‘New controversy’: Video shows Steak ’n Shake soda machine requiring a QR scan to dispense, and the internet appears to blame customers for it

Someone has found that at Steak ’n Shake, one cannot manually dispense soda from the dispenser without having a QR code scanned. The footage of this discovery is spreading on social media, alleging that this installation was put in place to minimize losses and stop customers from getting “unlimited” soda refills.

According to the Daily Dot, a Twitter/X user with the username @McFranchisee reposted a TikTok video from @scottiferr about the remodeling of a soda dispenser that now requires a QR code scan to manually fill it. The video’s caption suggests this was done to safeguard the refill rules for drinks which are changing.

It says, “A new controversy I just read about is pretty silly. During remodels, they may add a QR code scanner for soft drink refills. Basically, you scan proof of purchase so people can’t just order water and then help themselves to unlimited soda. Some folks are now boycotting because they have to scan their receipt each time. I think it’s a smart move that helps keep people honest. The entitlement is wild, people are genuinely mad about scanning a code for a free refill?”

Viewers blame customers for these changes 

As the video gained traction, viewers poured out their opinions on the matter, with many calling out customer behavior as the reason for these changes. One of the commenters claimed, “Many restaurants have this, not just them. Love @SteaknShake; they serve real food, not poison processed food. And the people that use water cups and put soda in them are the ones that ruined it.” Another one added, “The people at Steak n Shake are brilliant. What a simple way to keep the people who cause the most trouble out of your restaurants without having to say it.”

Meanwhile, others seemed displeased with the company’s decision to implement such a system. One of them stated, “It’s stupid, and I will not support any business that does this. Drinks are so inexpensive for them.” Another one added, “A billion-dollar corporation is going to great lengths to prevent some people from taking a nickel’s worth of free soda.”

According to Food Republic, sodas are among the highest-margin menu items, with markups often over 1,000%. A food business can acquire soda for about 15 cents, and often sell it for around $3, which is more than 10 times the original price (depending on the purchase cost), making drinks a major profit driver for many restaurants.

Apart from the audience’s feedback, the user’s claims are not independently verified.