# The Ethics of Getting a Free Drink Refill **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322 "2009-05-22T19:07:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/61 "2010-07-14T23:17:55Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > More bbrrraaaaaiiiiinnnns, ppleeeeeaaaaaasssse. That Bad Tipping thread was some seriously delicious brains, though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the word “fair”, let alone the word “moral” applied to eating out before. Oh, I’m sorry… I meant FAIR and _ **MORAL** _. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/62 "2010-07-14T23:48:06Z")
It’s a little known fact, but McDonalds gave free refils for as long as I can remember, even if the fountains are behind the counter. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/63 "2010-07-14T23:55:58Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It’s a little known fact, but McDonalds gave free refils for as long as I can remember, even if the fountains are behind the counter. Still do. I usually get them to refill my drink on the way out when I bring the kiddos. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/64 "2010-07-15T00:35:31Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > The SAFEST ethical interpretation is that they DO NOT want you to have free refills (though apparently that is the norm these days) unless they specify otherwise. You don’t take something you could have (no ethical harm). You take something you shouldnt have (big ethical harm). > > They could just have the machines out there for several reasons. You get to decide how full you want it (easy to carry or filled to the brim). You get to choose how much ice you want. Also, they are getting you to choose the drink and do it yourself which makes their work behind the counter that much easier. > > And, as far as that goes, I can certainly remember the days where the soda machines were “out front” and free refills WERE NOT the norm. I keep my furniture within my property if I want to restrict access to it. I put my furniture outside my property if I want someone to take it. It’s completely senseless to allow free access to the fountain and yet not allow free refills, and you’re just going to wind up with a lot of shrinkage that way. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/65 "2010-07-15T00:55:09Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I saw a sign in an Arby’s that said something to the effect of “Enjoy free refills, same visit only.” So you can’t fill up a cup you bring into the restaurant. Fair enough. I think that is to discourage the homeless from hanging out in the restaurant with the same cup day after day. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/66 "2010-07-15T02:08:32Z")
That thread was a thing of beauty. On the actual topic of this thread, I used to seriously abuse the free refill option but I’ve cut way down on my diet coke intake now. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/67 "2010-07-15T02:41:38Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > If a restaurant makes the soda machine publicly available to me, I’m going to assume they don’t care if I get a refill. If they don’t want me to, they should post a sign. > > It’s just like with salad bars. Some places limit you to one trip through, but they make a point of telling you. That’s how I see it. Fill me up! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/68 "2010-07-15T03:17:17Z")
This thread is something of a zombie, but I don’t see any problems with it. We’ll leave it open for now. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/69 "2010-07-15T03:35:51Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It’s a little known fact, but McDonalds gave free refils for as long as I can remember, even if the fountains are behind the counter. I actually am always surprised that this is so little known. Every fast food restaurant I’ve ever encountered has had this–long before they started putting the fountain drinks out front. I have maybe encountered a handful of restaurants period that don’t offer free refills on fountains soda. The one exception I can think of right now is such an oddity that people talk about it like its’ the strangest thing ever. And, yes, if you don’t want something to be taken for free, you have an ethical obligation to make it clear, or at least to protect. Taking something that someone else does not want you to take is not itself unethical if they offer it. You have no one to blame but yourself if you do not counter possible communications that taking is okay. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/70 "2010-07-15T13:22:21Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I It’s completely senseless to allow free access to the fountain and yet not allow free refills, and you’re just going to wind up with a lot of shrinkage that way. I gave several PERFECTLY valid reasons why the soda machines would be out front that has NOTHING to do with free refills. Saves the business behind the counter space, saves them some work (and the possibility of messing up your drink), and it allows you to make the drink just the way you like it. None of those are a function of whether they are charging for every fill or not. You can argue the norm is now free refills for everyone. You can argue its worth it (or just easier) to the company to give away something thats nearly free. You can argue if there isnt a sign saying otherwise free refill away if you want. You can argue if they don’t want people refilling, there should be an obvious sign. But don’t say it makes no sense whatsoever to have em out front even without free refills, cause it does. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/71 "2010-07-15T13:39:02Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I gave several PERFECTLY valid reasons why the soda machines would be out front that has NOTHING to do with free refills. Saves the business behind the counter space, saves them some work (and the possibility of messing up your drink), and it allows you to make the drink just the way you like it. None of those are a function of whether they are charging for every fill or not. And yet the biggest reason for putting it behind the counter – restricting access – trumps all of those soundly. A restaurant that is going to charge 25 cents for 5 cents worth of soda isn’t going to care terribly much about any of the reasons you give. After all, many of them offer to make your burger exactly the way you like it, but they sure as hell aren’t putting the burger ingredients out in the commons. Putting a soda machine out in the commons and then expecting people to pay means putting an employee in charge of watching the fountain and tracking who uses it, which wastes their time. If they don’t, then they’re offering free refills whether they like it or not, because there’s always been plenty of people who just won’t care and will happily abuse whatever’s available to them. ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/72 "2010-07-15T14:06:57Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I gave several PERFECTLY valid reasons why the soda machines would be out front that has NOTHING to do with free refills. Saves the business behind the counter space, saves them some work (and the possibility of messing up your drink), and it allows you to make the drink just the way you like it. None of those are a function of whether they are charging for every fill or not. But it helps to worsen the obesity epidemic, if there’s a limited choice of taps (i.e. no diet anything). ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/73 "2010-07-15T17:30:07Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > This thread is something of a zombie, but I don’t see any problems with it. We’ll leave it open for now. You listen! You really listen! Thank you. Oh frabjous day, I’m so happy 🙂 * * * I’ve heard of some people who keep a McDonald’s coffee cup in their car at all times, so whenever they stop into one they can get a free refill. I’d suggest that raises some ethics issues. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/74 "2010-07-15T17:45:05Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > I’ve heard of some people who keep a McDonald’s coffee cup in their car at all times, so whenever they stop into one they can get a free refill. I’d suggest that raises some ethics issues. On the contrary, it inspires loyalty for almost nothing. I mean, it may be unethical in the sense that it’s not McD’s policy, but setting that aside it’s good for business. If you hang onto a McD’s cup with the expectation of a freefill, you’ll be more inclined to go back to them for your next fast food meal than Burger King. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322/75 "2010-07-15T17:49:34Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > Wow. Out of morbid curiosity I thought I’d google the username and Google was able to auto-complete it! I am amazed at her, um, dedication. Good. Fucking. Gods. Now that there is a person who’s definitely a few sandwiches shy of a full picnic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-getting-a-free-drink-refill/497322.md?page=3)