The current trend in pop culture -- that's the culture of pop (soda), of course -- is that bigger is better. Why drink a 12oz can when you can drink a 20oz bottle? Heck, why not go for an entire liter or more? So it is fascinating to me that Yia Yia's has so far resisted the urge to enlarge their drinks. They continue to serve pop in big glass mugs that probably hold about 16 fluid ounces, a good chunk of which is taken up by ice.
That doesn't sound like a big deal. You can just get a refill, right? Wrong. Yia Yia's charges $.25 for drink refills, a practice that is practically unheard of these days.
It's tempting to ask why Yia Yia's continues to engage in such a practice. Surely the modern American consumer (and especially the fatter-than-the-average-American Nebraskan) would revolt, right? Wrong. Obviously the method used by Yia Yia's is sustainable. If it weren't, they would have changed. Their customers haven't forced them to change, so they haven't bothered. Their small servings and extra fees for refills still work.
I wonder: why do Yia Yia's customers put up with this? Is it because it is seen as "quaint", and therefore acceptable? Is it because the other things that make Yia Yia's such a great restaurant are so overpowering that the pop issue doesn't matter? Is it because most everybody drinks from Yia Yia's large beer selection, rather than going for boring ol' pop?
From my perspective, I think it's kind of neat that Yia Yia's does their drinks that way. I've found that I can nurse a pop for an hour or more through an entire meal and post-meal conversation. In the end I drink significantly less than I would if the glasses were larger and refills were available, and yet I don't leave Yia Yia's feeling any thirstier or less satisfied than I would had I had a super-sized drink instead. I'm not anti-pop by any means, but I try to keep my empty calories and caffeine consumption to a minimum.
I wonder how often customers complain about Yia Yia's practice. Or does anybody really even notice how unusual Yia Yia's is in this respect?
Comments
See what your friends and neighbors have to say about this.
I don’t think anyone complains about anything at Yia Yia’s because they don’t expect any kind of concerned response from the staff.
These are the same people who like to scoff and say “We don’t do plastic” when first timers attempt to use a card.
Yia Yia’s is really lucky that their food is as good as it is.
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been to Yia Yia’s and not had beer.
<em>These are the same people who like to scoff and say “We don
Well Mr. Wilson, I’m not one who can nurse a pop through a whole meal. I drink a lot when I eat. I don’t know if that’s because I take big bites or I eat a lot at sitting, but I feel the need to drink a lot of whatever when I eat. So I am not one to be in favor of price for refils. Luckily I go with water most of the time that I go to a sit down resturant.
They started doing plastic quite awhile ago, not too long after the new owners took over. It was annoying during the years they didn’t though. I think they charge extra for soda so you’ll buy beer instead.
I’ve never even noticed that they charge for refills.
Then again, I usually just get water. Not because I don’t like pop, becuase I really, really do, but because I’m cheap.
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