Rancho has free refills

[DisneyJamieCA]

I don't know why I feel the need to get involved in this except I am also one who doesn't see how this could possibly be stealing. The soda (and refill) have been paid for - Disney doesn't care who drinks it. What if I want water to drink, so I ask for a cup of water and I drink it. But then I'd like a little soda, so I take some from DH. It's not like he is going to ask them to replace amount of soda I took, plus his refill. Either way, they are out the same amount of soda, regardless of who drinks it.

Is your issue with it them having to extend the extra cup? If I put the first cup of soda into my own empty water bottle and then refilled the soda, with the one entitled refill, is that different? And truthfully, if Disney minded giving out the extra cup (or water cup) and felt it was stealing, surely they wouldn't give them out, right?

In any of these scenarios, nobody is taking more than what they paid for. It's not like they're asking for 2.5 cups of soda, since they gave 1/2 cup away.

Anyway, OP thanks for the heads up - this is good info to have!

 

[tiffjoy]

I don't know why I feel the need to get involved in this except I am also one who doesn't see how this could possibly be stealing. The soda (and refill) have been paid for - Disney doesn't care who drinks it. What if I want water to drink, so I ask for a cup of water and I drink it. But then I'd like a little soda, so I take some from DH. It's not like he is going to ask them to replace amount of soda I took, plus his refill. Either way, they are out the same amount of soda, regardless of who drinks it.

Is your issue with it them having to extend the extra cup? If I put the first cup of soda into my own empty water bottle and then refilled the soda, with the one entitled refill, is that different? And truthfully, if Disney minded giving out the extra cup (or water cup) and felt it was stealing, surely they wouldn't give them out, right?

In any of these scenarios, nobody is taking more than what they paid for. It's not like they're asking for 2.5 cups of soda, since they gave 1/2 cup away.

Anyway, OP thanks for the heads up - this is good info to have!

You are definitely right. It's not stealing. I feel that some people have a confused idea of what "stealing" means. People on these boards talk all the time about sharing a CS meal. This is exactly the same. Same as sharing popcorn or candy at the movies. Same as splitting a sub at Quiznos. It's not stealing.

I think this is helpful info, as well. I had no idea some places gave a free refill. I barely drink soda (as I said before, which is why I have some of DH's) but he will appreciate knowing this.

 

[Vexorg]

I have a couple of friends who I have traveled with on a couple of occasions to DLR now (actually slightly older than I am) who frequently order off the kids menus at various places and never have a problem doing so. They are both light eaters, and to them the kids meals are the perfect size, and they spend a bit less that way too (but will usually be putting the money saved into souvenirs anyway, so it all eventually ends up in the same place.) For that matter, some of the CS meals I have had in the parks are almost what even I would consider to be too much food, so I can definitely see their point. If these two were not ordering off the kids menu they would probably be splitting meals rather than ordering separate ones anyway.

It's admittedly a bit of a tangent, but since the topic came up here I thought I would throw this in.

 

[starshine514]

Honestly, I think the line is crossed when you start putting soda in a free water cup. Granted, I do not know what the free water cups that Rancho Del Zocalo gives out are (some in our group get stomach disturbances from mexican food, so we avoid it at Disneyland). But, I'll use my local Jack in the Box as an example, they give out almost clear, 8 oz cups for water for free. If they walked by and I had soda in that cup (meant only for water), I would expect to be called on that and asked to pay for a small soda (I don't think the explanation that I filled the one soda cup we bought and them poured it into my water cup would be a valid argument). Free water cups should hold water.

On the other hand, when I was a child getting fast food was a huge treat for us. When we went to McDonald's, we would each get a $0.39 hamburger and we would share a large fries and large soda between the 4 of us (all drinking from the same cup). I never thought about this as stealing, and we never did it at a sit-down place (of course, I was never allowed to order soda at a sit-down place), but I know even now I feel guilty if I taste somebody else's drink at a sit-down restaurant because it seems wrong if I just ordered water.

Luckily for us, my girls and I rarely drink soda, so DH usually has his soda and the rest of us either have water or milk. My girls have a severe phobia of drinking after anyone else, and they like water.

I guess my rationale is this, if I want the luxury of each person getting their own cup and not sharing germs, then each person needs to order (and pay for) their own drink (unless there are no free refills. If no refills, then do whatever you feel is correct). I don't exactly why this makes sense in my mind, but it does. Plus, it saves the rest of us from having to try to explain to our children why somebody else was allowed to get something other than water in their free water cup.

