Steak 'N Shake Sparks Debate After Soda Machine Requires Scanning QR Code To Dispense Drinks

When it comes to drinks at fast food restaurants, where the drink machines are often self-serve, customers have done some pretty shady things.

From ordering a cup of water, only to fill it with soda instead, to bringing a water bottle or something similar and filling it at the machine, it seems some customers will stop at nothing to acquire a free drink.

Now, some fast food chains are locking down their soda machines with QR codes. Some places like Great Wolf Lodge, Disney World, and Universal Studios made the move years ago to plastic cups that have a QR code on them that must be scanned in order for the machines to work. Some of these QR codes even contain limits, like a preset number of refills or only so many scans per hour.

The latest in this shift was captured in a video by TikToker @scottiferr at Steak 'n Shake. At their restaurant location, a small QR scanner is positioned next to the soda machine. In order for the machine to work, the customer has to scan their QR code, which acts as proof of purchase, before being able to get a drink.

The TikToker said in the comments section that they were able to get free refills, and that there did not appear to be a limit to the number of refills they could get after making their purchase. It was simply the act of having to scan the QR code every time that annoyed them.

You can watch the video here:

Some TikTokers thought this was a smart way to prevent waste and theft, particularly since so many countries don't even allow free refills.

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Some shared their early experiences with seeing these QR codes at Steak 'n Shake.

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But others were angry, claiming that this was taking it too far.

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This is one of those things where it might be annoying to customers to have to scan a QR code to access a soda machine, but it's a small price to pay for restaurants to stop losing money on dishonest drink purchases.

If customers were honest about what they wanted to drink, these QR codes wouldn't be necessary.