The Water Cup Theory
August 29th, 2007
Man, oh, man I can’t tell you how many times this happens: I go out to lunch with friends and when I get to the checkout counter, I ask for water. Not bottled water. Not sparkling water (although I do enjoy both) – just a cup of water. Listen, I’m not cheap. I just happen to like water and since I exercise most mornings before work, I’m thirsty. And I don’t like sodas. So I ask for water, and lo and behold what happens? (Everybody now:) They give me a freakin’ Dixie cup. A specimen cup. A “fill it up ten times while you’re eating” cup. In other words, I feel like I’m getting punished.
I think the water cup is the most overlooked touchpoint in the realm of restaurants. I can’t understand why they don’t give you a regular sized cup. Is it because they are afraid you’ll fill up with soda? Then give me a big cup, but design it differently. Do they think that if you have to fill up your cup ten times that next time you’ll order soda so you won’t have to be bothered? Not gonna happen.
There are water cups in every business. Those small, overlooked items that you think are insignificant that actually matter – a lot – to your customers. Make the “water cups” significant. They are an opportunity to Fascinate, Inspire, Reward and Engage. To you it’s just a water cup. To your customers, it’s a representation of how they’re being treated.
Other posts by Spike.
david benardo says:
Interesting, I was just in Savannah GA getting ice cream at Leopold’s (right next to the SCAD theater. I interrupted a young man with a paper hat that was filling someone else’s order -asked him for some water and he gave me a full size cup with ice! . On the trip back from Disneyworld we drove 20 or so miles out of the way to stop in again. Best Ice Cream EVER and free water too.
August 29th, 2007 at 7:47 amLeopold’s Ice Cream http://www.leopoldsicecream.com 212 E Broughton St Savannah, GA 31401 (912) 234-4442
Faisal says:
I gotta agree with you on the part when you go into a restaurant nowadays and ask for water. They offer you sparkling or mineral. Then having to just say ‘regular’ water is fine, just sounds so cheap. Again, here we have yet another place that was once to be a place of enjoying yourself, making us feel less than worthy.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:14 amAs the teenie weenie Dixie Cup… maybe it is a cost factor. I have asked for water at Starbucks and they are always handing me a nice fat plastic cup when really, they could just give it to me in a glass. Maybe the Dixie Cup is more environmentally friendly? All in all, yeah it sucks, but look at the bigger picture!
Nathan says:
I agree entirely. It is a small point that is often overlooked. It’s one of those minor things that shows just how much you value those coming in contact with your company.
My favorite addition to this is when you have to pay for a cup and it’s still smaller than the normal sized cup.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:46 am