Dear US residents, re: free refills

[DaveC]

We don't have Red Lobster here, either. Of all the places not to have a seafood chain restaurant - you'd think Atlantic Canada would be tops on the list!

 

[FullonEdge2]

It's a Wisconsin thing too...at least on the Eastern half. Once you get around Milwaukee, everything changes, they even call water fountains "bubblers." WTF??

Also, I'd like to note that in American Sign Language, "pop" actually makes more sense because the sign makes a popping noise when you do it. So there.

Hey now, "bubbler" makes sense, does it not? Look at the water, it kind of bubbles out of the spout. Have you lived in Milwaukee?

 

[DaveC]

Hey now, "bubbler" makes sense, does it not? Look at the water, it kind of bubbles out of the spout.

So why don't you call it a "pisser" then? That makes a hell of a lot more sense.

 

[Tiger Edge]

This is going to sound weird but I don't call it soda OR pop. I call it a Coke.

As in: Bring us back some cokes.
Which ones do you want?

But I guess in restaurants and stuff we just call it by the brand name. And if anything we refer to it as "soda" but never ever pop.

Check this out:

 

[U2isthebest]

^^That makes sense. I'm from Michigan, and I've never heard it called anything but pop, regardless of what part of the state I've been in at the time. I'm from the southeast part of the state and you'll get strange looks if you say "soda".

 

[corianderstem]

Who says there aren't blue states in the midwest and heartland?

 

[Liesje]

We say "pop" but I try to say soda online. When I order a Coke, I ask for a regular Coke b/c so many times I've been served diet Coke! *barfs*

 

[Bonochick]

yet 7-11 still won't give me free refills on my coffe :shakesangryfist:

When I worked at 7-Eleven, there were some weird guys who hung around the store a lot, and I'd give them free refills on coffee, pop, and Slurpees because I was afraid they'd go psycho on me if I didn't. There were quite the characters that frequented the place.

So, basically, all you have to do is strike a little fear into the heart of you your friendly neighborhood 7-Eleven clerk, and you can get what you want.

 

[coolian2]

I call it a Coke.

Someone normal!

 

[deep]

Most of the rest of the world doesn't get them. If there is one thing I envy Americans for, it is free refills.

You know every time you go into Taco Bell and get that fucking huge thing of Mountain Dew

huge?

buy a small size - 69 cents and sit next the refill machine (you can get like 15 refills- free )

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Most of the rest of the world doesn't get them. If there is one thing I envy Americans for, it is free refills.

Well the rest of the world doesn't want to impinge on the US's title of the fattest nation on earth

Oh it's not soda or pop in Australia, it's a soft drink Soda's the stuff you add to your vodka, and pop is what you do to bubble wrap.

 

[Sicy]

Check this out:

Holy crap. I had no idea so many people called it pop

I call it soda.

 

[DaveC]

What the hell is wrong with St. Louis?

 

[corianderstem]

What's with the tiny bit of purple in Pennsylvania? Is that Amish country? And my poor home state of Wisconsin - so brutally divided between the soda and pop folks.

 

[No spoken words]

I've always called it Soda, but here in Chicago, a lot of folks call it Pop. I've heard a lot of people back home just say "Coke" as well, come to think of it.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm fascinated by the areas colored green - "other."

So apparently there's an area in central Oregon who says something other than the three choices. "Carbonated sugar water," perhaps?

Or, considering that's probably where all those damned hippie anarchists live on their communes and plot WTO riots, they probably call it "fucking corporate evil juice."

 

[angelordevil]

I think most people here call Coke-type drinks a Pepsi, because Pepsi seems to be the most popular. I prefer Coke.

Every time I get a large coffee at McDonald's, I feel the US influence...it's a bloody bucket! Not that I'm complaining--on a sleepy Sunday morning it really does the trick. It's just that Canadians normally do things on a much smaller scale.

 

[corianderstem]

Pepsi

Coke

 

[No spoken words]

I literally hate Pepsi. Ugh.

 

[coolian2]

Pepsi

Coke

People say there isn't a difference, but you know what?



There fucking is.

