The ethics of get-it-yourself refills.

[Rain Man]

I was in a restaurant tonight, and it had a system in place that I like. They set the soda machine out in the dining room, and you can just go get your own refill. Getting my own soda refill is one of my key selection criteria for restaurants these days.

However, I have a conundrum. When I order a soda, I'm usually asked if I want a small, medium, or large.

Now, think about that for a moment. It's free refills with no shame. I don't have to ask someone for my refills, I just go get them.

So the logical approach here is to always order a small drink, right? Maybe I have to get up sooner to get my refill, but big deal. It burns calories to walk over there.

But at the same time, I feel guilty ordering a small soda if I'm already figuring that I'll get a refill. Essentially, I'm getting a large soda for the price of a small. Is this ethical? If I know that I want more than the XX ounces in a small size, should I order the size that closest approximates my need? Or should I look out for my own self-interest and always order the smallest size at the lowest cost?

Poll coming. You can get up and vote on it yourself.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

You realize that Tabasco bottles aren't self-replenishing?

Neither are the plastic squeeze bottles of ketchup and mustard you'd find at sit down restaurants, yet people aren't typically expected to jack those.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Neither are the plastic squeeze bottles of ketchup and mustard you'd find at sit down restaurants, yet people aren't typically expected to jack those.

Squeeze bottles are reusable, though.

Though not 'self' replenishing, they are washable and refillable.

Are you saying Chipotle refills Tabasco bottles?

Honestly asking. If they do, it effects the entire calculus. Because I while I don't know if Chipotle refills Tabasco, I'm on pretty solid ground that the bottles are not amenible to sanitization between fills. If Chipotle refills Tabasco, I'm not taking it home and I'm never using their Tabasco either.

Seems like a weird place to cut corners on overhead for a restaurant with such notorious sanitation and food borne illness problems already.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Squeeze bottles are reusable, though.

Though not 'self' replenishing, they are refillable.

Are you saying Chipotle refills Tabasco bottles?

Honestly asking. If they do, it effects the entire calculus. Because I while I don't know if Chipotle refills Tabasco, I'm on pretty solid ground that the bottles are not amenible to sanitization between fills. If Chipotle refills Tabasco, I'm not taking it home and I'm never using their Tabasco either.

Seems like a weird place to cut corners on overhead for a restaurant with such notorious sanitation and food borne illness problems already.

Put it this way: of the people I've witnessed taking Tabasco bottles from CMG none of the bottles were close to being half empty.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Put it this way: of the people I've witnessed taking Tabasco bottles from CMG none of the bottles were close to being half empty.

Put it this way, from the beginning I pointed out that I don't use Tabasco at Chipotle, let alone take it home. And I asked specifically about your opinion of the scenario where they only took home the amount of Tabasco they intended to use on their purchase.

And I didn't mean for it to be adversarial or an inquisition. It was just a specific justification I'd heard of and wondered what you thought of.

I mean, if they're not using more Tabasco than they already would, and they're saving the mess and cleanup of putting the Tabasco on in-store and leaving the empty bottle behind, . . . does that change your opinion? That's all I wondered.

[Hoover]

The restaurant is stupid to stock multiple size cups. Got to one size fits all and save money.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Put it this way, from the beginning I pointed out that I don't use Tabasco at Chipotle, let alone take it home. And I asked specifically about your opinion of the scenario where they only took home the amount of Tabasco they intended to use on their purchase.

And I didn't mean for it to be adversarial or an inquisition. It was just a specific justification I'd heard of and wondered what you thought of.

I've just logically assumed the Tabasco bottles at CMG are for customers choosing to dine at the restaurant.

Your line of questioning seemed to center around the idea of WTF Chipotle is supposed to do with close-to-empty bottles of the condiment. Which fine: if you're the lucky bastard who happens to bag your order and see the Verde sauce is down to maybe a dozen more shakes then sure, take it.

But that's not equatable to stealing a full bottle of the shit for your own purposes.

[FAX]

If patrons drank from a faucet, it would save money AND it would help save the planet from further devastation because cups would be unnecessary.

FAX

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I've just logically assumed the Tabasco bottles at CMG are for customers choosing to dine at the restaurant.

