Tell me you’ve never worked a service industry job without telling me you’ve never worked in a service industry job. This, I believe, is the dividing line on the most recent internet debate pertaining to coffee—and really drinks of all stripe. The question is this: if you order a typically iced coffee drink without ice, are you entitled to a full cup? The internet is apparently divided.
The answer is of course, no, no you are not, but let’s indulge. As reported by News Nation, the kerfuffle began where these sorts of things usually unfold, on Facebook. An anonymous user posted to the Dunkin’ World Facebook group page, “Just came across this new policy they have. Just paid $6+ for a large cookie butter cloud latte, with less ice, to not get filled to the top because their new fill policy says they will not do it, on purpose. Sending to everyone so that they are aware what they will be receiving.”
Can we also just take a moment to appreciate the idea of posting this anonymously? That you are mad enough to post about your unfair large cookie butter cloud latte but fear some sort of Dunkin’ retribution that would keep you ever having another large cookie butter cloud latte. It’s one of the most Facebook things I’ve ever seen.
A photo accompanying the post shows which drinks Dunkin’ will fill to the top when less or no ice is requested and which they won’t. In general, the espresso-based drinks will get short filled whereas things like iced coffee and tea, cold brew, and lemonade they’ll go ahead and top you up.
Many people, sane, sensible people, noted that the drinks were designed to certain ratios so just splashing out a little extra liquid to arbitrarily fill a cup would mess that up. Others slammed Dunkin’ for pinching pennies.
I will add to the discourse that not only should they short fill the ice-less versions of these drinks, but that I get angry when cafes do it. There are times when I’m at a coffee shop and I grab a drink to take to someone, normally a fun summery special menu something or other. In Dallas, where I live, it’s insanely hot and everything is 20 minutes away. This means the iced drink is ruined by the time I get it to the person who asked for it. Thus I ask for no ice, so that the drink can maintain integrity in transit. But then the coffee shop fills it up with mixer, presumably to keep me from writing a bad Yelp review. And try as I might to get them to not fill the cup all the way, it never works. Now I’ve held up the line trying to explain what I want and I got a diluted drink.
I’m not saying Anonymous Participant on Dunkin’ Global’s Facebook page is specifically responsible for this, but I’m not not saying it either. Because it’s posts like this that are the reason some coffee shops will willingly wreck their own carefully crafted drinks in order to avoid. So that’s why I’m suggesting everyone abide by what I’m tentatively calling the “Free Refills” Rule. If a drink comes with free refills or is self-serve, then it should be filled to the top, ice or no. But if not, then the volume of liquid is the volume of liquid, regardless of ice quantity.
Hopefully we can put this issue to bed once and for all. And if not, then I’d advise you to never get food and/or beverage in public because you will be severely disappointed with the way the world works.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
