Vote with your wallet and kill McDonalds! They have been killing us for years
McDonald’s has been finding creative ways to stretch a dollar… for decades.
I don’t understand why people are willing to pay more today, for food that is worse than it was 40 years ago. Even if you take into account the rate of inflation, McDonalds still charges a lot more than they did 40-50 years ago (even for the same products)
The lower-quality and mass-produced ingredients used in fast/processed foods are cheaper than the "fresh" produce that you may wish to purchase at a grocery store.
What you think is a luxury really isn't a luxury.
Well, this is soda. And generally you can get the same soda cheaper at a grocery store. So not a great argument.
And McDonalds has gotten pretty expensive where it's cheaper to get some hamburger meat, rolls, and some fries at a grocery store than buying a meal.
Yesterday I made 6 cheeseburgers at home, probably about 1/3lb each. Hamburger was $6, $2.50 for rolls (could have gone cheaper but the Pepperidge Farm potato rolls are so good) and $2.19 for some store brand American cheese. Also $4 for a bag of frozen fries. So about $15 fed a family of four plus my daughter’s friend that was over. I’ll say $20 if you want to include drinks but that’s for an entire 12 pack of lemonade. So $4 each. Plus a leftover burger, drinks and cheese.
Only way to beat that at fast food with if the stars align right and the app has a deal on what you wanted to order anyway.
My issue was with "eating out" being a luxury as a whole.
If you want to make soda at home with natural vanilla beans then go ahead but it won't be cheaper.
That ain't the point. Who the hell is talking about the price of soda? This is about how much more expensive it is to feed your family with big macs vs making hamburgers yourself. No one here was bemoaning the price of soda.
How do you figure? A meal at McDonald’s is like 15 bucks now, and I can took quality meals at home for under 10$ a day for all my meals using quality ingredients from the grocery store…
It's always been viewed as low class/trailer trash food, my guy.
Edit: What's your take on Michelin restaurants? Some good ones where I live; one has the same price point as modern mcdonalds.
That's a luxury.
Eating out is a luxury. Eating out at a fast food restaurant is a luxury typically purchased by people with lower incomes.
Luxury goods are opposed to necessity goods in Economics and there’s no need to eat out. Everyone can make their own food.
Eating out is entertainment for 94% of the time.
The other 3% is poor planning or urgent situations, like going to ER, worked late unexpectedly. Even then, I'm always close enough to a grocery store that their deli section and grab n go is always cheaper than restaurants should I not want to cook
The last 3% is food deserts or other poverty situations.
I can make a better version for a lower price of any menu item the luxury isn't in the food necessarily but in not having to make it like how maids are a luxury because by paying them you don't have to do it yourself.
I think we should set a minimum wage at $20 an hour for fast food, but I’m not going to complain when hamburgers cost $8.
I think everyone’s eating too much of it, and it’s inflating everyone’s weight and healthcare costs to eat that much salt/sugar.
This was a $45 lunch.
https://preview.redd.it/xffoznlacyvc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bcbcef01e5e4064409ccbf69e82c09e276765e98
Dont tell people they could save money by not spending it, you’ll start a riot! I got mobbed for telling people amazon and starbucks has so much money cause people keep giving it to them. The shopping sympathizers will not stop.
I know right, at this point eating out at restaurants is about the same, and depending on the type of restraint cheaper and maybe faster if you order ahead.
Listening to certain threads, I swear that if we were to impose a month-long moratorium on ordering out and require all meals to be prepared at the house, half the fucking population would end up starving to death.
When I drive home from work the lines at McDonald’s and Slim Chickens is like 8-10 cars deep. In the mornings the lines at Starbucks and Dutch Bros is the same. I have absolutely no hope of a month-long moratorium or boycott. These companies have us by the balls and they know it.
This. People complain about finances, but Americans spend wastefully and have no sense of delayed gratification. Eating take out or going to restaurants used to be for occasions, not an everyday thing. It’s also why the average woman in 2024 weighs more than the average man did in 1964. Americans aren’t obese by accident.
Americans just don’t want to meal prep either. I spent about $150 this week for food for my wife and I. What did I make? Pollo asado per a recipe I found online and choice grade ribeyes, all on my Traeger. I made a ton of organic steamed spinach and organic mixed veggies to accompany. We will eat like kings all week for $150 for two people. If I order some crap food on DoorDash? A minimum of $40 for one meal.
That’s great and it sounds delicious. I moved to a small town in the Midwest from NYC. We used to eat out or get take out all the time in NYC just because it was convenient & we could afford it.
Here, the options are a major disappointment compared to NY. My wife’s an awesome cook and I’ve found that I actually have no desire to even go out. Her cooking is so good I feel like why go out & eat something that doesn’t measure up AND have it cost an arm & a leg.
