McDonalds & Free Refills - Competition heats up?

[asiacurious]

McDonalds has finally moved to offering free refills on all soda products. 

 

 

Is this because of growing competition in the fast food space?

 

I know KFC started doing them some time back (they put the machines out for self-service, a move which McDonalds hasn't yet done - you have to go ask for a refill).

 

I've heard that Taco Bell and Texas Chicken also do free refills.

 

Are there any other chains in Thailand doing free refills?

 

How long before Thai restaurants start offering them as well?

[impulse]

Carl's Jr does free refills.  They were the first place I encountered them in BKK.  Along with all-the-napkins-you-wanted, instead of getting one and having to ask for more.

 

 

 

[alyx]

Free Diabetes...Choose your type

[pgrahmm]

  On 8/11/2020 at 2:26 PM, impulse said:

Carl's Jr does free refills.  They were the first place I encountered them in BKK.  Along with all-the-napkins-you-wanted, instead of getting one and having to ask for more.

 

 

 

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Wish there was one in CM. . .

[worgeordie]

At those prices,for which is basically <deleted>, they can afford  to..

regards worgeordie

[twocatsmac]

Poor value at any price.

 

Big Mac price in the UK...........68 baht.

Big Mac price in Thailand.......195 baht. (Includes dubious cola & mouthful of fries).

 

Under the terms of the 50% discount offered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, a Big Mac could sell for as little as £1.69 ($2.15) in participating restaurants.

 

[Sundown]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:10 PM, twocatsmac said:

Poor value at any price.

 

Big Mac price in the UK...........68 baht.

Big Mac price in Thailand.......195 baht. (Includes dubious cola & mouthful of fries).

 

Under the terms of the 50% discount offered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, a Big Mac could sell for as little as £1.69 ($2.15) in participating restaurants.

 

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You are comparing a single burger offer Vs a combo offer and that's not even a standard price, it's a special discount.

 

You can find special discounts on McDonald's Thailand as well. As you can see below 304THB 2 BIGMACS 2 COKES 2 FRIES 2 NUGGETS (x8)

[soi3eddie]

A freebie in Thailand? After eating a big mac, fries and drink how much more can you handle?

[Orton Rd]

Never eaten one, what are they like?

[jackdd]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:18 PM, Sundown said:

You can find special discounts on McDonald's Thailand as well. As you can see below 304THB 2 BIGMACS 2 COKES 2 FRIES 2 NUGGETS (x8)

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If you order it through Food Panda as "pickup yourself" you even get a further 60THB discount.

 

Actually McDonalds had free refills already, but not on everything. Angus sets did have it (i think every branch and always, but not certain) and sometimes they had a promition that other sets also had free refill.

 

There are still a free KFC branches without free refill.

[dimitriv]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:28 PM, soi3eddie said:

A freebie in Thailand? After eating a big mac, fries and drink how much more can you handle?

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A second Big Mac?  No problem.

 

[pgrahmm]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:35 PM, Orton Rd said:

Never eaten one, what are they like?

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Cardboard; with pickle, ketchup,  salt, with a cheese like substance....

[soi3eddie]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:36 PM, dimitriv said:

 

A second Big Mac?  No problem.

 

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555 I have to say having been coming to Thailand since 1996, and having a McDonalds less than a mile away from my place, I've never, ever eaten a McDonalds in Thailand. I have enjoyed a few KFCs but now understand they only do the spicy version. Although I enjoy spicy food, KFC should be the original version only IMO.

[twocatsmac]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:18 PM, Sundown said:

You are comparing a single burger offer Vs a combo offer and that's not even a standard price, it's a special discount.

 

You can find special discounts on McDonald's Thailand as well. As you can see below 304THB 2 BIGMACS 2 COKES 2 FRIES 2 NUGGETS (x8)

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Yes, my post mentions the 50% discount and my price comparison regards set meals also versus single Big Mac burger. 

[Why Me]

Careful, a pickle and ketchup mix can make you horny:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53726216

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

  On 8/11/2020 at 2:26 PM, impulse said:

Carl's Jr does free refills.  They were the first place I encountered them in BKK.  Along with all-the-napkins-you-wanted, instead of getting one and having to ask for more.

