Goodbye to free drink refills: This is why McDonald’s and other restaurants have ended this service

Visiting a fast-food restaurant and topping off your meal’s beverage from a self-service machine could becoming a thing of the past in the United States. Major chains, including McDonald’s, it seems, have started phasing out this once-common practice.

Social media backlash has been swift, with countless users demanding answers. Until recently, most companies stayed silent on the issue. That is, until Mike Haracz, McDonald’s corporate chef, stepped forward to explain why the company and other franchises are discontinuing this service.

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Why McDonald’s and others are ending free refills

According to Haracz, franchises have bid farewell to free refills for several reasons, ranging from health concerns to financial losses. Self-service machines require customers to refill their drinks in used cups, posing potential health risks.

From a sales perspective, companies face slight losses either because customers take advantage of the policy or request multiple cups, which increases costs for restaurants. In some cases, the expense of providing additional cups exceeds the cost of the beverage itself.

No obligation to maintain self-serve machines

Haracz argues that there’s nothing wrong with ending this practice, as no regulation mandates fast-food restaurants to keep self-service refill machines. This gives them the freedom to discontinue the service discreetly.

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