Currencies

Is it a Bad Thing to Go to Fast-Food Places Only for a Drink?


A fast food worker had choice words for patrons who only buy drinks at the drive-thru. In short, she thinks they’re lazy. TikToker Alicia (@aliciatalks) works at the popular chicken chain Zaxby’s and can’t seem to understand why anyone would buy just a beverage.

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According to her, there are way more cost-effective options available to consumers. She aired her grievances in a post that seemed to irritate several other users.

“And the people that come to fast-food places and order just a drink. A small drink, a large drink. Y’all are the laziest people I’ve ever seen,” she says. “Y’all can’t go to the store? Dollar store right there. You can get a cheaper drink than you can from the fast food out of the regular store. Could have got you a 2-liter for the price you just paid for the one drink.”

She concludes, “Y’all are lazy.”

One person who watched Alicia’s video didn’t seem to appreciate her point of view. As they wrote, “Just talking to talk.”

However, one commenter, a Dunkin’ employee, echoed Alicia’s sentiments. They too couldn’t understand why someone would purchase a bottled soda from Dunkin’. “Coming from a Dunkin worker it enrages me when they ask for a bottled Pepsi?” they said.

Furthermore, there were fountain beverage defenders who explained their love for fast-food sodas.

“They don’t sell hi c orange in the store boom,” one wrote.

For others, it was all about the texture of the drinks. “No I don’t want a 2 liter the coke out the machine be crispy,” one penned.

Someone else also extolled the crispness of fountain soda machines: “Girl, leave me alone…McD’s Sprite is so crispy.”

All about the deals

For other consumers, it was all about using restaurant promotions to secure good deals. Like this one commenter who said they were able to secure a freshly poured, bubbly beverage for a buck. “Girl that CRISPY Dr Pepper is only $1 on the app where you gonna get a $1 Dr Pepper?” they said.

Someone else who works in food service didn’t seem to mind these low-density orders. “I be happy as heck like yesss less work for me,” they wrote.

Whereas another commenter on the application poked a hole in Alicia’s dollar store argument. “You can’t get a fountain drink from dollar stores tho,” they said. The TikToker did state that folks could get their own fountain offerings from gas stations, however.

High margins

Moreover, fast food businesses will often ask customers if they’d like a drink with their purchase. That’s because of the high margins that are often associated with fountain beverages.

Convenience store daily news outlet, CSP reports that establishments can enjoy up to 90% profit margins on fountain beverages. Of course, other operational expenditures such as the cost of cups, straws, and lids factor into this pricing. However, businesses can generally get a lot of mileage out of the syrup containers that mix with carbonated water to make soda for thirsty patrons.

The outlet stated that the growth of fountain soda machines has recently “outpaced the overall beverage market.” This means that more and more people are turning to fountains to get their soda fixes.

Devices like Coca-Cola’s Freestyle machines allow folks to customize beverages to their liking. A variety of different syrup beverage “bases” and numerous flavor shots give consumers a wide range of combinations.

Moreover, it’s not uncommon to see similar functionality at convenience stores and gas stations.

A dirty choice?

Alicia does make a good case about the prices of fountain sodas. Shoppers can almost always expect to get more for their money if they purchase canned or bottled drinks in a supermarket.

However, there’s another variable to consider: Cleanliness. New York Post penned an article that saw 41% of all soda fountain machines observed in a study tested positive for coliform bacteria.

@aliciatalks #aliciatalks #fypシ #fastfood #drink ♬ original sound – Aliciatalks

This type of bacteria is directly associated with the presence of animal excrement, usually by rats or mice. An April 2024 report in the Peoria Journal Star also penned that observed soda fountain stations had animal fecal matter in or around their direct vicinity.

Additionally, the Daily Dot previously reported on a Circle K customer who swore off of ever drinking at soda fountain machines. That is, after smelling something particularly nasty emanating from the device.

Then there was the case of a Sam’s Club customer who spotted mold growing in a drink dispenser at one of the bulk retailer’s locations.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Alicia via TikTok comment and Zaxby’s via email for further information.

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