McDonald's RFID cups with limited/timed refills

[bcla]

Just noticed something at a local McDonald's. I was using a Coke Freestyle machine when it said to place the cup on the tray before it would dispense anything. I’ve held a cup above the tray while it was pouring, but this machine insisted on the cup being flat on the tray. Then the display noted that I had 59 minutes to obtain 2 refills.

I saw there’s a sensor on the tray and each cup has an electronic ID tag on the bottom. Not a bar code, but something like the anti theft tags in stores.

I do remember being at this location when someone was tossed, but claimed that he bought a beverage. The manager said he brought in an old cup. They seem to have that issue, along with people asking for water cups and pouring soft drinks. The machines still dispense water.

I have gotten coffee refills here before, but I was told just one and my cup was marked. As for soft drinks, it looks like this tech has been available since they came out, but this is the first I’ve seen in action. One reading is that similar refills policies are enforced at some Disney parks.

 

[starry_solo]

Wow....

 

[Yoshi]

I don't mind it especially if places would now give a regular cup for water knowing people won't put soft drinks in them. My old local McDonald's used to only give the ice cream cups for water because they were clear so they could see if they were being used for water. I also don't mind this policy if they give at least a refill or two. At Disney I think it's 3 or 4 refills at the resorts if you get a paper cup.

 

[bcla]

I found some photos. This isn't just a McDonald's thing.

Here's what it looks like on the display. It looks like this one is locked out of a refill until a certain time has elapsed since the last one.

And the tag is just a sticker on the bottom.

Even at Five Guys:

It sounds like in some countries, unlimited refills are against the law and these systems are pretty common to prevent that. I've seen things like tabs that tear off to denote how many refills are allowed, but then that would need to be refilled by a person.

 

[MillauFr]

Doesn't the pop cost less than putting a RFID tag on the bottom of the cup?

 

[LSUmiss]

Doesn't the pop cost less than putting a RFID tag on the bottom of the cup?

That’s what I was thinking.

 

[LSUmiss]

Doesn’t wdw have this too?

 

[DuskKodesh]

When I worked fast food they told me the soda is honest to god less expensive than the cup itself as Pepsi charged us some fourteen cents for a cup and logo branding but the largest soda still came out to maybe two pennies. Then again I'm old enough to remember when unlimited refills became a big selling point of dining in and all the places advertised it.

 

[VandVsmama]

These are the important issues of our time.

 

[bcla]

Doesn't the pop cost less than putting a RFID tag on the bottom of the cup?

Not sure about that. Not sure about the price of the Freestyle cartridges, but I found this 5 gallon box of Coke syrup from Sam's Club. The price might be on the high side though compared to what a restaurant might pay wholesale.

https://www.samsclub.com/p/coca-cola-5-gallon-bag-in-box-fountain-syrup/prod7680002
They say it makes 5:1 and it doesn't include carbonation. So this 5 gallon box makes 30 gallons. With ice a 32 oz cup might have 24 oz. So that maybe 160 servings for $108 not including the cost of water, equipment, and carbonation. I suspect a McDonald's is getting a better deal, but pennies may be a myth.

Also - McDonald's may be odd in that they have sodas as a loss leader. Most of my local McDonald's sell that 32 oz cup for $1. However, I'm pretty sure Five Guys has a smaller cup and charges more.

 

[MillauFr]

Not sure about that. Not sure about the price of the Freestyle cartridges, but I found this 5 gallon box of Coke syrup from Sam's Club. The price might be on the high side though compared to what a restaurant might pay wholesale.

Disney is probably getting the syrup for free. It is really just corn syrup and some caramel color.

 

[Diznygrl]

This is kind of insane. Does the price of the soda go up because we now have to pay for them to put little microchips on the disposable paper cups?? I agree, paying to implement this stuff must cost more than whatever amount of soda gets consumed by paying customers, and even those who "steal" it.

