Can I Have Some Beverage With That Ice?

People often eat somewhere other than home. Sometimes this entails going to a nice restaurant for a night out. Other times, it is grabbing something quickly during a lunch break at work. Regardless of the circumstances, the concept of eating a meal away from home is a very familiar one.

In many places, with varying degrees of quality, there is a disturbing trend. A beverage is ordered with the meal (e.g. an iced tea, a soft drink), and this beverage is shockingly consumed in only a few sips. Immediately, the main culprit is detected. The amount of ice cubes in the cup or glass far exceeded what would be considered a reasonable amount.*

The extremely ridiculous number of ice cubes has always bugged me. Although this practice is often associated only with fast food places, it definitely occurs elsewhere. Many diners and restaurants fill the cups with an unnecessary amount of ice as well. And the motive for doing such a thing is questionable at best.

Certainly, in a very short-sighted view, the establishment is saving a few cents per order by giving less drink. Keep in mind that it may even be less than one cent per order, since the beverages are bought in bulk and therefore the amount saved is very minimal. And I say that the view is short-sighted, because it does not account for repeat business. It may take a while, but customers will eventually associate a place with hardly getting anything to drink. At that point, the customer takes his or her business elsewhere. So in the long run, the practice may actually be detrimental, despite the immediate savings of a penny or two.

In some cases, I have seen the cup filled completely with ice. In diners and certain restaurants, the ice is sometimes stacked higher than the rim of the glass! It is absolutely ridiculous, and it makes me less inclined to visit the place again.

In summary, these places need to stop using so much ice. It has gotten way too out of hand. If I pay for a drink, I think I'm entitled to more than two sips!

*Apologies to my European readers. I know this is a problem that does not exist in Europe. Simply be grateful that you don't have to deal with such nonsense.