Your line of questioning seemed to center around the idea of WTF Chipotle is supposed to do with close-to-empty bottles of the condiment. Which fine: if you're the lucky bastard who happens to bag your order and see the Verde sauce is down to maybe a dozen more shakes then sure, take it.

But that's not equatable to stealing a full bottle of the shit for your own purposes.

Simmah Donna. . .

I never said it was. I wasn't attacking your moral center by asking the question. I was just asking what you thought of a particular line of justification.

FTR, I don't eat Chipotle, Qdoba is closer and better. And Qdoba's habernero salsa is infinitely better than Tabasco, so I just ask for a double scoop when they're making it.

But I had seen people discussing the matter of Tabasco bottles somewhere, and when I was getting my napkins I noticed that Qdoba puts like a dozen bottles of Tabasco Red and Green as well as Cholula on the endcap with the napkins, plasticware, lemons [for tea] and S&P. I noticed that there were several nearly empty bottles, and I noticed there was bits of lettuce and rice on the counter where people dressed their burrito and left a mess behind.

I found it interesting, so when the subject came up here I thought I'd bring up an alternative argument, . . . you know, . . . for discussion.

I wasn't Stanning for blatant theft.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Simmah Donna. . .

I never said it was. I wasn't attacking your moral center by asking the question. I was just asking what you thought of a particular line of justification.

FTR, I don't eat Chipotle, Qdoba is closer and better. And Qdoba's habernero salsa is infinitely better than Tabasco, so I just ask for a double scoop when they're making it.

But I had seen people discussing the matter of Tabasco bottles somewhere, and when I was getting my napkins I noticed that Qdoba puts like a dozen bottles of Tabasco Red and Green as well as Cholula on the endcap with the napkins, plasticware, lemons [for tea] and S&P. I noticed that there were several nearly empty bottles, and I noticed there was bits of lettuce and rice on the counter where people dressed their burrito and left a mess behind.

I found it interesting, so when the subject came up here I thought I'd bring up an alternative argument, . . . you know, . . . for discussion.

I wasn't Stanning for blatant theft.

Didn't think you were white-knighting the white trash types who nick condiments once you asked about the logistics of how CMG deals with empties.

Chipotle's sustained a massive degradation of quality since 2010 and I think that's because they're prepping a lot of their ingredients off site to avoid contamination issues.

.. but I still pick them over Qdoba because their tortillas don't ****ing stick to the roof of my mouth.

[Sorce]

What are the ethics of refilling your drink if you've left the establishment?
Eating outside still on the property seems fine.
What about eating in your car in the parking lot then going in and refilling your drink?
What if you work next door and got a drink with lunch and then go back an hour later?
What if you went there for lunch and stop for a refill on your way home 4-5 hours later?
What if it's a different store in the same chain?
If you take your cup home, rinse it out then go back next week is that ok?

[Buns]

In this situation, I will order the cup that I want to carry the rest of the day (if I, in fact, want to carry a cup all day,) which is usually a medium. I also usually drink water from a water cup, seriously. Because I cut back on soda, I will get an Arnold Palmer if I get a combo deal with a drink.

Go Chiefs!

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Sorce

What are the ethics of refilling your drink if you've left the establishment?
Eating outside still on the property seems fine.

OK, if still on the property in a designated eating area.

Originally Posted by Sorce

What about eating in your car in the parking lot then going in and refilling your drink?
What if you work next door and got a drink with lunch and then go back an hour later?
What if you went there for lunch and stop for a refill on your way home 4-5 hours later?
What if it's a different store in the same chain?
If you take your cup home, rinse it out then go back next week is that ok?

Not OK

[patteeu]

Taking a Tabasco bottle is always wrong unless specifically authorized by store employees. No one believes there's just one serving left in that bottle, but either way, it's an enforcement issue for the store. The idea that people can be trusted to only take the almost empty bottles dissolves instantly when exposed to reality.

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

Got dude - you're going to die of a heart attack if you let shit like that bother you.

I was jk

[mikeyis4dcats.]

you asked, I have answers


https://www.reddit.com/r/Chipotle/co...offer_smaller/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Chipotle/co...basco_bottles/