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 Carl's Jr. has done free soda drink refills ever since their current entry to Thailand, as has Taco Bell in their more recent entry.... But those only apply to their soda products, and not to something more basic like bottled water.

 

[Upnotover]

Are they still doing beer?  Or am I thinking of France?  Good idea nevertheless.

[samsensam]

 

encouraging often over weight and unhealthy people to become more overweight and unhealthy. just the smell of these 'restaurants' makes me feel queasy.

[Meat Pie 47]

  On 8/11/2020 at 4:10 PM, Upnotover said:

Are they still doing beer?  Or am I thinking of France?  Good idea nevertheless.

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No in France they do free wine

[chickenslegs]

  On 8/11/2020 at 4:35 PM, Meat Pie 47 said:

No in France they do free wine

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If they start to do that in Thailand I will start to eat at McD's.

[seajae]

pizza hut, kfc both have the machines to do it yourself, pizza company do refills as do sizzler but probably more around

 

[impulse]

  On 8/11/2020 at 4:07 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 Carl's Jr. has done free soda drink refills ever since their current entry to Thailand, as has Taco Bell in their more recent entry.... But those only apply to their soda products, and not to something more basic like bottled water.

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One of the draws to Carl's Jr for me was the fresh brewed ice tea- with free refills.  Not the reconstituted instant ice tea junk.  As I recall, one of the selections on their soft drink taps was plain old water.  So I'm not sure they'd want to give away bottle after bottle of water, since there's a significant cost to each one.  In fact, I think they gave smaller cups away for people who asked for the free water- just had to refill it more.  But that may be a mixed memory from how they do it in the USA. 

 

I never really paid attention because I always got the ice tea.  Drank one while eating, and filled the cup again for the road... And I've never heard of anyone gaining weight drinking ice tea with a lemon wedge... (Which they also provided- free)

 

Back to the topic of the OP, Mickey D's is late to the free refills game.  I'm pretty sure they're bowing to competitive pressures.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

  On 8/11/2020 at 5:34 PM, impulse said:

I never really paid attention because I always got the ice tea.  Drank one while eating, and filled the cup again for the road... And I've never heard of anyone gaining weight drinking ice tea with a lemon wedge... (Which they also provided- free)

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Yes, you're right. Carl's outlets here have a separate dispenser for brewed iced tea, unsweetened I believe. But Taco Bell has a sweetened Nestea type product that dispenses out of their soft drink machine.  But AFAIK, at neither place do they offer regular water for free.

 

[yankee99]

McDonald's raise their prices substantially in the last 6 months 

 

Chesse burger meal was 109 baht now around 150

 

all meals went up similarly 

[fred110]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:10 PM, twocatsmac said:

Poor value at any price.

 

Big Mac price in the UK...........68 baht.

Big Mac price in Thailand.......195 baht. (Includes dubious cola & mouthful of fries).

 

Under the terms of the 50% discount offered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, a Big Mac could sell for as little as £1.69 ($2.15) in participating restaurants.

 

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Use the McDonald's app for discounts and free stuff.

[Bender Rodriguez]

any picture you see, you get about half soggy half in real life

 

totally NOT worth it

[transam]

  On 8/11/2020 at 2:41 PM, worgeordie said:

At those prices,for which is basically <deleted>, they can afford  to..

regards worgeordie

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Please explain.....?????

[transam]

  On 8/12/2020 at 6:39 AM, yankee99 said:

McDonald's raise their prices substantially in the last 6 months 

 

Chesse burger meal was 109 baht now around 150

 

all meals went up similarly 

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Staff got a pay rise....?

[BritManToo]

  On 8/11/2020 at 3:35 PM, Orton Rd said:

Never eaten one, what are they like?

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Pretty good.

I did a Big Mac diet when they had their last 1/2 price offer. (my entire day's food)

Lost loads of weight.

[robblok]

  On 8/12/2020 at 6:39 AM, yankee99 said:

McDonald's raise their prices substantially in the last 6 months 

 

Chesse burger meal was 109 baht now around 150

 

all meals went up similarly 

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Now I don't eat Mc Donalds but I do like checking facts. Its 135bt not 150 for the set. Still an increase. Not as much as you said though.