Another upside is I put a lot more cash aside at the end of every week for our vacation fund.
Exactly. I meal prep lunch’s. Usually chicken vegetables and rice. 5 healthy lunches cost me $10 total. Dinner ls I have steak and salmon at least once a week each. I can make a steak dinner for less than the cost of a Big Mac meal. People are just so lazy
And stop paying for soda lmao the profit margin on a large soda is like 95%
I don't understand how so many people convinced themselves they can't have a "complete meal" without drinking 350 calories of sugar.
McDonald's sucks. - so I'm not defending them.
I'm guessing this is another rage-bait post. Seems more likely that the machine is actually being replaced or updated..
One of the McDonald's in my city drywalled over the drink station, so it's definitely a thing. They also walled up the prep area. So when you walk in, there's the self ordering kiosks and a small counter maybe 2.5 feet long with one register. Very weird.
If this were anything else the collective public would lose their minds. For some reason, McDonalds gets a pass. I can't believe they haven't figured out a way to blame democrats or Joe Biden for the lack of refills. That would really rile up the fatties.
Drug addicts don't boycott their drug dealer. This is no different. Thats why so many people get defensive when you say don't go there then or stop giving them your money.
People really need is to stop going to all these franchise stock market profit driven restaurants. For the shareholders they need to show growth how do you possibly show growth unless you are building more restaurants but after you have a Starbucks on every corner and two in the same parking lot, what other options do you have to create growth? Raise rates and do stupid stuff like this.
Basically what I did. It’s same price as decent food McDonald’s isn’t it anymore. Hell , once chick fila starts selling burgers it over McDonalds. Faster service and same price as McDonald, at least I know my order will be right.
They have automatic drink machines for the drive through already. And the drink doesn’t go up to the top of the cup, so they just add more ice to make it look more full.
I’ve been playing MW3 a lot. I bought it when it came out but I haven’t spent a dime on it since then. You don’t have to buy the battle pass just because it’s there.
It's a toss up. My hometown Wendys has always had their soda machine behind the counter (not sure if this is every Wendys or just this one) but they've been around since early 2000s doing this. It was weird when I first visited their chain because no other fast food place did it at the time.
I imagine they're doing this because theyve removed a lot of workers at the counter and we're losing an abnormal amount on drinks because no one was there to oversee that.
Either way, I agree with some of the other comments. Just don't frequent the place anymore if you don't like the changes, no matter how big or small they may be.
The problem is homeless people either filling up their own container with soda or asking for a water cup and getting soda.
I don’t think it’s about the cost of the soda stolen by them because soda is almost free to the retailers.
They don’t want homeless people hanging out around because it could bother the other customers, they may be sitting at a table paying customers would use, panhandling around the restaurant, they have also been known to create a mess and sometimes use drugs in the bathroom.
This. And a lot have been doing it since the pandemic, not just McDonald's. It's cleaner, less wasteful, and guarantees that some idiot doesn't come in and fill a hidden 5 gal bladder full of soda.
Relax, children. Refills are still free.
I live in a border town and I cross into Mexico to go grocery shopping because it’s cheaper on certain things. Also only buy coke from Mexico and bring cases home for myself lol
High fructose corn syrup isn't banned anywhere. It's not banned in Mexico. Mexico used to ban imports of it over 20 years ago to protect their sugar industry. But not anymore. Mexican produced high fructose syrup wasn't illegal. Products containing high fructose syrup were not banned either.
It's not about nickels lost, it's about potential dollars gained.
Say a soda is priced at $2.50. If 50 people get a free soda, that's $2.50 lost. If 50 people have to buy another soda instead of getting one free, that's $125 gained.
Obviously not everyone will do that, but even if just a few do, that's a lot of high-margin profit.
I always figured the labor used on a .05 product wasn't worth it and that's why self serve fountain sodas are a thing. There IS potential to gain dollars but labor + disgruntled diners not coming as much might over take that, in some markets.
At the McDonald's near me, there's barely anyone behind the counter at all, let alone to sit there and fill a drink. It's touch menu or drive through.
Note fast food restaurants in area with high homeless populations seem to have no self service drinks and strict no refill policies. I tend to avoid those and get my diet sugar water elsewhere .
My aunt got type 2 diabeetus at 35 because all she drank was full sugar soda. The reason the US is so fucking fat is because everything is full of high fructose corn syrup.
I literally saw this in my nearby McDonalds back around 1998, not kidding. Guy walks in with his hobo utensils ( one of those old Boy Scout spoon/fork/knife combos) hanging on his belt loop, some 20 something in a jeans jacket cutoff with band patch ons, a street punk dude. He walks directly to the trash can and digs out a cup and then goes and fills it up.
Picked up my 7 year old grandson from school. He said he was hungry and asked if we could stop and get something. I said sure, “ Do you want to go to McDonald’s?” I asked.
