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By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
Thirsty McDonald's patrons who need a refill to wash down their hamburger and fries are set to be forced into purchasing a fresh drink, even if all they need is one final sip.
For McDonald's Korea will no longer offer free soda refills at all of its outlets nationwide, citing costs and operational efficiency. The change will take effect June 1.
``It is a strategic business decision we made not only to cut costs, but more particularly to service our customers better,'' company spokeswoman Kim Ju-young said Wednesday.
She said that repeated requests for refills often interrupt service for new customers waiting in long queues to order.
Local McDonald's units do not have self-service drink stations, unlike the limited number of locations that do in other parts of the world. The need for staff attention for every refill has taken a toll on overall efficiency and workflow, according to the burger giant.
The new policy will require customers to choose between a 1,500-won medium size or a 1,700-won large size drink if they're not satisfied with their first cup.
The extra income will boost its overall revenue, which has been recording a two-digit growth since 2006. The world's largest fast food chain as a whole is bucking the recessionary trend, as it reported impressive earnings in the fourth quarter of 2008.
McDonald's Korea is one of the fastest-growing units and it pays 5 percent of its annual sales in royalty to the head office.
The company claims that it isn't mandatory for fast food chains to offer free refills and that the discontinuation would ultimately help McDonald's invest in its other new services.
But the news is upsetting to frequent McDonald's goers.
``Doesn't refilling a cup of soda take about 10 seconds?'' asks Kim Ji-eun, a 27-year-old office worker, who eats the 3,900-won McDonald's lunch meal at least once a week. ``If I have to pay extra for a refill, that means my overall lunch expense is going to go up that much.''
Lim Soo-jung, 31, another patron raised concerns that other fast food chains will follow suit. Lotteria, Burger King and KFC have so far expressed no intention of scrapping their refill service.
``The other companies might soon change their policy. I think it's just a matter of time,'' she said.
jhan@koreatimes.co.kr
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