Why are Europeans so stingy about water/soda?

[Syringer]

Based on my experiences in dining in Europe, I found that few, if any restaurants offer:

a) water for free. Those that do make a big deal out it, like you were getting free beer with your meal or something..and even then it's only a cup/bottle, with no refills.
b) soda refills at fast-food places. Fountain machines are usually behind the counter, unlike most places here where you fill your own drink up. Also medium/larges are equivalent to small/mediums over here.
c) ice with your beverages. Usually it'll be touristy places that'll fill your drink with ice, but otherwise you're stuck with warm soda/water.

Even at a buffet place I went to in Barcelona, where you can eat all you want, you only get one refill with your drink, otherwise you pay extra.

 

[amol]

...There's a spider in my drink. 🙁

 

[TheChort]

Originally posted by: Amol
...There's a spider in my drink. 🙁

haha!

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Yeah it is kind of annoying. But it is the way things are there. Just suck it up and carry bottled water with you.

 

[B00ne]

How do so many ppl here put it?: "There is no free lunch"

 

[HombrePequeno]

That's what my friend was telling me after he went to Europe for a month. He said beer is cheaper than water so he pretty much just ended up drinking beer.

 

[Colt45]

europe != spain, last i checked.

nor do the 2 restaurants you were at == europe.

 

[Conky]

It's the cigarettes.

 

[akshatp]

If you go to any McD/BK in Europe and want a refill, demand one from the manager. McD's claims they offer free refills at all of their restaurants worldwide. Tell the manager it says this on the corporate website and you will get your free refill of your "large" drink (which is the equivalent of our small)

 

[Fayd]

i noticed that too, op. nowhere in europe could you get a free refill on drinks. bitches....

oh well...yet another reason i <3 america.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: akshatp
If you go to any McD/BK in Europe and want a refill, demand one from the manager. McD's claims they offer free refills at all of their restaurants worldwide. Tell the manager it says this on the corporate website and you will get your free refill of your "large" drink (which is the equivalent of our small)

But if you do this...then you'll be the stereotypical ignorant "ugly American."

Personally, I'd rather spend another $1 and buy a refill than fulfill the stereotype.

 

[akshatp]

.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: akshatp
If you go to any McD/BK in Europe and want a refill, demand one from the manager. McD's claims they offer free refills at all of their restaurants worldwide. Tell the manager it says this on the corporate website and you will get your free refill of your "large" drink (which is the equivalent of our small)

But if you do this...then you'll be the stereotypical ignorant "ugly American."

Personally, I'd rather spend another $1 and buy a refill than fulfill the stereotype.

Except it will probably cost you $2

And I was born in Europe so the joke's on them!!

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: akshatp
If you go to any McD/BK in Europe and want a refill, demand one from the manager. McD's claims they offer free refills at all of their restaurants worldwide. Tell the manager it says this on the corporate website and you will get your free refill of your "large" drink (which is the equivalent of our small)

But if you do this...then you'll be the stereotypical ignorant "ugly American."

Personally, I'd rather spend another $1 and buy a refill than fulfill the stereotype.

If you are an American eating McD's while in Europe you have bigger issues to worry about than upsetting a European clerk's stereotypes. :laugh:

 

[chcarnage]

Sorry, parts of Europe haven't invented ice yet. 🙁

 

[imported_Ned Flanders]

hahaha...Americans!

 

[MrDingleDangle]

lol, well I just got back from Taipei and went to lunch at a sushi place and asked for water and they said they didnt have any (except hot water for tea)...wtf??...they said they had soda, juice or beer...I ordered a beer and when it came it was a can of asahi but it looked as though it had got hit by a shrink ray...it was about a 2-3 ounce can of beer...wtf!! 🙂

 

[LtPage1]

It was the same way for me when I visited France a few years ago. I felt really weird when I kept asking for more water- even the glasses are tiny. When I looked around, everyone seemed content with their small glass of wine or whatever, too. Very odd. I went through so much bottled water, it wasn't even funny.