That being said, I have seen enough people come into a fast food restaurant (mostly McDonald's) with their own cup, fill it up with soda and just walk out. This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[bcla]

When I worked fast food they told me the soda is honest to god less expensive than the cup itself as Pepsi charged us some fourteen cents for a cup and logo branding but the largest soda still came out to maybe two pennies. Then again I'm old enough to remember when unlimited refills became a big selling point of dining in and all the places advertised it.

It's definitely more than that now. I've actually felt a bit ripped off before. Once I was at the ballet (don't ask) and they were charging $5 for an 8 oz fountain Coke where half was ice. Another time I was at a well known restaurant in San Francisco where it was a similar-sized glass and $4. When the server asked if I wanted a refill I said OK, but wasn't sure what to think when I saw I was charged twice. I especially don't know what to think when I returned to the same restaurant and a different server said the refills were supposed to be free.

 

[bcla]

This is kind of insane. Does the price of the soda go up because we now have to pay for them to put little microchips on the disposable paper cups?? I agree, paying to implement this stuff must cost more than whatever amount of soda gets consumed by paying customers, and even those who "steal" it.

That being said, I have seen enough people come into a fast food restaurant (mostly McDonald's) with their own cup, fill it up with soda and just walk out. This is why we can't have nice things.

I saw someone do that just last week. I really wondering about McDonald's since their deal (at least around here) is $1 any size soda. Also - some cities now have a "sugary soda tax" although the not so secret deal is to just order a Diet Coke and they give the customer the same cup.

 

[bcla]

Disney is probably getting the syrup for free. It is really just corn syrup and some caramel color.

Coca-Cola was an original sponsor of Disneyland and supposedly they helped finance the construction. Always made me wonder when Pepsi was the sponsor of the UNICEF Pavilion at the 1964-5 World's Fair.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't even finish the first one!

I haven't heard of this, but now will keep an eye open for it.

 

[bcla]

Just thinking about it, but what are the ethics about sharing a soft drink when refills are involved?

I figure if I don't get a refill, sharing a drink is fair game. Also getting a refill on the way out is OK to share. That being said, I've never really seen any employee that concerned about sharing. I have seen people tossed for pretending that they bought a soda when they brought in an empty cup.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just thinking about it, but what are the ethics about sharing a soft drink when refills are involved?

I figure if I don't get a refill, sharing a drink is fair game. Also getting a refill on the way out is OK to share. That being said, I've never really seen any employee that concerned about sharing. I have seen people tossed for pretending that they bought a soda when they brought in an empty cup.

Well, I think that if you are allowed two refills per cup, and two people are only going to drink one, than aside from the "Eeww" factor for some, it would probably be ok to share one drink.

BUT it often becomes a moot point because economically, it usually makes sense to get the "meal combo" with which everyone gets their own drink.

 

[bcla]

Well, I think that if you are allowed two refills per cup, and two people are only going to drink one, than aside from the "Eeww" factor for some, it would probably be ok to share one drink.

BUT it often becomes a moot point because economically, it usually makes sense to get the "meal combo" with which everyone gets their own drink.

I don't find meal combos all that great a bargain - at least not locally. A la carte may actually be cheaper with the dollar menu. My kid's favorite thing at McDonald's is Chicken McNuggets, which has some of the oddest pricing these days. I haven't even purchased a Happy Meal for my kid since they stopped being a $3 item.

But Chicken McNugget prices are a lesson in WTH? Here are the prices (checked on the app for my closest location):

4 - $1.00
6 - $3.99
10 - $4.99
20 - $5.00

The other thing I see is a "Daily Deal" at $5 for a 20 piece Chicken McNuggets. Makes absolutely no sense, although I also have a $4 deal for the same if I do it with a mobile order.

I have found some combos that made sense for breakfast. I have had a few experiences where I was told they couldn't make it a combo at the register, so I ordered via the app.

 

[MillauFr]

Just thinking about it, but what are the ethics about sharing a soft drink when refills are involved?

I have have no qualms about sharing a drink at Disneyland and getting as many free refills as I want. I figure if they can afford to pay Bob Iger $66m per year they won't be too hurt if I am sharing a drink and getting free refills.