McDonald's is phasing out self service drinks...by 2032.

[kdonnel]

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/mcdonalds-phases-serve-soft-drinks/story?id=103115568

I guess it takes time with that many restaurants to remodel and relocate the drink machines.

I wonder if they will complete the project before they change their mind?

Nine years is a long timeline for a project.

What do you think is the reason? People really seem to like self service drinks, especially the likes of Coke Freestyle machines.

 

[bluezy]

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/mcdonalds-phases-serve-soft-drinks/story?id=103115568

I guess it takes time with that many restaurants to remodel and relocate the drink machines.

I wonder if they will complete the project before they change their mind?

Nine years is a long timeline for a project.

What do you think is the reason? People really seem to like self service drinks, especially the likes of Coke Freestyle machines.

I heard in a news report that McDonalds said they're doing it because people abuse it and steal drinks. They said that people will come in with their own cups and fill up at the refill station and leave without ever buying any food or drinks. It's also difficult for them to keep the stations sanitary with people using them all day and not following safety/sanitation protocols. It requires someone to clean the stations frequently throughout the day to keep them up to safety standards.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Well that will be interesting since at every McDonald's around here there isn't a single human being at the counter. You order at a machine and they basically throw the food at you before you can even ask for ketchup please.

 

[Smugpugmug]

This must vary by location because every McDonald's near me doesn't have a self service drink station and the employees fill sodas after you finish paying for your order. It doesn't surprise me that this is happening though.

I wonder if other places will do the same. Burger King has Coke Freestyle machines and so does Wingstop.

 

[Kennywood]

Well, there goes my last reason to go to McDonald's.

I mix various flavors in my drink. (Some people call it a "Suicide" or an "Around the World".) Over the years, I've gotten the mix down to a specific formula I like.

The McDonald's stores are absolutely depressing inside. The quality of the food has gone downhill over the recent years. The crew people simply couldn't care less about what they're doing (in contrast to Chik-Fil-A).

I sucked it up when McDonald's dropped their $1.00 price for all size drinks. But doing away with the drink machines is the final reason I need to not patronize them any longer.

Oh, interesting tidbit.....I was an assistant manager at a McDonald's.

 

[bluezy]

This must vary by location because every McDonald's near me doesn't have a self service drink station and the employees fill sodas after you finish paying for your order. It doesn't surprise me that this is happening though.

I wonder if other places will do the same. Burger King has Coke Freestyle machines and so does Wingstop.

Three different BKs in our area have been remodeled in the last 2 years and they all got rid of their freestyle machines.

 

[Pinnochio]

they could have given just a little more notice don't ya think.

 

[BrianL]

As long as they still offer refills, and the employees will actually be availble to get you one, I don't mind. Of course, this works well at Chick-fil-A where there are always like 30 employees around. At McDonalds, you're lucky if anyone is there at all!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Three different BKs in our area have been remodeled in the last 2 years and they all got rid of their freestyle machines.

Dang, that's one of the only reasons to go to Burger King these days (their fries are trash). Sometimes I want a Fanta Peach

 

[Praying Colonel]

.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I heard in a news report that McDonalds said they're doing it because people abuse it and steal drinks. They said that people will come in with their own cups and fill up at the refill station and leave without ever buying any food or drinks. It's also difficult for them to keep the stations sanitary with people using them all day and not following safety/sanitation protocols. It requires someone to clean the stations frequently throughout the day to keep them up to safety standards.

I was at Pop in 2007 and getting a late snack after returning from the parks. I saw a kid walk in with an empty 2 liter bottle and fill it up at one of the self-service soda stations. When Disney implemented the chips in the soda cups, I thought of that kid.

 

[Moliphino]

I was at Pop in 2007 and getting a late snack after returning from the parks. I saw a kid walk in with an empty 2 liter bottle and fill it up at one of the self-service soda stations. When Disney implemented the chips in the soda cups, I thought of that kid.

At one time, CBR was giving out a small pail with kids meals. I may or may not have filled that up with soda.

 

[Moliphino]

Well that will be interesting since at every McDonald's around here there isn't a single human being at the counter. You order at a machine and they basically throw the food at you before you can even ask for ketchup please.

They usually don't even hand me my cup, they just expect you to know to grab one at the counter yourself.

 

[kdonnel]

I was at Pop in 2007 and getting a late snack after returning from the parks. I saw a kid walk in with an empty 2 liter bottle and fill it up at one of the self-service soda stations. When Disney implemented the chips in the soda cups, I thought of that kid.

