Why are Europeans so stingy about water/soda?

[magomago]

Wlel my Chinese teacher taught me the same - that in China places like McDonalds do not offer free refills.

Part of it - is that they know everyone will abuse it, while as over here in the states we supposedly don't That and maybe we are more richer, therefore it doesn't matter. who knows.

 

[JS80]

Because Europeans are poor.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Some additional Questions:

Why is it that in the states, everyone assumes I want my pop cold, so they put ice in it without even asking?
Why is it that in the states, some restaurants don't even serve beer, and those that do usually only serve a small list of options, and even then, those rare few that carry several good ales, ALWAYS serve their ale ice cold, rather then "cellar temperature" like it should be?
Why is is that in the states, they always serve water in a lot of places, even if you don't want any water? That seems like a waste of water!

1) most people want their sodas cold and restaurants save money by adding ice...win/win situation

2) liquor license...hard to find one and expensive if you do

3) no such thing as "waste of water"... it's not like it flies to space after we dump it :roll:

:music: THIS IS OUR COUNTRY :music:

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: dullard
I had all the same complaints about Germany. I stayed there for an entire summer a few years back.

$3 to $4 for ~8 oz of Coke, no refills, no ice, and no water (except the disgusting and expensive sparkling water) at any of the dozens of restaurants I ate at. I mentioned it to some of my friends there and they all said they were strongly warned against drinking at a meal when they were children. I guess there is an old-wives tale there saying that drinking at a meal makes you sick. There is some partial truth there, the water in many areas of Europe is not as pure or as clean as we have here. So, historically the choice was contaminated water or beer. Either way, you could get sick. But times have changed, and clean alternatives are available, but the old-wives tale lives on. Most people there didn't have any drink at all during a meal.

I guess one benefit of their no liquid ideal is that it keeps you thin. I can only eat a little bit without a drink. Thus, if you can't drink at a meal, all of your meals will be tiny.

But why are the people here eating at McDonald's in Europe? That is just wrong. You travel to another country to experience the country and instead you eat at an American place (and the worst possible American place at that).

European food is disgusting?

 

[mrzed]

Confirmed that the fill-yer-own cup is a Yankee thing only. Here in stoned-gay wedding land of the north, it is very rare to see self-serve soda.

Perhaps another one of the reasons our obesity rates don't quite soar as high, while the Euros are even less corpulent. I have always noticed a big jump in average serving sizes when I head south. Even if it seems like we start to catch up, you guys up the ante again. Went to Japan to visit a friend, and was interested to note that most Japanese fast food places don't have sizes, just sandwich, drink, fries. All are barely above what we would call Kids here in Canada (or free sample in the USA I suppose). Strangely, the average Japanese middle aged person is fairly trim, and fat people (here they would seem just chubby) are relatively rare. Transferring at Seattle on the way home, the largeness was all the more shocking after weeks in a country where most people are normal sized.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: JS80
Because Europeans are poor.

Originally posted by: JS80
European food is disgusting?

Heyhey! Go fvck yourself!

 

[Jfrag Teh Foul]

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

:laugh::thumbsup:

 

[ranmaniac]

But why are the people here eating at McDonald's in Europe? That is just wrong. You travel to another country to experience the country and instead you eat at an American place (and the worst possible American place at that).

Europeans will do the same thing within other European countries. When I was in Denia, Spain (near Alicante), there were places that catered to the British and Germans.
Nothing like package tourist Londoners eating Fish and Chips, and cheese&onion crisps in Spain, lol!

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

i could not stand that, i drink ~3 liters of water a day...i think i am going to tell my friend i dont want to go on a trip to europe with him cause of this

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: iwantanewcomputer
i could not stand that, i drink ~3 liters of water a day...i think i am going to tell my friend i dont want to go on a trip to europe with him cause of this

you can buy nice BIG bottles of mineral water (fizzy or not fizzy) in all the gas stations, i think they are 1.5 L bottles, just get those and drink them up

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: iwantanewcomputer
i could not stand that, i drink ~3 liters of water a day...i think i am going to tell my friend i dont want to go on a trip to europe with him cause of this

Because sodas are smaller and you have to ask for ice!?! Wow man...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: 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.

Americans who travel to other countries and eat at American chains are just LAME! The argument that fastfood is "cheap and available" is not only untrue even in the U.S. but, certainly untrue in any other country.

Try going to an actual restaurant instead of fastfood or buffets and you might learn that the food is not only better but, the service, price and value is better.

For you gastronomic cowards who can't bear the thought of eating anything they haven't seen before, hurry up and choke on that Big Mac and get off the cross. Somebody else needs the wood.

 

[Aharami]

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.

my gf is half peruvian and its not like that at her house. everything is eat, drink, and be merry all u want there. then dance lots to salsa music

and i drink a LOT of water when i eat. I wouldnt enjoy my food at all if I was cut off from water

 

[Alienwho]

In Brazil, they only sell actual bottles of soda. Very rarely did I ever see a fountain machine. I had no problem getting free tap water though when I wanted it.

Also, I ate at the homes of hundreds of different families, and 99% of them down the Guaraná with their meals just like an American would. Only once did I meet a family who wouldn't drink anything until after the meal because it was thought they would lose weight (which seemed completely backwards to me). Brazilians follow all sorts of wives tales though about all kinds of random things.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer

Originally posted by: 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.

Americans who travel to other countries and eat at American chains are just LAME! The argument that fastfood is "cheap and available" is not only untrue even in the U.S. but, certainly untrue in any other country.

Try going to an actual restaurant instead of fastfood or buffets and you might learn that the food is not only better but, the service, price and value is better.

