Which Dunkin Donuts is it? Willing to bet its the one in Brownwood a totally FUBAR operation=they fired all the previous staff who knew what they were doing, when they were bought out.

My mother, who's family owned a restaurant back in the 40's told me during the night shift, bums would come in and order a cup of hot water. They would then take the ketchup and make tomato soup.

The Spanish Springs location charged my father-in-law when he stopped in for a sandwich.

Personally, I think free water is simply a cost of doing business. It is far more customer friendly to absorb the cost of the cups, etc. into overhead than to unnecessarily alienate customers who have become accustomed to water being complimentary, like napkins, straws, lids, etc. (stores don't charge less if you don't take those items, so complimentary seems applicable).

And 75 years later they retired in the villages and go to Dunkin Donuts? Do they need help ironing their golf shirts?