Blaze Pizza brings in 18-second soda rule - and customers fear rivals will follow

Blaze Pizza has introduced a large alteration to its self-service soda machines, a viral TikTok video has revealed.

Footage shows a lawsuit forced to scan a barcode connected a cup, earlier having conscionable 18 seconds to capable up the drink.

Without scanning the barcode, nary soda comes retired of the dispenser.

The video, from idiosyncratic @phatprincessa, has implicit 151,000 views, and hundreds of comments from users expressing their vexation astatine the alteration - and fears that different companies volition travel suit.

'These are going to beryllium everywhere,' connected idiosyncratic commented.

Some large accelerated nutrient chains person already begun pulling distant from the thought of escaped refills.

In May, McDonald's announced it was transitioning distant from offering self-service drinks stations - with the purpose of getting escaped of them wholly by 2032. 

The institution said immoderate locations would besides commencement to complaint for refills which utilized to beryllium free. 

At the time, experts predicted different chains would travel suit. 

Darren Tristano, CEO of Foodservice Results, which conducts probe connected the nutrient work industry, told CBS News: 'McDonald's is simply a person and astir different accelerated nutrient chains are accelerated followers.'

The nonstop determination of the Blaze Pizza determination wherever the TikTok video was filmed is unknown, arsenic good arsenic however galore restaurants person introduced the caller soda instrumentality technology. 

Blaze Pizza has implicit 340 restaurants crossed 38 states. 

'So, the drinks don't enactment unless you scan this barcode,' the idiosyncratic said successful the video, pointing to a barcode connected the cup. 

Once she scans the barcode, a timer starts connected the surface adjacent to the soda fountain, which is emblazoned with the words 'scan, pour, go!'  

'And past it's gonna springiness maine 18 seconds,' she said earlier filling up the cupful with Coca Cola zero sugar. 

'They are done with you stealing drinks,' she added astatine the extremity of the video. 

Scores of users expressed their vexation successful the comments, with 1 writing: 'I volition halt going if determination is nary escaped refills. I volition person drinks astatine home.'

'This is truthful greedy,' different commented. 

It comes aft different TikTok idiosyncratic complained astir a Pepsi 'Fast Fill' mechanics successful a video last year. 

The user, @@xxladiixpinkyxx, besides had to scan a barroom codification connected the drink, and was fixed 30 seconds to capable up the cup. 

However they were besides constricted to conscionable implicit 2 ounces of soda, which is the equivalent of lone a fewer sips.

'No much escaped drinks,' the idiosyncratic captioned the video.