Bringing refillable mugs into table service restaurants

[Hoops McCann]

Does anyone else do this??
I'm not talking about upscale restaurants like Yachtsman Steakhouse or California Grill, but I usually bring my (already filled) mug into places like Kona Cafe and Grand Floridian Cafe.
I wonder how the CMs feel about this; it reduces the amount of the bill by a little bit, but we're usually decent tippers.

What's the nicest place you've ever brought your mug?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I kind of wonder. Usually I'm so sheepish about doing this. When staying at Kidani, I've considered stopping and refilling my mug, then bringing it down to the breakfast at Sanaa, but I've never had the courage.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’ve never done this but I don’t see anything wrong with it, especially at a resort restaurant.

 

[brockash]

Does anyone else do this??
I'm not talking about upscale restaurants like Yachtsman Steakhouse or California Grill, but I usually bring my (already filled) mug into places like Kona Cafe and Grand Floridian Cafe.
I wonder how the CMs feel about this; it reduces the amount of the bill by a little bit, but we're usually decent tippers.

What's the nicest place you've ever brought your mug?

I do at Beaches and Cream. I get a drink while waiting for our table and then I finish it at the table. I wouldn't do it somewhere super nice but if it's convenient and not tacky in my opinion then I will.

 

[disneychrista]

I would look at it this way, would you bring your Yeti (or whatever) to Applebee's or Chili's?

 

[Hoops McCann]

I would look at it this way, would you bring your Yeti (or whatever) to Applebee's or Chili's?

Not really an apples-to-apples comparison.
If Chilis sold refillable mugs in the lobby like the Disney resorts do, I definitely would.

 

[jillt2ph]

I usually always have my mug with me if I am at a table service restaurant in a resort. And it will be filled with either coffee or Coke depending on the time of day. I drink it while I’m waiting for the text telling me my table is ready. But it does not necessarily preclude me from purchasing a beverage with my meal in the restaurant. I’m not gonna jump up and run to the nearest quick service to fill my mug with coffee if I want more. I will order it from my server and have it added to my bill. As long as you are not expecting the server to refill your mug, I don’t see what the big deal is.

 

[Elephantay]

I haven’t done it, but would think it’s fine!

 

[Mle8308]

This was a topic of a prior thread about a year ago. Definitely some strong opinions then. The only place I've ever done it was at Geyser Point. We were going to go to Roaring Fork and at the last minute, after filling our mugs at RF, we decided to go to GP instead. We did bring our mugs in, but also ordered drinks from the bar and did not refill the mugs, even though there is a refill station right next to GP. I would not normally do it as a replacement for ordering a drink.

 

[Elephantay]

We rarely order drinks at table service, and instead drink as much cold water as we can during our meal.

 

[CaroM8]

I would think that it is fine at the not too fancy places like Beaches & Cream or Kona, but not at CRT or California Grill maybe... That's just me though..

 

[slo]

A few weeks ago I wanted to try the new Pog flavored Sprite at the Poly Tower, so I bought a cup before our Wailulu ADR. I did take that into the restaurant with me since I paid for it, and I had 2 or 3 more refills within an hour. I felt kinda bad about it, but then I told myself that if I didn't have that drink, I would just be ordering water that was free. I did buy my DD22 a celebratory cockail (she had an awesome 1st year in her doctorate program) which cost me $17 or $18, and if I didn't buy that, she would have just had a water too. In the end, our server got a way better tip with me having my soda from outside the door and my DD's cocktail, then if we would have just ordered waters.

I can see how bringing in a refillable mug, might take away from the servers final total that affects the tip, but then again, I would think that servers working in a WDW resort restaurant would somewhat expect people to bring in their refillable mugs - especially kids. Those mugs aren't cheap, and people are going to want to get the most use out of it as they can. I personally don't buy one, but my DD does and she fills that thing every chance she can get, which is what it is intended for.

Someone mentioned about brining a Yeti into a restaurant, and I have done that too. If I'm just drinking water, and I have my Yeti with me, then I'm bringing it in, because sometimes I don't like the taste of restaurant water. When my DD was still playing softball, and it was a 95 degree day and I'm drinking Gatorade or something like that, then the Yeti is coming in with me. Nobody has ever told me that it wasn't allowed. In fact....my DD and I both had our Owala with us this past trip, and we had that everywhere with us at WDW, and nobody ever said we couldn't have it.

In the end, I'm a good tipper, and I bring a lot of cash with me on our WDW trips, so I can pay all tips in cash. So our servers aren't being neglected because we bring in a refillable mug or another drink container. Many times I use the final total as just a starting point for my tips, and if we get good service, than I will go more than 20%, because they deserve it.

 

[thegash35]

I wouldn't do this personally. It seems very tacky.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I wouldn’t do this either, as a former waitress it’s a health code violation to bring in outside food or drinks in my state, so I’d never consider it. I would feel horrible if a restaurant got a health code violation because of me.

 

[disneychrista]

I wouldn’t do this either, as a former waitress it’s a health code violation to bring in outside food or drinks in my state, so I’d never consider it. I would feel horrible if a restaurant got a health code violation because of me.

It seems odd that it would be a health code violation for a guest to bring in outside food. I can see it being a violation for the restaurant to allow a guest to bring in outside food and ask that the kitchen to add it to a dish but not for the simple act of a guest brining in say a banana for a toddler or a gluten free item for a celiac person.

 

[LoveDaisy]

It seems odd that it would be a health code violation for a guest to bring in outside food. I can see it being a violation for the restaurant to allow a guest to bring in outside food and ask that the kitchen to add it to a dish but not for the simple act of a guest brining in say a banana for a toddler or a gluten free item for a celiac person.

Might seem odd but it’s the regulation. Restaurants can ask for an exception, but they are then legally responsible if someone gets sick from that outside food or if it’s not stored at the proper temperature before consumption. Would a health inspector actually watch for this, probably not, but why would a restaurant take a loss on a sale and take on the liability?

 

[NickC]

We don't do the mugs. We got them free one year with the dining plan. I don't drink soda, so we would use them for coffee in the morning. Then we'd carry them around the parks all day. That go old fast. The way I see it, there are so few places that it can be refilled that I'm sure a lot of people take them into casual sit down restaurants.

 

[Mle8308]

It seems odd that it would be a health code violation for a guest to bring in outside food. I can see it being a violation for the restaurant to allow a guest to bring in outside food and ask that the kitchen to add it to a dish but not for the simple act of a guest brining in say a banana for a toddler or a gluten free item for a celiac person.

Might be odd, but it is the law in many areas. It's why a lot of restaurants won't let you bring in a birthday cake (if asked in advance, a lot of people don't check ahead of time).

 

[disneychrista]

Might be odd, but it is the law in many areas. It's why a lot of restaurants won't let you bring in a birthday cake (if asked in advance, a lot of people don't check ahead of time).

I am not arguing that it is against health code to do so or not.

I always figured the cake thing was because they restaurant sells desserts that could be purchased. I always thought it was tacky to bring in a cake or a meal from another place to a restaurant. But wouldn't think twice about brining in something for a baby/toddler or something due to strict dietary restrictions.

 

[Mr_Woodchuck]

I do it when I already have my mug with me and I don't feel like going back to my room. I figure if they didn't want guests to do this, there would be a sign or something.