Kyle › Comments

They aren't charging for the water, they are charging for the cup and probably $.27 is around cost. The ironic thing about fountain drinks is the cup cost roughly 3 times the content. - MVB (Grinch of FF)

McExtortion, definitely - Matt Jones

true story .. I was talking with the clerk at the Mac's store (convenience store) and she told me that they don't actually charge for the coffee .. it is the cup you are paying for which is why if you go in and ask for a cup it will cost you the same as buying that size of coffee (or any other drink/cup) - Steven Hodson

considering as well that the actual cost of the coffee is probably less than the cost of the cup/lid etc .. when I own a small store our coffee cost broke down to just under 25 cents per regular serving. - Steven Hodson

Why is mcd not entitled to get whatever people are willing to pay? If you want free water, you can go to a library or the Y, right? - You. from BuddyFeed

When I worked in bars and was responsible for the pricing we worked it out that the pop cost about $0.05 per glass but if you order just that to drink it cost you anywhere up to $2.25 for a tall glass. Loved the markup and the tips were usually pretty good which the waitresses liked. - Steven Hodson

Yep, they're charging for the cup. I learned that back in my fast food days. If we didn't charge for the cup, then WE got charged for it. We even had to keep track of defective cups so we didn't get charged. Silly, but that was the way it worked. - Julie Barrett from twhirl

When in Las Vegas, you see signs saying the waiters will not serve you water because Nevada is in a desert, and they are trying to conserve. Maybe this move is along the same lines, and trying to put an incremental cost will stop people from constantly wasting it? - Louis Gray

water in the desert should not be free. it should be very expensive in order to reduce demand and drive people out of the desert. who's genius idea was it to create large settlements like vegas and reno in the first place? makes no sense. i say charge $20 per glass of water and use the money to finance solar power fields and transmission lines back to those of us living in more sane conditions - @baratunde

I'm not necessarily saying mcdonald's shouldn't make a profit. But seeing as the markup on the eggmcmuffin I bought was probably about 200%, it just seems that they should give you a free cup of water like in ca. There is no way a small mass produced cup by the way costs them 27 cents. - Thomas Hawk

Well water may be free, but collecting it, processing it so it is clean to drink and delivering it to your home or business are not. I just paid my water bill for December/January and that free water cost me $180. In the summer when I water my lawn and yard the bill is closer to $300. - Jeff P. Henderson

Ten cents I could see. 27 cents seems odd. If it costs McDonalds 27 cents for the cup and labor, they need to revisit their processes. - Ontario Emperor from fftogo

Of course, I should recognize that price has nothing to do with cost, but with perceived value. And if the majority of people perceive water, napkins, and seats as free items, restaurants will be hard pressed to charge for them. - Ontario Emperor from fftogo

Take the airlines. When I go to McDonalds I expect to pay for a Coke. But when I'm on a plane, I get mad if I'm charged for the same Coke. - Ontario Emperor from fftogo

I'm not sure what the markup is, it may not be as much as you think, if it makes you feel better. They're a franchise and have to buy their supplies from the corporation. And of course there's the overhead of the lease and payroll, and taxes. - You. from BuddyFeed

Mmmmmm Mcdonald's, best fries - sofarsoShawn

Just a hunch but I think one of the reasons maybe for charging for the water here is because there seem to be a lot of homeless people in Reno. Maybe they do it as a way to discourage them from coming in and asking for free water. Still, you'd think they'd give it to a paying customer. I can't imagine it costs any more to run a McDonald's in Reno than San Francisco where it is free. - Thomas Hawk

That's what you get for eating at McDonalds... no wait.. you get bad, unhealthy food, too. :-( - TranceMist

I guess it was bound to happen eventually. - Kyle

What are you doing in a McDonalds? Best to never go there. - Rod Bauer from twhirl