Why do pubs rip you off for soft drinks?

Question

I have found that you normally pay about a quid for a small coke.

Total rip off but why charge so much

Answer 1

how else will they make their money

Answer 2

It's totally anti-logical from the patron's point of view, but from the pub's point of view, they're basically selling you a rum and coke, hold the rum.

Answer 3

To make more money out of suckers like you and me.  They know that some people can't resist a soft drink without their meals so they mark up the prices.  Soft drinks or drinks make up 20% or more of the total bill.

Answer 4

they want you to buy the alcohol which is more expensive

Answer 5

To make money to pay the rent.

Answer 6

To encourage people to drink alcohol so their turnover is better and they can place bigger orders and get better discounts.  Totally goes against being a responsible landlord though as by law you are not supposed to encourage drunkeness and certainly not get people to drink and drive.  I had my own freehouse and so could set my own prices and get good discounts on orders, and while there isn't much you can do about the price of bottled soft drinks, the stuff that comes out of the taps (postmix) comes in 10l boxes of syrup which is mixed with carbonated water before it comes out of the tap.  You can adjust the level of postmix syrup which means you can really eke out a 10l box, it tastes c**p and you can charge a fortune.  Personally I got my cutomers to sample loads of the stuff until they (more or less) all agreed which one they liked.  Maybe I didn't make so much profit on that, but I also charged less so that a designated driver didn't spend a fortune, stay sober and have the thankless task of running all the drunk ones home.  Also, pubs often charge the full price of the soft drink if used with a mixer, so the customer pays the price for the shot of spirit, then the full price of the soft drink.  I used to charge for a "splash", so they only paid the price of the spirit and 30p for the soft drink mixer, however much soft drink they wanted in the glass.  Pub companies only think about profit, but my pub was always really busy and I was raking it in, why be greedy.

Answer 7

In the UK there is so much tax on alcohol that they probably only make a small profit on each alcoholic drink so charging more for soft drinks helps to make some profits. In effect those who drink soft drinks subsidise those who drink alcohol.

Answer 8

Because they can.

Answer 9

Because they are made to sell alcohol and if u buy a coke thts lowing there business

Answer 10

When I visited UK a few years back I noticed same thing. Ordered a Pint and was like , a few of them coins, British Pound? was like 2 of them with The Queen on em.

One day orderded a Coca Cola and Mike told me 2pounds, I scoffed and said , 'ok a pint then!', over that drink he explained the why, said it was the VAT on Colas as most are not made in UK and them what are still have a heavy VAT when sold in a Pub.

Ever asked for an extra Ketchup at a McDonalds in UK? they wanted to charge me for that. I was dumbfounded, then after sitting a while pondering it, I sorta figured that one out also, the tomatoes grown on this side are then made into ketchup, (Sugarized Crushed Tomatoes) Then put in Shipping Containers, go on a cruise, NY to Wales, then offloaded, customs, shipped on. Now that is a lotta hassle to get a little packet of ketchup. But see it says McDonalds Ketchup so it aint like just any ketchup. What a loony world.

Answer 11

because it costs hardly any thing to buy in th syrup and mix it with carbonated tap water meaning they make a 300 - 1000% profit happily paying the bar staff wages. they know they can rip you off and you can't do anything about it and that's why they do it.  maybe they should give the designated driver free soft drinks all night as they do in a lot of places in America!

Answer 12

Cos they know people will have to pay it , buy it, then throw it in their face.

Answer 13

it is most probably because they do not sell well, they need to sell them to make money but dont so sell few for high prices.

Answer 14

The whole world works this way.

It starts off cheap and the more people it goes through to get to you the more it is.

Its called making a profit lol!

when you stop and look at it all from the start all humans do is rip others off. its life!

coke buys the stock really cheap mixes it charges loads more, random man buys it for his warehouse puts another few quid on the top, shop keeper goes and buys it, breaks up the packaging sells each one for about as much as he brought the whole lot for you buy it. everyone but u is happy!

hope u all kept up then.

Answer 15

They want you to drink loads of alcohol and puke on their toilet floor. Consider the intellect of the average publican.

Answer 16

Because they have indiduval bottles from CocaCola or Schweppes and most likely would cost them more from those suppliers.

Answer 17

to make more profit ................ most soft drinks come from "post mix"i.e. soda water with a syrup, cost about 5p per pint . Simple ain't it. ps. you mailed me. the clues are all dorset places.

1 collects honey at church door

2 "our" neighbour with a good brandy

3 a move that has a value

many thanks Jane

Answer 18

It helps to pay their licensing fees.

Answer 19

because they are greedy theives

Answer 20

That is how many make their money...just stay home! It won't kill you.

Answer 21

cos they can, cos they know you will pay it...that glass probably cos them the equivalent of about 40p considering that they buy in bulk...they rip you off when it comes to everything i mean £2.50 for the smallest most stingy vodka and coke! and i know it dont cost that much cos for some places you'll pay less than that for a double...that just proves that they are ripping you off

as long as we continue paying they'll continue charging

Answer 22

They try and discourage you from drinking soft drinks because a pub is for drinking liquor and wine and beer . If you want a soft drink go to a pizza place or a fast food restaurant I'm sure that would a better place to get a soft drink or go to a beverage store where it will be a lot cheaper .

Answer 23

when you consider a pint of beer is costing under 70 pence a pint and costing over £2, spirits similarly are making more than 200% and then there is the food....................drink at home!