Bringing down the cost of restaurant bills

[Sugardimples]

I have less of a problem with the Crystal Light than I do with someone who orders water with extra lemons and then makes their own lemonade using the restaurant's water, lemons and sweetener (like my SIL does).

Of course, she's the same person who has called us and asked if we want to meet for breakfast and then walks in and says she doesn't have any money.

 

[angwill]

I have a question for everyone. We always order water or coffee at a restaurant because that is all we drink even at home. I do like one lemon with my water but since the lemon issues with bacteria I found packets of plane dried lemon (no sugar, sweetner etc) equal to one lemon wedge. Is it wrong to use that vs asking for lemon at the restaurant? To be honest water without anything is find with me too so with or without doesn't matter much.

 

[Granny square]

Even though you would be saving the restaurant money, you have crossed the line by adding anything to your beverage. Sorry to let you know that.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

This might of been mentioned but family never buys softdrinks at restaurants anymore. I buy the single-serve crystal light lemonade from Dollar Tree (they are $1 for a 10 pack) and we all get water and add our lemonade. The price of our bills have gone down alot because of this. Even at Chili's/houlihans a soda is $3 and then with tax and tip, almost $4 extra per person.

I do this, but with Mio. Always have one in our purse. We have been trying to go to lunch vs dinner. We also try to do more walk up places that have nicer meals...such as Noodles and Co...vs the sit down table service types. We find that the sit down places are so much more money and not always better meals.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Or maybe the restaurants would actually just start charging full price for a glass of water instead offering a complimentary one. More likely, right?!

Why is water so awful that you can't stand to drink it with just one meal?

IMO in poor taste and in poor health.

I do it mostly because I do not care for plain water with food and I have been trying to stay away from sugary sodas, teas, etc. On occasion I will "drink my calories" and then I pay for a sweet tea, but generally a few drops of MIO in my tap water is just what I want. If they want to start offering propel or equivalent, I will pay for it.

ETA- Most of the time the kids meals come with a drink. Sometimes we order the boys milk, but sometimes we bring them an organic, no sugar added juice box from home. I am still buying their meal that comes with a drink (typically sugary drinks), so I don't care if they think it is rude. They are not losing any money and I am giving my kids a decent drink. Other times they offer these sorts of drinks for kids and then we purchase them. Just depends on the place.

Generally all of this takes place at the local pizza or mexican establishment. It isn't like it is fine dining. I don't usually break out my MIO on date night.

 

[laurafergie]

As a server I have had people bring in their own soda and then ask for a glass of ice.

There isn't much of a difference from bringing in your own flavor packets or asking for a glass of water and using a bowl of lemon and all of the packets of sweetner on the table (which I've seen more than once). Both are extremely tacky ... I'm so glad I no longer am a server.

I have less of a problem with the Crystal Light than I do with someone who orders water with extra lemons and then makes their own lemonade using the restaurant's water, lemons and sweetener (like my SIL does).

Back in my restaurant days this used to drive me out of my mind. Not to mention the mess those people would leave.

I agree about the cost of beverages, and I do order water. (No lemon...everyone grabs lemons with their bare hands in the back. It's GROSS) DH orders sweet tea, DD8 has chocolate milk....I'm just the cheap one.

 

[kaytieeldr]

.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Pretty much every restaurant I patronize sells hot tea and iced tea - each unsweetened.

Gross, I don't drink either of those unsweetend.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Then you use a sweetener of your choice - for example, whatever's in MIO. or you ask to have the cost of a beverage added to your check. Or you seek out restaurants that offer flavored waters, or ersatz "healthy" waters.

But as eliza1 has tried to explain a couple of times, by accepting a beverage on which the restaurant not only applies no charge but also loses money and then doctoring it to add flavor/make it palatable (very much like the drinks the restaurant sells), the diner is depriving the restaurant of expected/projected revenue.

 

[Granny square]

Lol, so if the restaurant sells gum at the register you can't chew your own gum in the restaurant? Or tampons in the restroom? I'm sure they have projected sales there.

I realize that some people aren't able to see that not everything is black and white, good or bad, win or lose. It isnt their comfort zone. i've got one son like that. he'd be on eliza's side. As a business owner I would look at the balance. If I gain a lot, and loose a pinch, then I will most definitely take the gain.

I like eliza1 but I just disagree on this topic.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Then you use a sweetener of your choice - for example, whatever's in MIO. or you ask to have the cost of a beverage added to your check. Or you seek out restaurants that offer flavored waters, or ersatz "healthy" waters.

But as eliza1 has tried to explain a couple of times, by accepting a beverage on which the restaurant not only applies no charge but also loses money and then doctoring it to add flavor/make it palatable (very much like the drinks the restaurant sells), the diner is depriving the restaurant of expected/projected revenue.

YOu are kind of missing the point. All I drink at home is MIO so I would like to have that when I am out as well. If they have propel zero or something like that I will order it. On a rare occasion I have a sweet tea. I don't feel bad to use MIO...sorry. I am not doing it to be cheap. Its just what I want to drink.

 

[angwill]

Lol, so if the restaurant sells gum at the register you can't chew your own gum in the restaurant? Or tampons in the restroom? I'm sure they have projected sales there.

I realize that some people aren't able to see that not everything is black and white, good or bad, win or lose. It isnt their comfort zone. i've got one son like that. he'd be on eliza's side. As a business owner I would look at the balance. If I gain a lot, and loose a pinch, then I will most definitely take the gain.

I like eliza1 but I just disagree on this topic.

I hope I am not crossing the line by asking but has your one son who is black and white, good or bad, win or lose been diagnosed with Aspergers or somewhere on the autism spectrum? I just ask because that is typical behavior for those on the spectrum.