 

[corianderstem]

If someone says there's not a difference, all their taste buds are broken.

 

[angelordevil]

People say there isn't a difference, but you know what?



There fucking is.

That would make one hell of a marketing campaign. When I was a kid, I would've gone to war for Coke. I defended its honour--and highly unique recipe--many times during elementary school lunches.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Hey now, "bubbler" makes sense, does it not? Look at the water, it kind of bubbles out of the spout. Have you lived in Milwaukee?

No, silly, it's a water fountain. Water comes out of it, not bubbles. And, no, I haven't lived in Milwaukee, but I know many people from there and have visited on too many occasions to remember. Are you a Wisconsinite? I'm from the La Crosse area, so we have that Minnesotan influence and all. (Though, I still love Wisconsin far more than I'll ever love Minnesota.)

What's with the tiny bit of purple in Pennsylvania? Is that Amish country? And my poor home state of Wisconsin - so brutally divided between the soda and pop folks.

Just like I said though, the east side of the state is odd with its names for things: "bubbler," "soda," and "sofa." It's a couch...

 

[corianderstem]

Ha! I was raised in north-central Wisconsin and lived for a while near Milwaukee. I can't honestly say if I said "bubbler" on a regular basis - we'd just say "I'm going to get a drink of water," not "I'm going to the bubbler, yo."

However, I use couch and sofa interchangeably. I remember when I was little people calling it a "davenport," which I haven't heard anyone else use in years.

 

[gvox]

Might as well go for a soda nobody hurts and nobody cries
Might as well go for a soda nobody drowns and nobody dies
So I'm in one of my blue moods
You want to have it your way and I want it mine
All this debating going 'round in a blue mood makes me thirsty for love
Might as well....

Might as well go for a soda nobody hurts and nobody cries
Might as well go for a soda nobody drowns and nobody dies

Life seems to be a bomb inside of your head
Well, the bomb in my head is love
All this debating going 'round in a blue mood makes me thirsty for love
Might as well....

Might as well go for a soda nobody hurts and nobody cries
Might as well go for a soda nobody drowns and nobody dies
Might as well go for a soda it's better than slander
It's better than lies
Might as well go for a soda

Might as well go for a soda
Oh yeah, nobody hurts nobody cries
Might as well go for a soda
Oh yeah, nobody drowns, and nobody dies
Might as well go for a soda
It's better than slander, it's better than lies
Might as well go for a soda

 

[indra]

I use soda, pop, and soft drink -- which just depends on my mood. I've lived all my life in Ohio which is a pop state, but my mum came from Massachusetts, which is a soda state. Not sure where the hell I picked up soft drink from.

However, I use couch and sofa interchangeably.

I do too.

 

[anitram]

If someone says there's not a difference, all their taste buds are broken.

They are very different.

But Diet Pepsi tastes a lot more like Pepsi than Diet Coke does like Coke. That's why my brother prefers it.

I'll drink anything diet, I'm not particularly picky.

 

[corianderstem]

But Diet Pepsi tastes a lot more like Pepsi

You say that like it's a good thing.

Out of the diet sodas, I actually prefer diet Dr Pepper, which I find tastes most like its sugar equivalent more than any other diet soda.

 

[anitram]

I actually hate the taste of sugary pop which is why I only drink diet. Regular Coke tastes like detergent to me, and that awful, gritty feeling on your teeth afterwards horrifies me.

 

[Butterscotch]

There didn't used to be free refills until the late 80's - early 90's, even in eat in resturants. Those were the first to offer them and the fast food joints were slow to pick up the trend, McDonald's caving in last. Wendy's is still anal about it, making you stand in line to ask for it instead of getting your own.

Of course there is MUCH abuse of the priviledge. I have seen people of all ages, demographic groups and socio-ecomonic statuses sneaking soda in their 'courtesy water' cups, leading many establishments to charge for water cups, which isn't fair to those who are honest and really only want water. Some people (I have been guilty a couple times) have 'piggy backed' their drink by drinking in the fast food lobby, leaving, coming back by an hour or so later on the way home from another store and sneaking another refill