Tap water experiences

cello57

michael-m wrote: »

I understood all restaurants/bars in GB were obliged by law to provide a glass of tap water on request, whether or not one is buying any other food or drink.

Not that I know of, and I've owned a pub for several years. Tap water, although cheap, is not free if you're on a meter, and there are staff costs and glass washing to pay for too. However, I've never refused anyone.

djeggy69 wrote:

I even sit in my local pub with a pint of lager and a pint of tap water while watching the footie!

Makes you wonder how your pub manages to pay the Sky subscription, doesn't it?:rolleyes:

NafUk

I heard on radio 2 (or 4?) the other day that every liter of bottled water
requires 6 liters of water and 1 liter of oil to produce it!!!
Bottled water is an environmental nightmare!!! Spread the word and lets get rid of bottled water.

walrusoflove

The Strada chain bring you lovely bottles of filtered tap without you even having to ask for it so a big thumbs-up to them! A Chinese restaurant in Brighton I used to go to actually had a written notice on each table saying they would only supply customers with bottled water , so I stopped going there (and it's closed down now, ha ha!). I'd willingly donate to a clean water charity each time I am served tap water, having seen women in Kenya and Tanzania walking literally miles twice a day with heavy buckets simply to get clean water - in the 21st century...

Taadaa

I don't have any qualms about asking for tap water. Normally I don't have any problems getting it, although sometimes they aren't happy about it. If they won't serve me tap water, I don't have any.

char85

I was at the 100 club on oxford street on monday night and when I asked for a glass of tap water initially, they obliged, then later I asked for another and the bar girl said she couldnt give it to me because I might be on drugs! at 8.30 on a monday night after a swing class? i don't think so - just thirsty!
It really really leaves a sour taste in my mouth when people refuse to serve tap water - it's a basic right and I'm sure there's a law about it somewhere...

golddustmedia

I went to my local Wetherspoons for cheapo food and had no problem getting a jug of tap water with ice & lemon at no cost.

Voyager2002

I usually ask for tap water when I have a restaurant meal (generally in addition to a paid-for drink). If I don't get the tap water, the waiter doesn't get a tip.

potbelly

This post will no doubt cause a reaction but please consider the following.
Tap water is NOT free to anyone, be it in your house, at work or in a restaurant; we all pay for it somehow, either rates or water meter so why should we expect it to be free in a restaurant? However, I do agree that some places charge ridiculous amounts for a glass/ jug of tap water and that SHOULD be addressed. But ask yourself if you would be prepared to hand out 'free' water at your front door to all the passers by?

The restaurants giving out free water will have covered the costs elsewhere in the bill so it will have been budgeted for, just like any other business.

If the question is the potability of the water, then tap water is perfectly acceptable. I believe our water standards are higher than some of the imported bottled water.

By the way I usually ask for tap water when eating out but have no objection to a reasonable charge for that. As another poster stated, they still have to pay for the glass/ jug to be cleaned and for the staff to serve it to you.

I really like the idea of a contribution towards water based charities and think that is the best suggestion of all the posts on this thread.

harryhound

mb1975 wrote: »

Hi!

My hubby and I have just been to Paris for a weekend, and were offered tap water in every restaurant we ate in - in most cases a carafe just appeared on the table without having to ask for it.

Very much like the idea of using tap-water "sales" to raise awareness/ funds for overseas water action.

When I was a kid (50 years ago) French tap water was considered a bit dodgy, so it was customary to drink it 50/50 with red wine to kill the bugs. [Like English kids were raised on "small beer" until the universal kettle on the trivet, for making new fangled tea, came in during the early 1800's].

The French still tend to have the bottomless free breadbasket, and a maximum price for a standard stick at the bakery, I think this links back to the concept of assuring the poorest peasants that they will not go to bed hungry.

A_little_stressed!!

Slightly off topic, but out of interest, these places that say they have 'unfit' water, but use it for ice cubes, does the same happen when we go abroad?? We can't frink the tap water because there is a pretty good chance it'll make us ill, but what do THEY use to make ice-cubes??