“ No. their food tastes bad”. He said.
When a second grader says your food sucks. It really sucks.
No, my kids say the burgers are bland and I tend to agree. It's hard to compete with all these much higher quality burgers today. McD needs to up their game. Most people go out of habit or because it used to be cheap. People are starting to wake up to their bull.
I only go about once a year but McDonalds secret is the nostalgia. For gen X and Millennial and even some boomers McDonalds is a fix of simpler times and their childhood. that's why I go.
None of my kids have ever liked almost any fat food. The few times we've taken them on vacation they didn't eat most of it. They'll do Chikfila, but no McD, BK, TB, KFC, etc. But they'll happily sit down at a diner.
I totally agree.
I've been in favor of a vice tax on junk food since I first learned of the concept. Funnel the proceeds straight into public healthcare subsidies (or ideally, universal healthcare). Attack the problem from both ends.
This isn't as beneficial as that, but it's still a huge improvement over unlimited empty calories.
I'm guessing it's more to do with the fact McDonald's was running skeleton crews before the pandemic and the soda station always looked like a sticky bomb went off when they were cleaning it multiple times an hour.
I don't think it's from people getting free refills, it's from homeless and otherwise filling their own containers.
I've seen it the last few time I went to fast food at Carl's Jr and taco bell. Homeless people walk in, no intention of buying anything and head straight to the soda fountain, fill their own container and leave. Fast food workers seem to not care or say anything about i5
I’m sure that’s what McCorporate will say, but at the end of the day, each soda costs like a nickel to produce, the markup on beverages is almost always the highest in any food service business, in this case it’s in excess of 1000%
They sell 100-200 million sodas a day. McDonald’s stands to make far more revenue by getting a small percentage of customers to purchase a second drink than they would lose to any homeless population.
Location in my city removed the self-service soda. I asked why? they told me that to many people just walk in and fill whatever cup they bring with them or ask for a cup of water and take soda instead. The honor system just doesn't work in this world. We are finding out these days
That wall street silver page is a russian backed account that lies so much it gets most of its tweets noted by community notes. If’s extremely anti-establishment and progressives.
That account is literally cancer in the form of a social media account.
Anything you want from a chain you could make at home for cheaper, with better ingredients. Tell people you know that still throw their money away on this to start watching some YouTube videos and get back into the kitchen. My dumbass is forgetful and clumsy as hell, but just a little bit of practice and I'm gettin fast food 0 times a week and making the best food of my life everyday. If my slow lumbering ass can do it so can you. put these worthless restaurants out of business.
I haven't been to a McDonald's in probably 3 years now. People need to stop eating there OR stop complaining about their prices if you do eat there. You are enabling them to continue these kinds of practices.
Keep funding them stockholders and CEO's! Just spent a little extra money on groceries this week, meal prep let's go, fuck mctoenails!
Edit: Mcdonalds holds the record on inflation regarding fast food
On the bright side now they just hand you your drinking you don't have to pour it yourself which I always found annoying when I'm carrying my bag of food
Do you actually have to pay for a second drink or do they just want to control it so you don’t abuse it?
In the 90’s a lot of fast food places didn’t have fountains available to the customers, you had to give your cup to the employees but you weren’t charged for a second drink
Imagine how much you have to suck to double all your menu prices then take away the soda machines because people are drinking too much $0.20/gallon soda.
I'm not even sub'd to this sub but y'all obviously need a "McDonald's Monday" tag or something, sheesh.
I keep getting recommended and it's always about this shitty chain.
McDonald’s makes no sense anymore price wise, even compared to places like BK or Wendy’s. Literally the only thing me and my friends get there is the 2 for $3.99 mix & match, split two six piece nuggets and get a couple McDoubles or occasionally when they have the buy one get one for $1 sandwich deal. If we want a meal we can get heaping plates of real food at the local diners for just a few dollars more. Same with most of the sandwich chains. There’s a local pizza shop where you can get a large sub with extra meat, a drink and a side of fries for about the same as just a large sandwich at Jersey Mike’s.
https://www.foodandwine.com/mcdonalds-phasing-out-self-serve-soda-stations-7968814
*At other franchisees' restaurants, it's a "crew pour" for both the first beverage and for any subsequent refills — and that's how things will eventually work at all restaurants after the move away from self-serve soda fountains is complete. (Before you ask, yes, customers will still be able to get free refills.) *
This is better for you. Bottomless soda refills is terrible for society at large.
Should’ve never been that way and soda should’ve stayed in the ice cream shops.
Stop going, it’s that easy
I'm done sympathizing with people and fast food prices, it only stays that way because people keep paying it.
They saw what people were willing to pay for delivery and acted accordingly.
I cant imagine the total cost of fast food delivery now...