I guess cost could add up over time but if this page is accurate, the kid got away with $0.152 of soda.

https://pgeuny.com/how-to-calculate-servings-in-bag-in-box-soda/

The average patron would need to refill their drink many, many, many, many times to remove all the profit in the $1.50-$2.00 charged for a large drink.

An industry standard is about $0.10 per cup including the cup, lid, and straw. Add in the soda and you are around $0.25 a drink plus refills. Anything less than 15 refills and they are still making a profit.

 

[sam_gordon]

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/mcdonalds-phases-serve-soft-drinks/story?id=103115568

I guess it takes time with that many restaurants to remodel and relocate the drink machines.

I wonder if they will complete the project before they change their mind?

Nine years is a long timeline for a project.

What do you think is the reason? People really seem to like self service drinks, especially the likes of Coke Freestyle machines.

My guess is people abusing the system... bringing in their own cups.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it comes to money.

 

[sam_gordon]

I guess cost could add up over time but if this page is accurate, the kid got away with $0.152 of soda.

https://pgeuny.com/how-to-calculate-servings-in-bag-in-box-soda/

The average patron would need to refill their drink many, many, many, many times to remove all the profit in the $1.50-$2.00 charged for a large drink.

An industry standard is about $0.10 per cup including the cup, lid, and straw. Add in the soda and you are around $0.25 a drink plus refills. Anything less than 15 refills and they are still making a profit.

Of course, that's just for the drink product. It doesn't include the cost of the employee who hands you the cup, the facility, the electric to run the machine, etc.

 

[kdonnel]

Of course, that's just for the drink product. It doesn't include the cost of the employee who hands you the cup, the facility, the electric to run the machine, etc.

Right.

And it seems that by taking away self service they will actually be either
1. Increasing labor costs
2. Decreasing customer satisfaction which could have the effect of fewer customers

As others have mentioned, McDonald's locations are rarely staffed well.

If they were not staffed well enough to keep the self service station clean, how will they be staffed well enough for refills?

Articles have mentioned automation. That McDonald's will go heavy on the automated fill drink machines installed at some locations already. But there still has to be a person to initiate the refill and hand it to the customer.

I guess they could handle that with the kiosks and just produce a new drink each time using the robot which increases their cup costs.

 

[BrianL]

I guess cost could add up over time but if this page is accurate, the kid got away with $0.152 of soda.

https://pgeuny.com/how-to-calculate-servings-in-bag-in-box-soda/

The average patron would need to refill their drink many, many, many, many times to remove all the profit in the $1.50-$2.00 charged for a large drink.

An industry standard is about $0.10 per cup including the cup, lid, and straw. Add in the soda and you are around $0.25 a drink plus refills. Anything less than 15 refills and they are still making a profit.

Oh yeah, and Disney is probably one of the largest buyers of Coca-Cola syrup around! That syrup probably costs them about nothing, consideirng all of the co-branding and Coke sponsored things.

McD's is possibly Coke's biggest account!

 

[kdonnel]

Oh yeah, and Disney is probably one of the largest buyers of Coca-Cola syrup around! That syrup probably costs them about nothing, consideirng all of the co-branding and Coke sponsored things.

McD's is possibly Coke's biggest account!

Not sure how true stories I have heard are but I have heard that often times the soda company will throw in cups, lids, and straws to entice a new customer or a customer to switch.

I have heard it primarily when talking about when large movie theater chains or fast food chains would make the switch from Coke to Pepsi or Pepsi to Coke. While the syrup might not be priced very different from their current company, their per drink costs are cut in half because the new company will pay for the cups for a year or more as part of the new deal.

 

[sam_gordon]

Right.

And it seems that by taking away self service they will actually be either
1. Increasing labor costs
2. Decreasing customer satisfaction which could have the effect of fewer customers

As others have mentioned, McDonald's locations are rarely staffed well.

If they were not staffed well enough to keep the self service station clean, how will they be staffed well enough for refills?

Articles have mentioned automation. That McDonald's will go heavy on the automated fill drink machines installed at some locations already. But there still has to be a person to initiate the refill and hand it to the customer.

I guess they could handle that with the kiosks and just produce a new drink each time using the robot which increases their cup costs.

Sorry, I disagree. I don't think you increase labor costs. There's still people to hand you the cup, it's just now they'll fill the cup (like they do for drive through).

They MIGHT have decreasing customer satisfaction, but how many people are eating IN McD's vs food delivery/drive through?