Things I would change about Germany if I could - Part 5

[JimFortune]

The markup on soft drinks is so high that in the US they can offer free refills and still make a good profit.

[ericsaxon]

A soda costs a restaurant about $0.05 to $0.10 per large cup of soda. At $3.00+ for a drink, you can refill all you like. A customer will die by drowning or diabetes long before they ever drink 30 large soda cups. :D

[kmalsom]

Soda, Tea and Coffee are extremely cheap. A restaurant charges 2.50 for soda, but that costs them about $.15 in syrup and soda water. You'd have to get a lot of refills to make them lose money on it. Tea and Coffee are even cheaper for them to make.

[shibolinemress]

Restaurants here in Germany are usually dog-friendly, and many will offer a bowl of tap water for your pupper. 😊

[billfuhry]

My wife was attempting to hydrate while drinking at Oktoberfest a few years ago and asked for water. When she clarified that she wanted still water, the waitress brought an entire Maß full of tap water. Which... I guess that's the only glass they had so no big deal. She didn't finish the water.

[juricarmichael]

Free refills! Said the bavarian: 🍺🍺🍺
😂

[jamesdoyle]

Bottled water makes sense in Germany because of the minerals in the tap water. Once your body acclimates to the mineral content, it's fine, but if you're traveling from one place to another and you never adjust, the water in these places can have a laxative effect. Which is not the worst thing either.

[rogerhenderson]

In the US as you know, the tap water is free but they overcharge for soft-drinks. Its so expensive the can offer free refills and still make huge profits. Soda costs the restaurant around .25 cents. The straw costs more than the soda. Each refill is around.10 cents. Iced tea is around .20 cents and .05 cents per refill. The restaurant charges between $2.50 and $4.00.

[The_Dudester]

After a 250 mile bike race I went to a San Francisco restaurant for dinner. As soon as the waitress came over I asked for water. She quickly rattled off eight types of bottled water. I replied "San Francisco tap, please."

[thorstenguenther]

You get free soda refills in Germany in that furniture themed restaurant chain, IKEA, though.

[billwhite]

Just got back from France. Tap water is a pretty standard placement when you are seated there. Both Paris and countryside restaurants all gave us tap water on request, but many upon being seated with bread at no cost.

[jlacika]

That surprised me too in Germany, because we have free refills in almost every fast-food restaurant in Hungary :D

[Fluxwux]

In my experience there is always tap water on the table ready in carafe or for self service in a carafe or water tank near the register/bar at the restaurant.

[philipp]

Tap waters mostly free in Austria when going to a restaurant cafe and they give it to you with food/drinks.

Always blows German people’s mind.

[EntropyOfChaos]

So as someone who used to work in fast food, restaurants make a huge amount on the drinks. I think because most restaurants serve drinks like soda from a dispenser, the cost is significantly cheaper than if they had to see it from a can or bottle. Also, although water is free, a lot of people still pay for sodas. Even with free refills, the restaurant still makes a huge profit on the soda.

I remember about 10 years ago when I was working in college, my manager told me the cost of each cup was around 10 cents and the soda was about 5-10 cents. So if we were selling a soda at $2 at the time, the custom would still have to drink a ton of soda to be at a loss.

[Nicho_Ldn]

Related question, kind of. How does tap water in Ohio taste compared to the Munich area?

[Shwh]

I always thought that the free refills are basically subsidized by the terrible pay for the workers and the tipping to get the workers a living wage xD

[thebelieversplace]

It is my understanding in the US because I live in the US, but I haven't gone to a sit-down restaurant in a long time that they used to do that all the time. But now you have to ask for water, but they'll still give you the water and you don't have to pay for it unless you're getting bottled water.

[rachelsmusicgarden]

That was the most frustrating thing about traveling in Germany. I will definitely have my water bottle next time!!!

[gabor.nadudvari]

I just came from Sweden and I was surprised that they give you a free salad as starter for everything, no matter what you ordered. Sometimes it's not just a salad, but a whole salad bar.