McDonald's RFID cups with limited/timed refills

[Feralpeg]

They have that type of cup at Universal. I hate them. Last time I bought a drink there, the drink foamed up. So, I shut it off. I did this a couple of times trying to fill up the cup. It said I had used all my refills. I had to get a manager to override. There are still a couple of locations at the parks where you can buy bottled drinks. From now on, I will go to those locations.

 

[NotUrsula]

No I think just the resorts. I didn’t even think you could get refills in most QS places?

Actually, WDW started using RFID tags to control refill volume at the water parks a few years before they went to doing it at the resorts.

Universal does have it at the parks. I haven't been in a couple of years, and it may have been tweaked since, but the system there was that you bought a tagged mug that was good for unlimited refills that day, but you cannot refill any more often than the capacity of one cup once every 10 minutes. You can buy a new daily tag for each day that you wish to reuse it.

I'm fine with these systems if it is a permanent cup that you are buying refills on, but I really don't like them on disposable cups. I don't think it is at all about the cost of the drinks when it's done at fast food restaurants; I believe it is a way to turn the tables and ensure that paying customers have somewhere to sit.

 

[bcla]

They have that type of cup at Universal. I hate them. Last time I bought a drink there, the drink foamed up. So, I shut it off. I did this a couple of times trying to fill up the cup. It said I had used all my refills. I had to get a manager to override. There are still a couple of locations at the parks where you can buy bottled drinks. From now on, I will go to those locations.

I guess it depends on how the system is set up. I had issues with foam and I was worried that I was using up a refill when I pulled it up and waited for the foam to stop. The machine I was using allowed me to keep on filling as long as I placed it back on the tray before my 3 minutes (I think) was up.

The other thing I wasn't aware of was that the Coke Freestyle machines have been around for over a decade, and already contained RFID tech to read the contents of the cartridges and make sure they're inserted in the correct slot.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here are our local prices

Big Mac $4.49
Small Fry $1.79
Any size drink (changes periodically, generally $1.49 small/$1.79 medium) $1.00
Total today $7.28

Big Mac combo $7.99

If bumped up to a medium fry ($2.59) piecemeal total would be $8.08, 9 cents more than piecemeal.

Interesting! I wasn’t sure if franchises priced their items differently - I guess they do! I also didn’t realize it but some of the prices I listed may have been from a few yrs ago. I do think they make them pretty close, though - enough so that they can often tempt those who see value in the combo.

 

[usnuzuloose]

The last time I can remember the box of soda cost about 35 to 40 a box. I imagine they are also maybe doing inventory on the cups. Coming up short in cups is no fun if you have to answer for it. So it limits the refill for the rfid chips and not coming up short on cups. Cuts down on the limited refills people can get as well.