Paying for soda water?!

misscomickat

Last night it was my work night out at a hotel.

I went to the bar and ordered a white wine, and a small glass of soda water. I often order that when I go out, to keep me from drinking too much and so I can drink the soda water when I am thirsty, and actually appreciate the wine.

The small glass of wine came to £3.85 (ouch), and then the barman added on another £1 for the soda water!!! I asked him why he had charged me for it, and he said "we have to."

I've had soda water in loads and loads of bars and restaurants all over the country, and have never ever been charged. It is not as though it costs the venue any money to produce!

I told the barman I didn't want it, and he had to pour it away.

Just wondered if anyone knows other places that charge for soda water? I thought it was the absolute norm that it was free! Sometimes I have it with lime and then, fair enough, I am charged for the lime.

jesousse

lol, you havent been to many places then have you? Round where i live even the local pubs charge for it

misscomickat

Where do you live? As I said above, I have ordered it in loads of places, especially venues a lot swisher and nicer than last night's hotel, and not been charged.

dzug

Soda water DOES cost them to produce - not much, admittedly, but it does cost. Can you get it in a supermarket free? No.

I would have thought it the norm to charge for 'manufactured' water such as soda water, mineral water, etc.

For tap water there's a whole range of arguments that ranges from they 'have to' provide it free to they can charge for use of the glass but not for the water itself to they can charge anyway. All are based on assertion rather than evidence so I prefer not to get involved.

Even tap water costs them - it's metered.

ckerrd

Certainly would not expect to get soda water for free, so I guess you must have been lucky not to have been charged before.

misscomickat

So is there no-one else who thinks it is unusual? I didn't realise I would be alone. It's very normal around here for it to be free. I've been working in bars and clubs since I was 17 and have never known any to charge.

svmitche

It's a toss up around here whether you are charged or not - usually it's hotels and restaurants that charge and pubs usually don't.

ckerrd

In days of old I recall you got soda water from a big syphon bottle at the bar,then it came in little bottles and now in one of the hose dispenser things.
There used to be different charges for a "dash" and a bottle.

TBH - if I go into a pub/hotel/restaurant I would expect to be charged for anything I ordered.

Vampgirl

Based on my experiences in various places I would expect to pay for soda or mineral water, but not for tap water .

mai_tai_2

I've worked in pubs and clubs since i was 18 and i've never had to charge for soda water and i've never been charged for it either!

Magenta_Wolves

misscomickat I have to agree with you, soda water should be free unless it is served in bottles, which some pubs and hotels do. Like you, I always have a glass to go with my wine and have never been charged for it when it is served from a dispenser.