OK, so as anyone who knows me is aware I am a huge fan of Flat Top Grill. Yesterday, I and a couple of friends decided to head to our local Flat Top grill for a bit of lunch. I am a total stir fry lover, and was very much looking forward to lunch. We get there, waited for our server to come over (as we all have eaten there many times before, and already get the stick with your name, know our sauces, and just want to eat) so that we can place our drink order before taking the journey to the stir fry bar to prepare our culinary ascension to a higher state (told you I like stir fry a lot).
Back to the point of this entry. As any frugal person is common to do (especially when you make your stir fry so hot you don't taste your drink anyway) I order a water to drink. Largely this decision is based on the $2.59 cost of a soda or iced tea. The server in her innocent, I'm a college student please don't decapitate me, way asks me if I'd like regular bottled water or Fujirama Flower water (this isn't what she said, i don't really remember what she said as the anger ball in my chest was already starting to grow in size).
Initially I replied, "Regular I guess...", and then I asked, "Wait, you don't have a regular glass of water?" To which she then again made the offer of the regular bottle of water, or the fancy bottle of water. Again I defaulted to "Regular water I guess...". Then catching on I asked, "Wait, so is the bottled water the same price as a soda?" To which my now frightened server replied, "Y....y...yes". Finally, "Just give me a coke!".
My two lunch mates, slightly amused, slightly ticked, and mostly confused each order a coke, and a diet. (Both are also regular water guys). The point to this is that extra money restaurants are earning through beverage costs has finally made its way over to water. Seriously, f'ing water!!!!!!!!!!
As an individual (without the tax exempt status of a reseller) I can get good bottled water for about $.33 a bottle. Even factoring in the cost in mileage to drive a truck from Flat Top Grill to the nearest SAM's club, you are still only looking at about $.40 a bottle. This is still a $2.19 profit on each bottle.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do (taking in a gallon jug and a paper cup has crossed my mind), but I cans say the anger ball is growing on this subject and someday, some way, I will find justice for this assault.
Until then....stand in the sun, spit in the dark, and deserve victory!!!!!!
Ah, James, I've missed your anger and your take on things in life. We've pretty much ditched Flat Top all together because the PIA one takes too long and costs too much. We had a Mongolian stir-fry place as an alternative but it has since closed. Back to making stir-fry at home. Hard to believe they would not give you water in a cup. Weird.
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