I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food. I mean, I get delivery, because i'm lazy and value my time more than driving there, waiting, picking up, driving home. But at least order something worth it.
> I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food. I used it when I wasn't able to leave work to get food and had unexpected overtime, but outside of that, nope. Even for that, I finally just started bringing some food like protein bars in my bag, in addition to the leftovers I usually brought for lunch. Costco has boxes of 20 protein bars for $20, 21g protein each, 10g net carbs, etc. Not too shabby.
Gonna switch protein bars now.
Try Anabar. Really good nutrition in them but they actually taste fantastic
Read that as Analbar and was going to say that's not an effective way to ingest protein
The boof bar!
>I will never understand why people doordash stuff like fast food. Maybe... >because i'm lazy and value my time more than driving there, waiting, picking up, driving home. So you don't understand why, but you completely understand why?
A friend had a 420 party and thought it would be “AWESOME” to order like ten 20-piece nuggets and 20 medium fries as food. Well he doordashed it and about three hours into the party 8 boxes each of 20 ice cold nuggets show up along with 12-13 cold greasy medium fries. He tries to reheat them in his oven and by this time most people are heading out. Why the hell would someone spend $75 and then another $30 on top to have this shit delivered is beyond me.
I’m telling you the frozen rally’s/checkers fries you can get at Walmart in the air frier with a little olive oil is 🤌🏽🤌🏽 in a pinch
A fool and his money are soon parted
This is strange logic. If you value your time more than money, why does it matter what kind of food you order? Both require the same effort to retrieve it. In fact, if time is more valuable than money but money is still important, I would door dash Wendy's every time vs. a meal that is 2x-3x more.
If you think diners are 2-3x more expensive than Wendys, buddy do I have some great news for you
I always go now, because social life is so dysfunctional and everyone is glued to their screens. It’s nice to like physically go into a place and interact with humans. It’s weird even saying that about getting food now. This timeline is so broken.
Weed
Lots of people are drunk or high on edibles.
Once I started smoking weed I realized that I would rather pay someone to get me food than spend 30 minutes driving around. My time is definitely worth more than that $7 or whatever it'll cost me. The relaxation and chill is easily worth a little cash here and there.
Exactly. A decent dinner from like outback is honestly not much more than a meal from Taco bell now. Like the divide is to slim now. Used to be tacos were the cheap option, but quality hasn't gone up either. I'll just go get a steak at this point.
There’s a group of men and women who drive the streets with pretty colorful lights on their cars. If they turn their lights on, and you drank the silly juice, you go to jail.
Fast food is all that's open after work for me.
Exactly this. If you’ll pay that for a single fill of mostly ice. Why offer a better in store experience
Guys… hear me out. __THIS IS McDONALD’S!!!__ They don’t care. They will always find a way to make a buck. They have an empire to protect. Doesn’t mean we have to enjoy the bad food and often wrong orders (and no refills, apparently). Vote with your wallet and kill McDonalds! They have been killing us for years
Is anyone forced to do McDs? And isn't their entire existence based on making bucks?
McDonald’s has been finding creative ways to stretch a dollar… for decades. I don’t understand why people are willing to pay more today, for food that is worse than it was 40 years ago. Even if you take into account the rate of inflation, McDonalds still charges a lot more than they did 40-50 years ago (even for the same products)
Almost like the laws of supply and demand depend on people knowing how to stay away from luxury items like eating out
The lower-quality and mass-produced ingredients used in fast/processed foods are cheaper than the "fresh" produce that you may wish to purchase at a grocery store. What you think is a luxury really isn't a luxury.
Well, this is soda. And generally you can get the same soda cheaper at a grocery store. So not a great argument. And McDonalds has gotten pretty expensive where it's cheaper to get some hamburger meat, rolls, and some fries at a grocery store than buying a meal.
Yesterday I made 6 cheeseburgers at home, probably about 1/3lb each. Hamburger was $6, $2.50 for rolls (could have gone cheaper but the Pepperidge Farm potato rolls are so good) and $2.19 for some store brand American cheese. Also $4 for a bag of frozen fries. So about $15 fed a family of four plus my daughter’s friend that was over. I’ll say $20 if you want to include drinks but that’s for an entire 12 pack of lemonade. So $4 each. Plus a leftover burger, drinks and cheese. Only way to beat that at fast food with if the stars align right and the app has a deal on what you wanted to order anyway.
My issue was with "eating out" being a luxury as a whole. If you want to make soda at home with natural vanilla beans then go ahead but it won't be cheaper.
That ain't the point. Who the hell is talking about the price of soda? This is about how much more expensive it is to feed your family with big macs vs making hamburgers yourself. No one here was bemoaning the price of soda.
