question..... soft drinks prices in pubs/clubs

[whitewash]

does anyone else feel utterly dejected by the price of softdrinks in pubs and nightclubs?

i often find myself spending more staying sober (because im doing the responsible thing beacuse i happen to be driving) than i would if i was drinking, simply because of the rediculous prices of coke/lemonade/orange juice etc in these places...... does this really annoy anyone else?


and when you consider that pubs are supposed to be promoting responsible drinking yet i can buy a bottle of beer in my local club for £1.40 (and thats often buy one get one free into the bargain...) yet a pint of coke costs £2 (and is usually bad mixer crap) a can of redbull is £2.30. heavily chlorenated warm tapwater is however provided for free...... (and because i know the bar staff i often get some ice with this as well).

i only ask this question because i got ****y "why is it that you provide a damn good deal to customers and they still complain" responses when i mearly suggested on a nightclubs forum on a message board that it would be nice if they included a softdrink or a non alcoholic option in the "buy one get one free" vouchers they provide on entry to people who arrive early to see the bands (the club offers a policy at the moment that if you arrive after 11.30 entry is free, however if you come down early to see the bands they charge you £3 entry and give you 2 buy one get one free vouchers for drinks to use after 11.30- this means that whilst you pay to see the bands, if you stay afterwards you can gain that £3 [and possibly more depending on what you drink] back in drink discounts).... this is a good deal as far as im concerned....... unless you happen to be desegnated driver or if like me and a few others i know live out of town and therefore driving is the only option


i was told that some places in the US and canada will actually provide free drinks to the desegnated driver in your group simply because its responsible of them to ensure people get home safely... what a damn good idea!

anyone else got opinions on this....

someone has suggested to me that it might actually be against the law to offer drinks promotions without offering a non alcoholic alternative because its discriminating against people who either dont drink out of choice or for religious reasons, however im yet to find any facts to back this up....

 

[markgray]

I also find it disgusting the amount they charge, i'm very rarely the designated driver, becasue the wife very rarely drinks, but the cost of the soft drinks is appalling.

As you say soft drinks should be cheaper to encourage people to drink them when they are driving.

 

[Marcel]

I also find the prices of non alchy drinks disgusting.
Why are they so high?

I very rarely go out now (I'm an old codger), but for all my years I've never really been a drinker, and prefer to be Des.

I do know that some pubs and clubs, offer FREE soft drinks to a nominated 'Des' for the evening, in return for him staying sober and being fit enough to drive the others home, thus reducing drink driving relating fatalities etc etc.

Damn good idea, not reallywidespread though is it?

 

[KenCo]

If you are talking about night clubs? which it sounds as though you are, then you are always going to pay top whack, for whatever drink. Your buy one get one free doesn't say it's only on alchoholic drinks? But you have to remember that soft drinks are purchased mainly for topping other drinks off, such as in spirits or lager tops, shandy, lager and lime and unless you are not tied in to a brewery then there is nothing to be made on selling soft drinks.....I know prices are steep but how many of your local pubs are thriving on a day to day basis? a lot of local pubs struggle through the week and during day times, especially with the likes of places like Weatherspoons opening up all over the place and selling at extremely low prices. Let me tell you, it won't be long before your nice comfy local will be no more and instead a wine bar charging even more than you are currently paying. It's not an easy game the pub trade and certainly not a 9 til 5 job either, even when you are not behind the bar there's still stuff to do along with the occasional @rsehole to sort out.....
It's the brewery who sell the stuff......the landlord is lucky to make 20p on a drink!
Ex licensee.