January 31, 2025 at 8:49 am

‘Say bye bye to those free water cups.’ – Some Restaurants Are Tired Of People Taking Advantage Of Their Free Soda Refills, So They’re Taking Action

by Michael Levanduski

Source: Shutterstock Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb

Free soda refills have been the standard in restaurants in the US for decades now.

TikToker @mrsalyb found that Blaze Pizza (and other) restaurants are starting to crack down on this a little bit, and she doesn’t like it.

The video shows her holding a cup at the soda refill station, and she says, “So, you cannot access their soda unless you scan this.”

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb

She shows that she is trying to fill her cup, but the soda won’t come out.

As she twists the cup, she reveals a QR code. As she moves over to the QR Code scanner, the video says, “Say bye bye to those free water cups.”

So, the restaurants want to stop people from getting a free water and then refilling it with soda.

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb
Once she scans the QR code on the cup, she says, “I have 15 seconds.”

Wow, 15 seconds to get ice and fill up the cup with soda? Is that really enough time?

I do wonder if you can just go back and scan the cup again if you need more time.

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb
As the video comes to a close, it reads, “I was so flustered, I forgot to get ice.”

Honestly, this whole process sounds a little stressful. Hopefully, it doesn’t catch on.

Soda costs the restaurants so little, are they really losing that much without this scanner?

Watch the full video to see how it works.

@mrsalyb

count those free water cup days good bye!

♬ original sound – alyb1030

The people in the comments don’t seem to like it either.

This person says that the timer would give her anxiety.

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb

Here is someone who says the scanning machine costs more than they save.

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb

This person points out that soda is pure profit for the restaurant.

Source: TikTok/@mrsalyb

I would be upset if I saw one of these in a restaurant.

But apparently it’s just one more thing we’ll have to get used to.

If you liked that story, check out this video from a former Chipotle employee who reveals how the company cheats customers out of food.