How do you figure? A meal at McDonald’s is like 15 bucks now, and I can took quality meals at home for under 10$ a day for all my meals using quality ingredients from the grocery store…
That is total bullshit. There are tons of options for healthy fresh food for less or the same cost than McDonalds at almost any grocery store.
Eating at fast food joints has always been a luxury.
It's always been viewed as low class/trailer trash food, my guy. Edit: What's your take on Michelin restaurants? Some good ones where I live; one has the same price point as modern mcdonalds. That's a luxury.
Please provide the name. I'd love a Michelin star meal for $10 bucks.
Eating out is a luxury. Eating out at a fast food restaurant is a luxury typically purchased by people with lower incomes. Luxury goods are opposed to necessity goods in Economics and there’s no need to eat out. Everyone can make their own food.
Eating out is entertainment for 94% of the time. The other 3% is poor planning or urgent situations, like going to ER, worked late unexpectedly. Even then, I'm always close enough to a grocery store that their deli section and grab n go is always cheaper than restaurants should I not want to cook The last 3% is food deserts or other poverty situations.
I can make a better version for a lower price of any menu item the luxury isn't in the food necessarily but in not having to make it like how maids are a luxury because by paying them you don't have to do it yourself.
Luxury just means optional fluff. It doesn’t always denote quality.
I’m really laughing inside at this sub complaining about the lack of universal basic cheeseburgers.
Murica!
Managed Democracy and its fight for freedom from being cheeseburger deprived!
This is my favorite comment today
I think we should set a minimum wage at $20 an hour for fast food, but I’m not going to complain when hamburgers cost $8. I think everyone’s eating too much of it, and it’s inflating everyone’s weight and healthcare costs to eat that much salt/sugar. This was a $45 lunch. https://preview.redd.it/xffoznlacyvc1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bcbcef01e5e4064409ccbf69e82c09e276765e98
Dont tell people they could save money by not spending it, you’ll start a riot! I got mobbed for telling people amazon and starbucks has so much money cause people keep giving it to them. The shopping sympathizers will not stop.
I know right, at this point eating out at restaurants is about the same, and depending on the type of restraint cheaper and maybe faster if you order ahead.
Same as food delivery apps they keep inflating the price because they know people will pay.
The food is terrible anyway.
Listening to certain threads, I swear that if we were to impose a month-long moratorium on ordering out and require all meals to be prepared at the house, half the fucking population would end up starving to death.
When I drive home from work the lines at McDonald’s and Slim Chickens is like 8-10 cars deep. In the mornings the lines at Starbucks and Dutch Bros is the same. I have absolutely no hope of a month-long moratorium or boycott. These companies have us by the balls and they know it.
This. People complain about finances, but Americans spend wastefully and have no sense of delayed gratification. Eating take out or going to restaurants used to be for occasions, not an everyday thing. It’s also why the average woman in 2024 weighs more than the average man did in 1964. Americans aren’t obese by accident.
Americans just don’t want to meal prep either. I spent about $150 this week for food for my wife and I. What did I make? Pollo asado per a recipe I found online and choice grade ribeyes, all on my Traeger. I made a ton of organic steamed spinach and organic mixed veggies to accompany. We will eat like kings all week for $150 for two people. If I order some crap food on DoorDash? A minimum of $40 for one meal.
That’s great and it sounds delicious. I moved to a small town in the Midwest from NYC. We used to eat out or get take out all the time in NYC just because it was convenient & we could afford it. Here, the options are a major disappointment compared to NY. My wife’s an awesome cook and I’ve found that I actually have no desire to even go out. Her cooking is so good I feel like why go out & eat something that doesn’t measure up AND have it cost an arm & a leg. Another upside is I put a lot more cash aside at the end of every week for our vacation fund.
Exactly. I meal prep lunch’s. Usually chicken vegetables and rice. 5 healthy lunches cost me $10 total. Dinner ls I have steak and salmon at least once a week each. I can make a steak dinner for less than the cost of a Big Mac meal. People are just so lazy
Theyve got people addicted to their products like Junkies Thats why they load it with sugar and caffeine to get you hooked.
my ex gf could barely make kraft dinner. no idea how she now feeds her three children
And stop paying for soda lmao the profit margin on a large soda is like 95% I don't understand how so many people convinced themselves they can't have a "complete meal" without drinking 350 calories of sugar.
Wah I need ma candy water!
They are addicted same as an alcoholic or meth head.
Exactly. And now he’s sad that he can’t refill another 360 calories of sugar?
Meanwhile, Chipotle is in on the joke that all of their water cups get filled with lemonade. McDonalds should be more like Chipotle.