 

[ValpoCory]

You are definitely right. It's not stealing. I feel that some people have a confused idea of what "stealing" means. People on these boards talk all the time about sharing a CS meal. This is exactly the same. Same as sharing popcorn or candy at the movies. Same as splitting a sub at Quiznos. It's not stealing.

I think this is helpful info, as well. I had no idea some places gave a free refill. I barely drink soda (as I said before, which is why I have some of DH's) but he will appreciate knowing this.

What about this. You are at Storytellers or any other restaurant where they have menu and buffet service, and you order a waffle and your spouse orders the buffet. Your spouse brings back bacon. If you eat the bacon, is that stealing?

 

[TheZue]

What about this. You are at Storytellers or any other restaurant where they have menu and buffet service, and you order a waffle and your spouse orders the buffet. Your spouse brings back bacon. If you eat the bacon, is that stealing?

The difference is how they charge. Buffets charge per person, drink refills charge per cup.

 

[starshine514]

Unless there is a bacon exception (like at Jason's Deli, the salad bar is only for those who ordered the salad bar, unless you want a pickle or a muffin - those are free for all customers), then you shouldn't eat bacon from the buffet unless you purchased the buffet.

 

[disneychrista]

What about this. You are at Storytellers or any other restaurant where they have menu and buffet service, and you order a waffle and your spouse orders the buffet. Your spouse brings back bacon. If you eat the bacon, is that stealing?

Did your spuse bring back the bacon for you? Yes this is "stealing."

Now if he filled his plate fully intending to eat the bacon himself but once he finished other things he was too full and would have left the bacon, but instead you eat it. To me this is okay because it would have been thrown away.

When we go to a buffet we are all paying, and many times we will share a a portion of things we want to try. Of course this is not the same but if we were not allowed to share we would be wasting A LOT of food.

 

[Malcon10t]

How on earth can you consider it stealing? You are paying $3 for soda that cost Disney less than a $0.25.

People love to through the "quarter" around, but in that 25¢, are you including labor? Taxes? Workman's Comp? The repair costs when the machines break down? The cost of the electricity to cool/create ice/power the machines?

As the owner of a business, I know people say "It only costs X for this product", thinking of the cost of the initial product (in this case, the cup and syrup) but never think of all the incidentals included to bring that cup of soda to the customer.

 

[Malcon10t]

I have in my notes that French Market and Plaza Inn also have free soda refills.

French Market no longer offers refills.

 

[Malcon10t]

The difference is how they charge. Buffets charge per person, drink refills charge per cup.

Does this change if the refills are unlimited, like they used to be a few years ago?

The issue is, if this becomes enough of an issue, Disney will simply do what they have already done in several locations... Move the machines where the cast members make the drinks and remove the refill option.

 

[TheZue]

Does this change if the refills are unlimited, like they used to be a few years ago?

The issue is, if this becomes enough of an issue, Disney will simply do what they have already done in several locations... Move the machines where the cast members make the drinks and remove the refill option.

And that is their choice as a business. The rules are free refills on that cup, if they find it would be cheaper to have somebody behind the counter being paid to fill those cups they'll do that; but don't blame the customers who aren't breaking any rules. Just for clarity, my family doesn't share drinks...none of us can agree on what to get lol

 

[TheZue]

People love to through the "quarter" around, but in that 25¢, are you including labor? Taxes? Workman's Comp? The repair costs when the machines break down? The cost of the electricity to cool/create ice/power the machines?

As the owner of a business, I know people say "It only costs X for this product", thinking of the cost of the initial product (in this case, the cup and syrup) but never think of all the incidentals included to bring that cup of soda to the customer.

Not only that it doesn't matter what the value of an item is in determining if something is theft. I don't think this is, but the price of the item isn't why.

 

[Zbugz]

Now if he filled his plate fully intending to eat the bacon himself but once he finished other things he was too full and would have left the bacon, but instead you eat it. To me this is okay because it would have been thrown away.

This!

Also, I think the drink refill/sharing issue comes down to whether there is a finite amount of soda purchased or not. If no refill is included in the original purchase price, then it is priced for a certain volume, regardless of who drinks it. Same thing if there is one refill included. The price is based on a certain volume. If there are an unlimited amount of refills, then it is priced for one person, and it would be stealing to share any refills.

I personally think it is a miracle that there are any restaurants in DLR that offer refills and want to thank the OP for pointing out the anomaly.

 

[Malcon10t]

Not only that it doesn't matter what the value of an item is in determining if something is theft. I don't think this is, but the price of the item isn't why.