For you gastronomic cowards who can't bear the thought of eating anything they haven't seen before, hurry up and choke on that Big Mac and get off the cross. Somebody else needs the wood.

Did you not read the part where I'm basing my experiences off restaurants? I went to a lot of places in various price ranges, and always made sure that we got a taste of local culture.

a) The food in England was crappy..they may have some of the most exquisite restaurants in the world, but in general it's not good.
b) Service in general was nowhere near what I've expected over here. Servers over there do not work for tips..with customary tips being 5-10% at best. Some places had nice friendly service, but in general, most places I went to, it was basically the owners that essentially took our order, gave us our food, our check, and that was it. The lack of drink refills added to this idea as well.
c) You are insane to say that prices are cheaper as well. Not even considering the poor dollar/euro or dollar/pound ratio..which definitely hurt a lot, but even at 1:1 ratios, the portions were much smaller than what we get over here. Unless you've only been in Eastern Europe, in the Western side, things we got a lot less for our money that is expected in the US.
d) The McDonald's euro menu in Germany was by far the best value for your money if you just wanted to eat something quick and simple. A lot of the time that I was in Germany I stayed at a friend's whose mom was gracious enough to cook for us, so I didn't quite get much experience in German food..but if we had a train to catch or if it was late at night, fast food was the way to go.
e) Where exactly are you from, and where have you been? And are you capable of reading?

 

[flexy]

did you know that McD in Germany serves beer ? My ex gf pointed that out while in Germany....i never thought anything about it, but now here in the states that thought is ODD And yes....restaurant service in general is WAY below us levels. But then you also do NOT tip.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Alienwho
In Brazil, they only sell actual bottles of soda. Very rarely did I ever see a fountain machine. I had no problem getting free tap water though when I wanted it.

Also, I ate at the homes of hundreds of different families, and 99% of them down the Guaraná with their meals just like an American would. Only once did I meet a family who wouldn't drink anything until after the meal because it was thought they would lose weight (which seemed completely backwards to me). Brazilians follow all sorts of wives tales though about all kinds of random things.

man I wouldn't drink tap water anywhere outside of the NA. actually even in NA I'm wary of drinking tap water directly. but then I had the notion "DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER DIRECTLY" firmly embedded into my brain from my chinese education

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: flexy
did you know that McD in Germany serves beer ? My ex gf pointed that out while in Germany....i never thought anything about it, but now here in the states that thought is ODD And yes....restaurant service in general is WAY below us levels. But then you also do NOT tip.

Pretty much every restaurant in Europe serves beer..

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

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.

This is so true for my taiwanese girlfriend and her friends...when I go out with them to a chinese restaurant, if there is no water on the table I go through about 10 of those small cups of tea before anyone finishes their first. I have no clue how people can eat so much food and not drink. She tells me that they get their liquids from the soups with dinner, but usually their soups are really salty. They are also brought up without being allowed to drink much with meals

I don't get it at all.

me either. My uncle one told me when i was a kid he does not drink his water until after he eats so he doesn't fill up pn water but i can't eat a lot if i don't drink water! Once i get thirsty i can't eat any more food until i drink something whether it is to lubricate my mouth again or wash away any of the taste in my mouth for a sec to start over. Needless to say i don't really eat there anymore or i eat when the parents aren't around so we can have water

 

[PHiuR]

I'm thirsty for a large soda right now.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: dighn
man I wouldn't drink tap water anywhere outside of the NA. actually even in NA I'm wary of drinking tap water directly. but then I had the notion "DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER DIRECTLY" firmly embedded into my brain from my chinese education

Anywhere outside NA? What not even Britain, France, Germany, Japan?... Not even somewhere like Australia or New Zealand where the water is probably 10x cleaner/fresher than American water?

 

[Childs]

My step dad used to discourage me from drinking anything with a meal when eating out. His reasoning was it filled you up, and you may not eat as much as you normally would. I always finished my food, so I dont know what the deal was. I attributed it to him growing up during the Depression and being cheap, but his parents did come from Spain as well, so maybe it was a Euro thing.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: davestar
count on ATOT to answer all of your rhetorical questions.

:beer:

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: chambersc

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.

Well, that's your own shortcoming now isn't it. If Asserting your rights (in this sense getting what you've payed for) is being an "ugly American" then :music: I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free :music:

But...that's the point. That may be true in the US, but that's NOT what you pay for over there. You pay for ONE drink, as it is not customary in most of Europe to offer free refills.

However, if you went up there and started shouting about getting a free refill, the clerk would probably just roll their eyes and fill your cup to shut you up and prevent you from making a scene, not because you're entitled to it.

It would be just like if someone from Germany was in McDonalds in the US and started making a scene over the US McDs not having beer on the menu (yes, they have it there).

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer

Originally posted by: 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.

Americans who travel to other countries and eat at American chains are just LAME! The argument that fastfood is "cheap and available" is not only untrue even in the U.S. but, certainly untrue in any other country.

Try going to an actual restaurant instead of fastfood or buffets and you might learn that the food is not only better but, the service, price and value is better.

For you gastronomic cowards who can't bear the thought of eating anything they haven't seen before, hurry up and choke on that Big Mac and get off the cross. Somebody else needs the wood.

Have you ever tried a Teriyaki McBurger? Or a Nacho King? Or a Pita McBurger? Or a burger with an over-easy egg? A shawarma burger? Or a fried pork cutlet burger? How about fries with mayo or sweet chili? Or green tea soft cream?

I don't think there's anything wrong with eating fast food once or twice while you are in a foreign country, McDonalds always has some unique item that is only offered in that country/region. Fast food is not the same around the world, there is a lot of regional influences.