Is filling a "free" cup at the soda fountain stealing?

Vipergrün · 01-13-2006, 08:39 AM

Was in Taco Bell with my 5 year old son after picking him up from Kindergarten.....our "special" lunch...

So, I am sitting there watching these two punks order their meals. Each one says "just a cup of water" to drink.

Sure nuff, these two dump their water and promptly head to the soda fountain. Not once but FOUR times throughout their lunch. Okay, I can let one trip slide, but not FOUR!!

I was giving them the stink-eye, hoping they would get a clue....nope.

So, as I left, I whipped out 2 one dollar bills, walked up to their table and said in a loud voice; "It's obvious that you two guys are poor since you have to resort to stealing soda. Here, let me buy your drinks....now go pay for them"

Should have seen the looks on their faces, and those around them. I swear 1/2 a taco fell out of one doods mouth

I am not holier than thou by any means, but I saw it as a chance to instill goodness and honesty in my son.

So, question is, do you consider this an act of theft? How about the white trash and home boys that pull up to Costco with their own 40oz cups and help themselves?

Big Ed · 01-13-2006, 09:00 AM

It is without question an act of theft. They sell the soda, punks took it woithout paying.

Jay H · 01-13-2006, 09:00 AM

Even one fill up of the 'water' cups with soda is stealing. They paid nothing for the soda, yet took it. There is a ton of profit in soda and Taco Bell probably didn't loose much more than 50 cents in actual product, but it's TB's right to charge for that soda and expect to get paid for it. Even if it was 5 cents worth of product, it's still stolen product.

Good for you to whip out $2 and pay for the drinks. It would have been interesting to see if they just pocketed the $2 or actually went up to pay for their soda. I bet they just finished quickly and left without paying.

I applaud your actions though!

Jay

Nathans_Dad · Nathans_Dad's Garage

Bravo!!

vash · vash's Garage

i would have stayed out of it. i would have pointed it out to my kid, and told him the right vs. wrong of it, and been done with it.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

I would'a pumped 'em full of lead, and then ate the rest of their food.

Cool. I would like to have seen it...

ChrisBennet · ChrisBennet's Garage

My dad used to tell me "Everyone has their price" when referring to someone's petty theft. In other words, those kids set the price of their integrity at 4 sodas.
-Chris

Porsche virgin · 01-13-2006, 09:33 AM

Most places that have self-serve fountains charge for the cups. After that, they don't really care, otherwise the soda would be behind the counter. I had a friend that worked a Burger King. He said the cups were way more expensive than the soda that went in it.

I agree with Vash. Teach your kid and keep out of it.

For me, here in NY, being nosy can get your butt kicked, or worse.

Moses · 01-13-2006, 09:52 AM

Beautiful. Not everyone has the stomach for potential confrontation, but the more relaxed we get about rudeness and theft, the more common they become.

More importantly, you have made an important impression on your son that he will not forget. Good work.

Jay H · 01-13-2006, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Porsche virgin
I had a friend that worked a Burger King. He said the cups were way more expensive than the soda that went in it.

A very good friend of mine owns a Dairy Queen. He's a good numbers guy, so we talk numbers a lot on his business since I'm an accountant by trade. Yes, the cup is more expensive than the selzer and syrup that goes in the cup. They probably stole 20 cents worth of product with 4 fill ups (though it still is stealing).

Shuie · 01-13-2006, 10:03 AM

Of course its stealing.

This has happened at Taco Bell for as long as I can remember. I think they would put the soda machine behind the counter if they were real concerned about it. The soda itself doesnt cost them a fraction of a cent and the self service aspect of having the machine out from behind the counter probably allows them to eliminate a job or two.

The LEOs that get paid to babysit the resurant portion of the place definitely think its stealing. I cant tell you how many times Ive seen a uniformed police officer get up from a corner of the resuturant area and make a dumb kid like that go back to the counter and pay for the soda

Mulhollanddose · 01-13-2006, 10:49 AM

Back in my more liberal days I did this...It is stealing.

Nathans_Dad · Nathans_Dad's Garage

I love the excuses that are made to defend the theft. It's akin to "well if the bank really wanted to protect their money they'd put more guards outside. Since they only had one security guard they must not care about it too much, huh??"

Amazing.

Moses · 01-13-2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
I love the excuses that are made to defend the theft. It's akin to "well if the bank really wanted to protect their money they'd put more guards outside. Since they only had one security guard they must not care about it too much, huh??"

Amazing.

I was thinking the same thing.

The other day a friend of mine who works at a grocery store had his truck parked behind the store while he ran inside to pick up his paycheck. When he returned to his truck, a delivery guy had "helped himself" to an old motorcycle wheel in the back of my friends truck. Even when caught, he wasn't embarassed. He said, "I figured if you wanted it, you would have kept it locked up in the cab." Amazing.