Drinks
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Drinks
Most fast food restaurants don't notice (or don't care) if you're refilling their plastic coated cardboard cup or your own.
If you respectfully ask for water at a fast-food/food court place, they'll usually give it to you. "Excuse me, could I please have some water?" is generally the key to a refreshing drink.
When out and about, always keep a bottle with you to refill with water at water fountains or wash room sinks. It replenishes you better than soda, and it's free. Keep in mind that most plastic bottles are not meant to be reused forever due to degradation of the plastic. Even if you do use the same plastic bottle for just a couple of days, remember to wash it frequently. Also, leaving an empty bottled-water bottle in the sun will release harmful molecules into the contents of the bottle; be careful. It also helps to have several different restaurant's cups in the back seat of your car; just grab which ever is appropriate and fill her up (this also works for free popcorn at movie theatres, although most theatres only allow refills on the largest rip-off bag you can purchase).
Also, many banks and car dealership repair shops offer free coffee, nuts, popcorn or other snack foods to their customers. As long as you're dressed respectably you should be able to waltz right in, use the bathroom, get a sip at the water fountain and then hit up the refreshments on your trip out.
Soda machines
You might have noticed that some of the new soda machines use a conveyor-belt type mechanism. These can be EASILY robbed due to poor electronics and just plain stupid mechanics. All you have to do is insert your money, pay for a drink, block the flaps from where the drinks fall from (the little hole shaped like a classic Coca-Cola bottle) to keep the bottles from falling. The machine instantly thinks you never got your drink, so automatically, it will give you back your money and the conveyor belt will reset, with your unpaid drink still on it. Now insert your money again and pay for a drink, block the flaps, get your money back, and repeat until you have several drinks. Know when you start that you might just end up paying for one soft drink, the refund is set in software and can be changed if loss is noticed. Also remember that many soft drink machines are serviced and owned by independent self employed shmucks just trying to make a living by his own labor, paying the megacorps cash for the product and taking all of the risk.
Original Drinks
When hitching, it's a good idea to carry a bottle opener and a straw. You take the caps off soda bottles while they're still in the machine and drink them dry without ever touching the bottle.