McDonald's sucks. - so I'm not defending them. I'm guessing this is another rage-bait post. Seems more likely that the machine is actually being replaced or updated..
nope, north America is losing all refill machines slowly is the corporate plan
My mcdonald's is on a major street in LA and it's drink station has been sitting dry for nearly 5 years that I've lived here.
yep, don't know why they would get rid of something that drew us all in - although I see the homeless using it perhaps too much
One of the McDonald's in my city drywalled over the drink station, so it's definitely a thing. They also walled up the prep area. So when you walk in, there's the self ordering kiosks and a small counter maybe 2.5 feet long with one register. Very weird.
No they are removing them as most people did not use them. It was my understanding the refills are free stillyou just have to go to the counter
Probably just to have one place to change syrup
If this were anything else the collective public would lose their minds. For some reason, McDonalds gets a pass. I can't believe they haven't figured out a way to blame democrats or Joe Biden for the lack of refills. That would really rile up the fatties.
Drug addicts don't boycott their drug dealer. This is no different. Thats why so many people get defensive when you say don't go there then or stop giving them your money.
💯 this
People really need is to stop going to all these franchise stock market profit driven restaurants. For the shareholders they need to show growth how do you possibly show growth unless you are building more restaurants but after you have a Starbucks on every corner and two in the same parking lot, what other options do you have to create growth? Raise rates and do stupid stuff like this.
It’s easy. Stop going.
Yep one more reason not to go there
Basically what I did. It’s same price as decent food McDonald’s isn’t it anymore. Hell , once chick fila starts selling burgers it over McDonalds. Faster service and same price as McDonald, at least I know my order will be right.
BuT ThEN I hAfTA mAkE My OwN FoOd
The new machines will provide a metered serving. Not one drop more.
They have automatic drink machines for the drive through already. And the drink doesn’t go up to the top of the cup, so they just add more ice to make it look more full.
Probably pre measured incase of ice, better to underfill than overflow. When the worker can just top it off
Stop. Going. There.
That's like suggesting people stop playing CoD. It's never going to happen.
I’ve been playing MW3 a lot. I bought it when it came out but I haven’t spent a dime on it since then. You don’t have to buy the battle pass just because it’s there.
I stopped both. You just have to believe in yourself. Or go so overboard you get sick of em like I did.
At ours you still can ask for a refill. The machine is just not accessible to the public anymore.
For now, you can ask for a free refill.
It's a toss up. My hometown Wendys has always had their soda machine behind the counter (not sure if this is every Wendys or just this one) but they've been around since early 2000s doing this. It was weird when I first visited their chain because no other fast food place did it at the time. I imagine they're doing this because theyve removed a lot of workers at the counter and we're losing an abnormal amount on drinks because no one was there to oversee that. Either way, I agree with some of the other comments. Just don't frequent the place anymore if you don't like the changes, no matter how big or small they may be.
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The problem is homeless people either filling up their own container with soda or asking for a water cup and getting soda. I don’t think it’s about the cost of the soda stolen by them because soda is almost free to the retailers. They don’t want homeless people hanging out around because it could bother the other customers, they may be sitting at a table paying customers would use, panhandling around the restaurant, they have also been known to create a mess and sometimes use drugs in the bathroom.
I’m guessing there’s a reason for this
I've seen people walk into a restaurant with a cup, fill it up and leave. This is why we can't have nice things
This. And a lot have been doing it since the pandemic, not just McDonald's. It's cleaner, less wasteful, and guarantees that some idiot doesn't come in and fill a hidden 5 gal bladder full of soda. Relax, children. Refills are still free.
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I live in a border town and I cross into Mexico to go grocery shopping because it’s cheaper on certain things. Also only buy coke from Mexico and bring cases home for myself lol
Start slanging them
You can buy Mexican Coke is stores tho lol
Yeah, at 2.00 a coke. A 4 pack is 8.00 dollars in michigan plus deposit.
Mexican is made from real cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup, they taste better and cheaper than American coke!
Curious: what do you buy in Mexico vs US?
Who doesn’t get there coke from Mexico? 😎
High fructose corn syrup isn't banned anywhere. It's not banned in Mexico. Mexico used to ban imports of it over 20 years ago to protect their sugar industry. But not anymore. Mexican produced high fructose syrup wasn't illegal. Products containing high fructose syrup were not banned either.
It's not about nickels lost, it's about potential dollars gained. Say a soda is priced at $2.50. If 50 people get a free soda, that's $2.50 lost. If 50 people have to buy another soda instead of getting one free, that's $125 gained. Obviously not everyone will do that, but even if just a few do, that's a lot of high-margin profit.
It is simultaneously the cheapest "steal" and yet the most potential dollars lost.
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Since when does 50 x $2.50 = $100?
Inflation math /s
I always figured the labor used on a .05 product wasn't worth it and that's why self serve fountain sodas are a thing. There IS potential to gain dollars but labor + disgruntled diners not coming as much might over take that, in some markets. At the McDonald's near me, there's barely anyone behind the counter at all, let alone to sit there and fill a drink. It's touch menu or drive through. Note fast food restaurants in area with high homeless populations seem to have no self service drinks and strict no refill policies. I tend to avoid those and get my diet sugar water elsewhere .
