Bringing down the cost of restaurant bills

[kaytieeldr]

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.

Just so I'm clear - you're comparing additional products sold as a convenience for customers finding themselves in immediate need, to the restaurant's reason for existence?

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.

I'm not missing the point. I like to drink Diet Dr Pepper. VERY few restaurants offer it. That doesn't mean I bring my own. If I simply must have that specific beverage, I don't eat in a restaurant because I would be stealing revenue from the restaurateur.

 

[kaytieeldr]

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

When you get your food to go and provide your own drink(s) in your own home, it's also not costing the restaurant anything for your drink. They don't charge for water, but they pay for it; they pay for the ice machine, the utilities, the staff (server, busier, dishwasher), the glass, depreciation, straw...

 

[luvmy3]

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

Yes, but in one of those situations you aren't taking one from them and making your own beverage, and in the other you are. If you don't like the choices the restaurant serves, or you are just trying to save a buck (I know you said it wasn't about cost) don't bring in your own flavoring to make complimentary water into your dinner beverage. Its pretty tactless.

 

[Granny square]

No, what I am saying is that these conversations become absurd. If it makes you feel more moral then have at it.

I, frankly, roll differently. I don't care what other people put on their drinks, lol, and can't imagine feeling superior about the whole idea.

I, btw, love that most places at wdw serve the light minute maid. of course, in theory, since we pay for the dining plan it would be not criminal, but merely tacky for me to flavor up a free water... I think...

 

[debbiembyrdrowan]

Have u ever tried those liquid water enhances? I keep one in my purse bc I hate water but am not supposed to have carbonated drinks. It flavors water but I think it would be more discreet.

 

[2girls4me]

Not a fan of this at all.

Order water, or nothing.

What's next, bring your own burgers to chili's and just asking them to cook them for you?

And yes /sarcasm.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

So...this would be like wanting a rum and coke but not wanting to pay for the rum. Instead bring your own little bottle and top of the $2 fountain drink and pocket the difference?!? Such a small bottle and oh so discreet, right?

Seriously, if you don't like what a restaurant serves, don't eat there. And if you don't want to spend the money, again, don't eat there. Eating out is luxury, not a necessity.

 

[luvmy3]

No, what I am saying is that these conversations become absurd. If it makes you feel more moral then have at it.

Oh brother, this is a message board where people have conversations. Nobody is here damning anyone to hell for using a crystal light packet in their restaurant water.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, what I am saying is that these conversations become absurd. If it makes you feel more moral then have at it.

Attempting to justify taking advantage of a service offered by a restaurant (water for which they don't charge the customer) and enhancing the flavor with one's own take-along product because you don't like the markup on the drinks the restaurant sells is what's absurd in this conversation. If it makes you feel better about your actions to deride those who use common sense while patronizing restaurants, have at it.

To the posters who bring their own flavoring only because the restaurant doesn't carry the drink you like? They'll gladly charge you for a fountain beverage on request.

 

[disney1990]

We rarely go out to eat in a restaurant, but when we do, we will order a soda, lemonade, coffee or order water. My daughter is a server - ordering and putting in Crystal Light wouldn't make her very happy.

 

[Sinderelly]

Wow alot of drama over a glass of water? Seriously lol. If you have nothing nice to say skip over the post?

 

[kandb]

OP here-wow I can't believe how many people frown upon this. I actually started doing this because I cannot drink caffeine and restaurants rarely have decafeinnated diet beverages. Some of my co-workers go out to lunch and a few of us do this, we don't feel ashamed or embarrassed at all. What about people who order water and then want a bunch of "free" lemons on the side? Lemons aren't cheap. My adding a sweetener to my drink is not costing the restaurant anything. Personally, the opinions of others will not deter me from doing this when I eat out because I see nothing wrong with it at all. To each his own. If I ever dine at Victoria and Albert's, I won't bring my sweetner because I don't want to make one of the waiter's pass out.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Have u ever tried those liquid water enhances? I keep one in my purse bc I hate water but am not supposed to have carbonated drinks. It flavors water but I think it would be more discreet.

Yes, that was my example but it is what many on this thread are appalled by.

Anywho, doesn't really matter. 95% of the time I order water. I am not changing what I order b/c I have a water enhancer on hand.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

So...this would be like wanting a rum and coke but not wanting to pay for the rum. Instead bring your own little bottle and top of the $2 fountain drink and pocket the difference?!? Such a small bottle and oh so discreet, right?

Seriously, if you don't like what a restaurant serves, don't eat there. And if you don't want to spend the money, again, don't eat there. Eating out is luxury, not a necessity.

No, it's not the same. Personally, I'd be having water either way.

 

[luvmy3]

Wow alot of drama over a glass of water? Seriously lol. If you have nothing nice to say skip over the post?

If you have nothing to add to the topic of conversation skip over the thread

 

[luvmy3]

No, it's not the same. Personally, I'd be having water either way.

No, you'd be ordering their water and adding your own enhancement because you are picky about what you drink. When you swap out coke for water, and rum for enhancement, its exactly the same.

 

[kandb]

OP here again, I am a health inspector and it is not against the law for someone to bring food/drink from the outside into a restaurant (at least not in NJ). It would be illegal to bring someone's "outside" food into the kitchen and cook it but not if they were just bringing it to their table. Alot of times, a food establishment will say that it's against the board of health to do certain things, when in reality, it is there own made up rule.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wow alot of drama over a glass of water? Seriously lol. If you have nothing nice to say skip over the post?

There's no drama over a glass of water. Are you reading this thread? There are opinions and facts* about a glass of water ordered on a restaurant (a service provided by the restaurant) vs. bringing your own flavoring for that water to avoid paying for a beverage on which tge restaurant might just turn a profit. Offshoot olfrom that was bringing your own flavoring because you just don't like the offerings - still depriving the restaurant of revenue.

*facts provided primarily by eliza61

 

[morethananyonex]

Tacky, tacky, tacky. And really, if you don't want to pay for a drink how hard is it to actually drink water? Water is good you for you, you aren't just saving money by cutting out soft drinks.

Would it be okay if someone was too cheap to pay for alcoholic drinks at a restaurant so they brought their own alcohol to add to drinks? Is it okay if someone is too cheap to pay for an extra dipping sauce at a restaurant so they bring their own? Is it okay to bring a whole can of coke into a restaurant so you don't need to order any beverage at all? Where is the line drawn?

 

[angwill]

No, what I am saying is that these conversations become absurd. If it makes you feel more moral then have at it.

I, frankly, roll differently. I don't care what other people put on their drinks, lol, and can't imagine feeling superior about the whole idea.

I, btw, love that most places at wdw serve the light minute maid. of course, in theory, since we pay for the dining plan it would be not criminal, but merely tacky for me to flavor up a free water... I think...

I am the crazy person who orders water at Disney while on the dining plan and if I remember them use my true lemon in that cup of water. I am not going to drink something I don't like just because I paid for it either. Does that mean Disney is ripping me off? lol