 

[BillyBatson]

I know it is strange, does the rest of the world not get thirsty when they eat?!?!

My friends gf is Peruvian and though she is born here her parents are born in Peru. i HATE eating at their house!!!!! They make a lot of food and a lot of the time most of the dishes are spicey. Here is the odd thing though, you so NOT drink while you eat! You are not allowed to have glasses/cups on the table and no drinking liquid of any kind is allowed not even beer or wine. You eat your food and once you are done you are allowed to drink as much of anything as you like. It is tradition and they told me it is like that in peru. After discussing it with my friend and his gf the main reason as i came to understand it is that you do not drink liquids because it fills you up, so you eat only and fill yourself up with real food and once full you can drink.

 

[Midlander]

Originally posted by: BillyBatson
I know it is strange, does the rest of the world not get thirsty when they eat?!?!

My friends gf is Peruvian and though she is born here her parents are born in Peru. i HATE eating at their house!!!!! They make a lot of food and a lot of the time most of the dishes are spicey. Here is the odd thing though, you so NOT drink while you eat! You are not allowed to have glasses/cups on the table and no drinking liquid of any kind is allowed not even beer or wine. You eat your food and once you are done you are allowed to drink as much of anything as you like. It is tradition and they told me it is like that in peru. After discussing it with my friend and his gf the main reason as i came to understand it is that you do not drink liquids because it fills you up, so you eat only and fill yourself up with real food and once full you can drink.

Sounds like a recipe for obesity. :beer:

 

[imported_wicka]

Originally posted by: Fayd
i noticed that too, op. nowhere in europe could you get a free refill on drinks. bitches....

oh well...yet another reason i <3 america.

Yes, America is better than Europe because we have larger cups. Very true...

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: BillyBatson
I know it is strange, does the rest of the world not get thirsty when they eat?!?!

My friends gf is Peruvian and though she is born here her parents are born in Peru. i HATE eating at their house!!!!! They make a lot of food and a lot of the time most of the dishes are spicey. Here is the odd thing though, you so NOT drink while you eat! You are not allowed to have glasses/cups on the table and no drinking liquid of any kind is allowed not even beer or wine. You eat your food and once you are done you are allowed to drink as much of anything as you like. It is tradition and they told me it is like that in peru. After discussing it with my friend and his gf the main reason as i came to understand it is that you do not drink liquids because it fills you up, so you eat only and fill yourself up with real food and once full you can drink.

So they don't even let their visitors and guests have drinks while they eat? If so, that's lame, they came to America, it's time to change a little, or at least not enforce their rules on others.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

where've you been eating mate?

every restaurant ive entered will give me a glass of water + refils for nout, pizza hut, frankie and bennie's, TGI 's etc thought thats in the UK... were generally the same as the US though we dont get free refills of soda at alot of places

unless you were in france or something, they can be a bit funny like that especially if your not french. in spain theyre just lazy 😛 and in italy its probably a sin to drink water at a restaurant becuase its not fashionable to do so

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: LtPage1
It was the same way for me when I visited France a few years ago. I felt really weird when I kept asking for more water- even the glasses are tiny. When I looked around, everyone seemed content with their small glass of wine or whatever, too. Very odd. I went through so much bottled water, it wasn't even funny.

in france its all about teh wine with your meal..... its cheap enough anyway, but can understand if you didnt wanna drink, its not for everyone. the small glasses again is probably just a style thing. small slender glasses look much better than jugs or normal pint glasses when your sat on the terrace

 

[pg22]

Originally posted by: Beachboy

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: akshatp
If you go to any McD/BK in Europe and want a refill, demand one from the manager. McD's claims they offer free refills at all of their restaurants worldwide. Tell the manager it says this on the corporate website and you will get your free refill of your "large" drink (which is the equivalent of our small)

But if you do this...then you'll be the stereotypical ignorant "ugly American."

Personally, I'd rather spend another $1 and buy a refill than fulfill the stereotype.

If you are an American eating McD's while in Europe you have bigger issues to worry about than upsetting a European clerk's stereotypes. :laugh:

This is as true as it gets.