I was out to lunch with a friend at a local chain restaurant the other day and I started discussing how much soft drinks cost these days. I then picked up the menu to prove my point and the prices were not listed on the menu! I was aghast. When the waitress came to take our order, I asked how much soft drinks cost and she did not even know. She later came back and said soft drinks cost $2.39. If that isn’t bad enough, you can add in the 6 percent Michigan tax plus 20 percent tip, and that watered-down soft drink now costs you an even $3.00. I can think of a lot of beverages I would enjoy more for that price. Or, I could go to my local Kroger and buy a couple of 2 liter bottles for the same amount of money. Of course, those would be hard to smuggle in my purse and discretely pour at a restaurant…
So next time you are out to eat, take a look at the menu before you order a beverage. If the price isn’t there, you know it is an amount you won’t want to pay. If the price IS there, you probably won’t want to pay that amount either. (Unless the drink is offered in a decorative plastic cup with a twisty straw and you can convince the server you are 10 and under.) Besides, what are you really gaining from that drink anyway besides a bunch of empty calories (or Nutrasweet) and a small dose of caffeine?
Have a great day!