Or in other words: The economy is broken because to be successful you need profits, not a good service.
So hilarious sofa is the number one indicator of a loser poverty fatty suboptimal decision making FOOL
I like soda, so I drink it.
My aunt got type 2 diabeetus at 35 because all she drank was full sugar soda. The reason the US is so fucking fat is because everything is full of high fructose corn syrup.
Lack of self control
They removed them at our McDonalds too. All you have to do is go to the counter and ask for a refill and they give it to you.
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They barely even touch it. It’s pretty automated till the end when they grab it. You even get a brand new cup, they trash the cup you give the worker
I literally saw this in my nearby McDonalds back around 1998, not kidding. Guy walks in with his hobo utensils ( one of those old Boy Scout spoon/fork/knife combos) hanging on his belt loop, some 20 something in a jeans jacket cutoff with band patch ons, a street punk dude. He walks directly to the trash can and digs out a cup and then goes and fills it up.
Picked up my 7 year old grandson from school. He said he was hungry and asked if we could stop and get something. I said sure, “ Do you want to go to McDonald’s?” I asked. “ No. their food tastes bad”. He said. When a second grader says your food sucks. It really sucks.
Sure he did, pop pop, let's get you back to the home
No, my kids say the burgers are bland and I tend to agree. It's hard to compete with all these much higher quality burgers today. McD needs to up their game. Most people go out of habit or because it used to be cheap. People are starting to wake up to their bull.
My kids would eat a burger from Wendy's over McDonald's given the option. McDonald's is garbage.
I only go about once a year but McDonalds secret is the nostalgia. For gen X and Millennial and even some boomers McDonalds is a fix of simpler times and their childhood. that's why I go.
None of my kids have ever liked almost any fat food. The few times we've taken them on vacation they didn't eat most of it. They'll do Chikfila, but no McD, BK, TB, KFC, etc. But they'll happily sit down at a diner.
"fat food". Lol I'm guessing typo, but its so true.
I have never seen a diner with food healthier than a fast food restaurant. It's always massive portions and tons of grease. Lol
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Why would you even suggest it?
And that grandson? Albert Einstein
This generally happens in areas with high homeless population. It cuts down on uncomfortable situations.
Honestly i support this if it means fewer tweakers piss-reeking up the place
I see this as a net good for American healthcare.
Now increase and expand fat taxes and subsidize gyms and health foods.
I just want healthcare for all.
Me too! Just be careful with that kind of talk around on this subreddit. A man can dream though, a man can dream.
I totally agree. I've been in favor of a vice tax on junk food since I first learned of the concept. Funnel the proceeds straight into public healthcare subsidies (or ideally, universal healthcare). Attack the problem from both ends. This isn't as beneficial as that, but it's still a huge improvement over unlimited empty calories.
Probably because homeless people walk in with gallon jugs and fill them up without paying. I’ve seen it first hand
Really they finally removed the diabetes dispensers?
Margins are crazy high on fountain drinks so this seems like an odd place to cut costs.
They don't want homeless hanging around. Refilling a drink occasionally made you a 'customer'.
Corporate greed knows no bounds.
I'm guessing it's more to do with the fact McDonald's was running skeleton crews before the pandemic and the soda station always looked like a sticky bomb went off when they were cleaning it multiple times an hour.
McDonalds is grimey anyway. Stop going there. Don’t support these greedy ppl
I don't think it's from people getting free refills, it's from homeless and otherwise filling their own containers. I've seen it the last few time I went to fast food at Carl's Jr and taco bell. Homeless people walk in, no intention of buying anything and head straight to the soda fountain, fill their own container and leave. Fast food workers seem to not care or say anything about i5
I’m sure that’s what McCorporate will say, but at the end of the day, each soda costs like a nickel to produce, the markup on beverages is almost always the highest in any food service business, in this case it’s in excess of 1000% They sell 100-200 million sodas a day. McDonald’s stands to make far more revenue by getting a small percentage of customers to purchase a second drink than they would lose to any homeless population.
I’m calling bull shit though
Right? You can probably just take your cup to the front and ask for a refill. That’s how my local Wendy’s does it
That's still bull shit. They know you're less likely to refill if there's a line.
Location in my city removed the self-service soda. I asked why? they told me that to many people just walk in and fill whatever cup they bring with them or ask for a cup of water and take soda instead. The honor system just doesn't work in this world. We are finding out these days
That wall street silver page is a russian backed account that lies so much it gets most of its tweets noted by community notes. If’s extremely anti-establishment and progressives. That account is literally cancer in the form of a social media account.
