Asked if you'd like a soda while you wait for carry out -- then charged $3 for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What odd replies-- and I'm a former restaurant worker who is all about paying what's owed-- and more.

But this isn't about "cheap Americans" or whatever-- it's about custom/expectations.

In my entire life, I have never been in a scenario like this one where the soda/water was NOT on the house. I can't remember if the person offering always specifically indicated it was free beforehand, but at least mostly, I think? And it was always free.

The problem here has nothing to do with the $3 (though in typical DCUM fashion, people are very "it's one banana" about this-- there have been many times in my life where that $3 would have hurt at least a little for me to pay).

The actual problem is that:

1) the custom* is to offer people an item that is low-cost/nearly free for the company, but has some perceived/real value to the customer, as a way of making up for an excessive wait or just easing the burden of the wait -- for ex, we used to give out fresh baked mini-biscuits to the breakfast/brunch line at a casual restaurant if the line had gotten very long

AND

2) they are not disclosing that there will be a charge

AND

3) they are then charging for it

AND

4) the customer very very likely would not have accepted the soda offer if they knew for sure they'd have to pay. Otherwise, at least most of the time, they would have ordered a soda themselves

The end result is that it feels like bait and switch. Very poor practice AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE $3!

Honestly, if I encountered this, I'd assume it was a new/poorly-trained employee and a one-off. Someone who mistakenly thought they were supposed to charge for it, but they weren't. I don't mind paying for the soda per se, it's just that I'd not have accepted if I knew it was going to cost me. If this were actual policy, it would be a HUGE turnoff and unless I otherwise adored the place, I wouldn't be back. They would literally be turning a great, cheap retention strategy into a great, cheap way to lose a customer. As a former business owner, I cannot stand this scarcity/nickel and dime mentality-- and mainly because it's just so counterproductive for the business!

For 13 cents worth of syrup/CO2, you are probably ensuring the average customer will at least come back for an average of one additional visit d/t goodwill. For $2.87 in profit, you are probably ensuring that anywhere from 25-50% of those customers will never return, and may even warn others away with their story. Maddening.

It's really not about the money.

*Maybe there's some place or chain or... something... where it's normal and expected to charge for this, but I have never encountered it.

+1

Imagine finding even a 50 cent charge on your kid's dentist bill for the cheap plastic toy he chose from their prize box.

[Anonymous]

What sucks about calling service industry workers out for such bait and switch behavior is your name is on that receipt if you used a credit card. Some food industry people are really unbalanced and weird, and with social media and cell phones and everything, I'm more likely to just keep my mouth shut and just never do business there again. We had a really, really creepy waiter a few months ago and we didn't ask for the manager because we didn't want the creep cyber-stalking us after. Who knows anymore.