Why dont we get free refills in the UK like you do in America?

Question

In Macdonalds, Coffee Houses, Cafes etc If American food outlets can afford to why not in the UK? The same economies apply dont they?

Answer 1

As an American here i feel as though i should answer this. Americans tend to eat out more, Alot more and if you give somethig away for free then you are more likely to return. We dont go for small drinks as a generality either. They already made their money on the large four times over what they purchased it for anyway.
Another thing is if you are a Designated Driver and go to a bar or club and you tell them that, most places give you free drinks (non alcoholic) as it is good buisness for them and they know atleast someone is getting home safely. Go figure, lol.

Answer 2

In America it started as a method of lowering labor cost -- you simply put the soda dispenser out in the open and let people get their own. But then policing refills was a lot of trouble, so they just made them free (after all, soda costs them almost nothing).

It will come to the UK in time. As the UK becomes overrun with fast food, as the squeeze is put on labor costs, and as the competition forces it, it will happen.

(Having said all that, there is some cultural underpinning also. Coke never used to have free refills 30 years ago, but in America free refills on coffee has always been standard -- I had never been charged for a coffee refill until I had travelled overseas)

Answer 3

You do in IKEA great for breakfast !
I used to have a Bistro in Brighton a long time ago and used to give free refills of coffee and tea ,because I used to make it fresh all the time ,you should have seen peoples faces when I used to walk around and just top cups up " No,no I didn't order any " when I used to say it was "on the house " people where astounded about my" generosity" ! I had so many wonderful customers coming back day after day because it was just a great atmosphere in the place because of a very small gesture !
There something nice about relaxed and generous food handling
in the US, that is sadly missing in the UK .
There is also a lot of profit in generosity ,people just don't know
it ,too small minded and stingy !

Answer 4

I'd say its more to do with "no respect Britain" than "rip off Britain". I don't think Brits (especially the mindless teenage yobs that are free to roam the streets) can be trusted to use a refill system without taking advantage of it and screwing it up for everyone else. You would just get a load of kids buying an extra small cup between them, then hanging out there all night using the refills.

There was a serve yourself drinks machine at a Burger King near me, and they had to take it out because people were just taking the piss.

Blame and shoot the kids!

Answer 5

Its more to do with the Franchise holder than any other factor. Most franchise holders do not carry enough persona capital to carry them through. Therefore, they have to borrow [expensive]money, remortgage homes etc.

In most cases the criminal element use these outlets to clean up their dirty monies

Another factor is that we do not complain or demand enough. As one answerer suggested there is no respect for the customer in the UK. Take it or leave it is the norm, usually with a few expletives thrown in.

Either way, Mickey D's, BK, KFC and other [similar] Corporations do not care or have no control what happens in these franchised outlets, especially in the UK.

Answer 6

They tried it at a McDonald's near where I live, the drinks and ketchup dispensers were in the eating area. But this was soon changed when the local brain-dead idiots started to hang around there overfilling the pots and chucking them at each other. Basically, because there's a minority here that would take advantage and spoil it for the rest of us

Answer 7

because they know that here no-one will kick up a fuss about paying but will willingly pay the money for all the refills ---but americans would be up in arms about having to pay for refills ---besides thats why americans are far more fatter on average then us --not just refills but the portions in most fast foods are bigger and cheaper then what we pay ---the companys motto is "if the mugs went to pay then who are we to stop them"

Answer 8

Because this sort of thing is open to abuse and we have a lot of idiots over here.US companies like Pizza Hut do it over here though. You may think it's free, but the cost is worked into your bill somehow, they wouldn't do it for nowt!

Answer 9

We do at Pizza Hut! The rest are just greedy guts! I used to work in a pub that charged staff 20p to have a shot of cordial in their water whilst at work... if you wanted soft drinks it was full price too!

Answer 10

It's a US marketing trick. My friends and I usually pick restaurants that have free refills.