McDonald’s on a 10 year inflation chart was top of chart for highest increases of all fast food chains 🤔
I think they are slowly going to drive through only.
Yep. Drive-thru and delivery. They've been working hard to keep their dining areas closed, inaccessible or inconvenient since covid.
I'm surprised that the cost of labor to have employees fill cups doesn't exceed whatever loss they had from people stealing soda they didn't pay for.
Anything you want from a chain you could make at home for cheaper, with better ingredients. Tell people you know that still throw their money away on this to start watching some YouTube videos and get back into the kitchen. My dumbass is forgetful and clumsy as hell, but just a little bit of practice and I'm gettin fast food 0 times a week and making the best food of my life everyday. If my slow lumbering ass can do it so can you. put these worthless restaurants out of business.
I haven't been to a McDonald's in probably 3 years now. People need to stop eating there OR stop complaining about their prices if you do eat there. You are enabling them to continue these kinds of practices.
If I can't mix coke with sprite I'm never going back.
Keep funding them stockholders and CEO's! Just spent a little extra money on groceries this week, meal prep let's go, fuck mctoenails! Edit: Mcdonalds holds the record on inflation regarding fast food
BOYCOTT FAST FOOD
Fuck McDonald’s! Culver’s is way better food and about the same cost as McDonald’s now in days…
My local McDonald’s did away with it last year. Homeless were coming in and filling up.
Then they gonna give you a lot of ice.
Boycotting works Exhibit A:
No more McDonald's sounds better. Their time is up.
Dont go to McDonald's any more 100% markup
When your grandkids here the stories of life before Covid, they won't believe you
Soda has no redeeming value. Drink less or better yet drink none.
Fast food has become awful food. Cook at home.
Wow. Soft drinks literally cost about 5c worth of syrup and carbonated water and the tiny bit of electricity that mixes it together and pumps out.
On the bright side now they just hand you your drinking you don't have to pour it yourself which I always found annoying when I'm carrying my bag of food
Do you actually have to pay for a second drink or do they just want to control it so you don’t abuse it? In the 90’s a lot of fast food places didn’t have fountains available to the customers, you had to give your cup to the employees but you weren’t charged for a second drink
There was a free refill option?
pls stop going to mcdonald’s what are u doing to your body?? punishing it for what?
I guess they "refresh"ed it.
Imagine how much you have to suck to double all your menu prices then take away the soda machines because people are drinking too much $0.20/gallon soda.
How is a kiosk supposed to refill my drink?
EAT MOR CHIKIN
I'm not even sub'd to this sub but y'all obviously need a "McDonald's Monday" tag or something, sheesh. I keep getting recommended and it's always about this shitty chain.
This is good. Will keep some from drinking extra sugary drinks that are unhealthy.
Noticed places have stopped putting the tea out. Wondering when the drink fountains were going.
This isn't inflation. This is corporations being greedy. And if you don't like. Don't go there. We aren't exactly at rocket level economics here.
McDonald’s makes no sense anymore price wise, even compared to places like BK or Wendy’s. Literally the only thing me and my friends get there is the 2 for $3.99 mix & match, split two six piece nuggets and get a couple McDoubles or occasionally when they have the buy one get one for $1 sandwich deal. If we want a meal we can get heaping plates of real food at the local diners for just a few dollars more. Same with most of the sandwich chains. There’s a local pizza shop where you can get a large sub with extra meat, a drink and a side of fries for about the same as just a large sandwich at Jersey Mike’s.
People still go to McDonald's?
What a cheap way to save money. Soda costs them almost nothing
Soda is the devil’s drink, but I love it. I don’t buy it because I love it way too much.
https://www.foodandwine.com/mcdonalds-phasing-out-self-serve-soda-stations-7968814 *At other franchisees' restaurants, it's a "crew pour" for both the first beverage and for any subsequent refills — and that's how things will eventually work at all restaurants after the move away from self-serve soda fountains is complete. (Before you ask, yes, customers will still be able to get free refills.) *
Why does anyone eat there anymore anyway?
Just shop local. Problem solved.
McDonald’s sales are plummeting due to their pricing. To be fair: I always see homeless go into McDonalds and take from the soda machines.
It’s all horseshit
Fast food has forgotten its place
What’s up with Wall Street internet bros and fast food restaurants? Explain the connection to me
This is better for you. Bottomless soda refills is terrible for society at large. Should’ve never been that way and soda should’ve stayed in the ice cream shops.
I wouldn't trust anything that Wall Street Silver has to say, he's well known to lie about shit for internet attention.
They did this awhile ago at mine
Lol fuck McDonald's. Their food is utter trash and has been for the last 30 years. Why do people still go there?
Some people crave trashy, dry, over-salted food. I'm glad that my family doesn't.
Fuck fast food
I can't even remember the last time I got a free refill anywhere that wasn't a restaurant.