 

[luvmy3]

YOu are kind of missing the point. All I drink at home is MIO so I would like to have that when I am out as well. If they have propel zero or something like that I will order it. On a rare occasion I have a sweet tea. I don't feel bad to use MIO...sorry. I am not doing it to be cheap. Its just what I want to drink.

If that is what you like to drink at home, and a restaurant doesn't serve it, get your food to go.

 

[eliza61]

YOu are kind of missing the point. All I drink at home is MIO so I would like to have that when I am out as well. If they have propel zero or something like that I will order it. On a rare occasion I have a sweet tea. I don't feel bad to use MIO...sorry. I am not doing it to be cheap. Its just what I want to drink.

but see how grossly unfair to the business that is (remember I'm talking from an owners side). Let's take it a step further. You come to my establishment and since you only drink pepsi at home, you whip out a 2 liter bottle of pepsi because I only serve coke?
And I'm supposed to be happy with that?

How accomodating am I supposed to be and still make a living? So you only drink Mio, what happens with the next customer who only drinks Hansen natural ice tea,because it has no preservatives comes in and feels no problem bringing in a bottle because they don't like the restaurants ice tea?

If you only drink a certain drink, a certain way why go to the establishment in the first place?

See you are thinking very singular, "I'm only one person doing this, what's the problem". The problem becomes for the proprietor you are not the only one, multiply that 15, 20 times and they are losing money. Very few independant eateries have big profit margins.

 

[mhsjax]

I'll be a dissenter and agree with the OP - I think bringing flavor packs is completely acceptable and a great $avings idea! I liken it to bringing your own sweetener - say Splenda or Stevia - in the event the restaurant does not provide the kind you prefer.

This is the budget board - and some of the ideas presented might not be to the liking of all - but for this OP - she's saving $$ and shared her idea with the rest of us. Maybe if more folks did this - the restaurants would get a clue and charge us the actual cost of about .10 cents a glass for soda instead of $3!

OP - thanks for sharing your idea.

Not even close to being the same. Restaurants don't charge for sweeteners, they do charge for drinks. By bringing in flavors, you are getting around buying a drink. Either order plain water or a drink. The packets are cheap.

 

[mhsjax]

Well, I don't find bringing crystal light into a restaurant wrong, some people are diabetics and don't take chances. I do think it is wrong, please don't flame, but to give children crystal light. I have a real problem with diet drinks for children, for that matter any soft drink that are filled with chemicals, my own opinion.

I do understand trying to keep the bill low and ordering water and adding a flavor packet does do that.

I really don't see the difference between doing that to keep the bill low as long as you tip like you have been served a drink, because you have. Water being served in glass and placed on your table is "service".

On another note, I bring snacks to a movie theater to keep the bill low, but no one is serving it to me and I like healthy snacks and they don't sell fruit, nuts, etc.

My DD is type one, we never bring in outside flavorings. What does being a diabetic have to do with anything? Oh yeah, my kids drink diet drinks and according to my DD's pediatric endocrinologist, that is no problem. She doesn't have to count any carbs for that. She doesn't do it often, but she prefers diet of regular and her Dr said that was great, she wouldn't have to worry about cutting back on it.

 

[eliza61]

Lol, so if the restaurant sells gum at the register you can't chew your own gum in the restaurant? Or tampons in the restroom? I'm sure they have projected sales there.

I realize that some people aren't able to see that not everything is black and white, good or bad, win or lose. It isnt their comfort zone. i've got one son like that. he'd be on eliza's side. As a business owner I would look at the balance. If I gain a lot, and loose a pinch, then I will most definitely take the gain.

I like eliza1 but I just disagree on this topic.

Thanks Granny, I don't mind opposing views, I just wanted to give a look into the trails and Tribulations on restaurant life. Like any other biz, it's trying top balance bottom line with keeping customers happy.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

It gripes me to no end the price of drinks at restaurants. If I am somewhere like McDonalds or whatever, yes I will get a soft drink because they are like a dollar. I just do that when I'm meeting friends to hang out and visit. I do not allow myself to eat fast food, so I just buy a drink.

At the more "sit down and be waited on" restaurants, I get water. I feel ripped off spending what they ask for for drinks.

I never thought of bringing the little packets... it sounds kinda funny, but I don't think I would ever do it. Although once when I was a kid I remember trying to MAKE lemonade by using little packets of lemon juice and sweetener.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

but see how grossly unfair to the business that is (remember I'm talking from an owners side). Let's take it a step further. You come to my establishment and since you only drink pepsi at home, you whip out a 2 liter bottle of pepsi because I only serve coke?
And I'm supposed to be happy with that?

How accomodating am I supposed to be and still make a living? So you only drink Mio, what happens with the next customer who only drinks Hansen natural ice tea,because it has no preservatives comes in and feels no problem bringing in a bottle because they don't like the restaurants ice tea?

If you only drink a certain drink, a certain way why go to the establishment in the first place?

See you are thinking very singular, "I'm only one person doing this, what's the problem". The problem becomes for the proprietor you are not the only one, multiply that 15, 20 times and they are losing money. Very few independant eateries have big profit margins.

If you serve some sort of non-sugared flavored water beverage, then I will order it. If you serve bottled water I will order it. If not, I will drop a few drops of MIO in tap water. I just want something comparable, so the Pepsi/coke analogy doesn't apply.
I am out of this conversation b/c I am going to agree to disagree and cont doing what I do. I am still spending $50 bucks to take my family out for pizza or whatever. We make good money and can afford to purchase a beverage if you are serving one that we drink. If there isn't much variety then I won't hold it against you.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

If that is what you like to drink at home, and a restaurant doesn't serve it, get your food to go.

But either way they aren't getting paid for a drink