ESPN free ice water (WITH PURCHASE ONLY)

[darph nader]

I'll throw in my two cents worth...

If it is a fast service restaurant or similar, then I don't think it is too out of line to ask for water with your meal and use it with small packets of drink mix that you brought yourself, done discretely of course. Now, if it is a "sit-down" or full service establishment, then I would say it is inappropriate, even at "lower cost" places like Denny's.

Basically, if you wouldn't be allowed to bring in outside food, then I would say that you shouldn't try making your own drinks as well.

I'll try that at Alfies,"Hey Sam,can I get a glass of soda water?" (add dehydrated beer powder and vwaalaah)

Hmmm. That sounds like business opp.

[mousefan]

I'll try that at Alfies,"Hey Sam,can I get a glass of soda water?" (add dehydrated beer powder and vwaalaah)

Hmmm. That sounds like business opp.

or next level -

Free Dining - get a smoothie, add some rum
or get your Coke - add some rum...
or...


that's not a problem is it??? Just add rum ;)

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

I watched an independent restaurateur (that's French for "Diner Owner") resolve this issue once. The family at the next table had asked for large ice waters, and promptly dumped in lemonade mix as you describe.

When the bill came, it included a charge for "four large lemonades" at $5 each.

"Wait a minute, we never ordered lemonade, and you didn't serve us lemonade. We mixed our own! Where do you get off charging us for something we brought in?"

"If you drink it in my restaurant, you pay me for it. And you will tip your server on that price as well."

"I will not!!!"

"Let me get my brother-in-law over here to explain the law about 'defrauding an innkeeper' to you. He's the guy at the counter wearing a county sheriff's uniform."

They paid.

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh............... Zazu, you always seem to have the most awesome stories!!! That will show them!

[DonohoFlnkr]

I'll throw in my two cents worth...

If it is a fast service restaurant or similar, then I don't think it is too out of line to ask for water with your meal and use it with small packets of drink mix that you brought yourself, done discretely of course. Now, if it is a "sit-down" or full service establishment, then I would say it is inappropriate, even at "lower cost" places like Denny's.

Basically, if you wouldn't be allowed to bring in outside food, then I would say that you shouldn't try making your own drinks as well.

You have no idea how common this practice is at full/table service restaurants. If they don't add drink mix, they ask for tons of lemon and use up 15-20 packs of sweetener to make their own lemonade. :mad: :mad:

Though not related, my favorite is when someone orders an unsweet tea then proceeds to put no less than 5 packets of Splenda into said Tea...at that rate, you can put in 1 packet of actual sugar and be healthier for it.

[HarryFromMarydelDE]

Though not related, my favorite is when someone orders an unsweet tea then proceeds to put no less than 5 packets of Splenda into said Tea...at that rate, you can put in 1 packet of actual sugar and be healthier for it.

But a packet of Splenda is about the same sweetness as a packet of sugar, so they probably would have put in 5 packets of sugar instead of 1. Yuck.

-harry

[CptnSkippy]

But a packet of Splenda is about the same sweetness as a packet of sugar, so they probably would have put in 5 packets of sugar instead of 1. Yuck.

-harry

I think it's sweeter. I use a packet of splenda in my coffee. To get this same taste, it would take 3+ packets of sugar.
Then there's the whole iced tea and trying to get sugar to dissolve.

[Mayonnaise]

You have no idea how common this practice is at full/table service restaurants. If they don't add drink mix, they ask for tons of lemon and use up 15-20 packs of sweetener to make their own lemonade. :mad: :mad:

Oh... that is my Grandmother, and was my late Grandfather, with the Lemons... sorry...

8^S

[ectomstr]

I'll get an unsweet tea and put sugar into it, splenda or whatever. not too much. I like sweet tea but southern sweet tea is...blah. too sweet.

as far as mixing my own drinks at the table? ha, if there is no soda (Coke preferably) then I have tea. why go through that extra effort just to make your own stuff?

[BRWombat]

I'll get an unsweet tea and put sugar into it, splenda or whatever. not too much. I like sweet tea but southern sweet tea is...blah. too sweet.

as far as mixing my own drinks at the table? ha, if there is no soda (Coke preferably) then I have tea. why go through that extra effort just to make your own stuff?

I've never acquired a taste for sweet tea -- I take it unsweetened. Once when I was little my older brothers were hiking on the mesa near our house and came across some National Guard troops doing field exercises. They took my brothers along and fed them when they broke to eat. Once my brothers found out these men drank their tea unsweetened that's all we'd want from then on!

I've gotten to prefer hot over iced lately anyway, weather allowing. Once you learn to brew real tea the proper way -- cast iron pot, fresh loose leaf tea, water just off a boil -- nothing from a bag ever tastes as good.

[drcorey]

like in the old days.
hey! can I have a bowl of hot water?
and can you pass me that bottle of ketchup too...