I agree, but there are those who rationalize their theft by saying "It only costs them 25¢, and they charge $3, so that is $2.75 profit to this HUGE company, so big deal if I carry my cup all day and refill it over and over when no one is watching..." And they teach their child it is ok to lie, steal, and cheat.

 

[tiffjoy]

I agree, but there are those who rationalize their theft by saying "It only costs them 25¢, and they charge $3, so that is $2.75 profit to this HUGE company, so big deal if I carry my cup all day and refill it over and over when no one is watching..." And they teach their child it is ok to lie, steal, and cheat.

No one said this though. No one is advocating teaching this to their child, at least in this post. Although I do agree that the cost has nothing to do with it.

The OP was about a single soda with one refill as allowed by Disney. Not taking the cup and getting soda all day long.

It's not theft when you paid for the soda. Theft is taking something without paying for it or breaking a rule in taking something (like trying to get around a shared plate charge or eating from someone else's buffet plate without paying for it).

If a person pays for a drink, it belongs to them. Disney does not dictate what you do with it. When you buy a churro at a stand, do you share with your spouse or kids? If you buy a corn dog or popcorn or a cupcake, do you offer even a bite to someone else? What about a bottle of water? If so, by these rules, that is stealing. You should not share. Sharing is bad. It's equivalent to stealing.

To say that people cannot share a drink (that does not have unlimited refills; to be clear, I am ONLY referring to the specific case mentioned by the OP) or else they are stealing is absolutely ridiculous to me. And saying that people are teaching their children to lie, cheat and steal is an incredible stretch.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I think there may be some confusion in the discussion, but we are talking about two different things here, IMO.

There is a big difference in taking a cup meant for water and filling it up with soda directly from the machine. This is stealing (again, IMO) because the restaurant has not planned on that soda going out. However, taking a water cup and filling it from the cup on your table already filled with soda, is not stealing. That soda has already been acounted for and therefore the restaurant won't care where it's going. Even if the original soda drinker choses to get their one alloted refill, there restaurant is not out any extra soda. This is assuming that the orginal soda drinker doesn't try to replace what they gave away, if that makes sense.

As for the buffet and the bacon example - if they offer bacon as a side on the regular menu for a cost and you don't order that and instead eat the bacon off a buffet eaters plate, than yes that is stealing. As was said though, if the buffet eater took 3 pieces of bacon, planning to eat them all and only ended up eating 2, so the othe rperson ate the last piece, I don't see the big issue. But taking 3 pieces with the idea buffet eater will eat two and table mate will eat one - yes, stealing. Obviously, there is some grey area in all of this and you have trust people and their intentions.

And cost has nothing to do with this for me. It doesn't matter if it costs the company $0.01 - if we haven't paid for it, it's not ours to take. But back to the soda - we did pay for it (both cups, however they are distrubuted in our party), so it is ours to decide how to use.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

After I read the initial post I knew immediately why there were so many replies LOL

 

[pixiewings71]

Yes, refills can be had while you're eating there.

Using a water cup to share sodas with your kids, however, is stealing. Great lesson?

This isn't stealing, if you purchase a set amount of a soda and share with your kids you aren't taking anything that you didn't pay for.

I didn't say I was having water, I asked for an extra cup. It is not a sit down restaurant and it was not for 4 people. It was 2 kids and next time I won't post anything to help anyone out.

We do just what you said all the time, we buy 1 soda for the girls to share and 1 for DBF and I to share. We never get more than 1 refill, sometimes, most times, we don't even get that! If I'm paying for 1 soda and 1 refill then however we chose to consume those sodas should be left to us. I do not buy a soda at Red Robin and share it with my kids, that is totally different, in that instance (if we even get sodas) we get 1 for each of us. Heck, yesterday I went to Chevy's, I got NO refills but still paid the same price I would have if I'd had 10 refills.

When we go places with the large sodas (like Taste Pilots Grill) we get 2 large sodas and again, share them between DBF and I and the girls share. We aren't consuming more than we paid for so what's the problem? If we want more to drink when we finish what we purchased then we buy another or we drink water.
Heck we went to the Golden Horseshoe once, got 1 chicken strip and 1 cheese stick meal, shared them between the 4 of us and then got 2 ice cream sundaes, again, shared. The girls shared 1 and DBF and I shared 1. We ate during Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, on the floor, first row, and no one said anything.

 

[perlster]

If you believe the profit margin on a $3 cup of soda is small ....

What was the topic again?