Anyone else been refused tap water in restaurant

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  • MiserlyMartin
    MiserlyMartin Posts: 2,236 Forumite
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    edited 29 June 2017 at 9:54PM
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    The article says, "It says it's very rare to hear of a restaurant trying to charge, but if it does happen a customer should refuse to pay any specific charge for a glass of bog-standard tap water"

    I do hope it isn't bog standard! I often feel awkward when I ask for tap water and wonder if they will do anything to the water. Interestingly it seems to be pretty common practice in Pubs in the republic of Ireland to provide tap water and you don't even have to ask. They even provide orange squash to mix with it as well. Though in some parts of Ireland the tap water is not safe to drink you have to boil it first so watch out.
  • Cherryscone
    Cherryscone Posts: 1,412 Forumite
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    redped wrote: »
    Care to name the cafe? I'd like to add it to my "don't visit" list. While I appreciate the owners are running a business, and are not obliged to provide free tap water, I'd rather give my custom to places which aren't so obviously focused on maximising their profits.

    It already has been Named in this Thread
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  • Cherryscone
    Cherryscone Posts: 1,412 Forumite
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    motorguy wrote: »
    So they made the food "extra spicy" just to charge extra for water?

    No it Just was really Spicy I already had a Bottle of coke but In all honesty it was burning my Mouth so I wanted a glass of water I really think they could have provided it I paid for two Meals and two drinks .
    ~We are all going to hell and guess who Is driving the bus~
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  • qwert_yuiop
    qwert_yuiop Posts: 3,615 Forumite
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    Cherryscone wrote: »
    No it Just was really Spicy I already had a Bottle of coke but In all honesty it was burning my Mouth so I wanted a glass of water I really think they could have provided it I paid for two Meals and two drinks .

    Have you recovered yet?
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  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
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    motorguy wrote: »
    Reiterating what i said years ago on this thread and i still stand by it - when i / we go out for ANY meal i judge the overall cost of the meal relative to the overall experience.

    According to many on here, they're happy to pay say £60.00 for a meal for two including "free" water, but if its the same overall cost of £60.00 but are charged 2 x £1 as part of that for the water then they're outraged and wont go back?

    You're either paying for it as an itemised item, or you're paying for it across the total charges for the food. What does it really matter?

    I also base my opinion of the meal on the overall experience. Charging paying customers for tap water seems incredibly petty and inhospitable.

    It's simply not good customer service, and I'd never go back if I was charged for tap water having bought a full meal.
  • jouef
    jouef Posts: 117 Forumite
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    esuhl wrote: »
    Charging paying customers for tap water seems incredibly petty and inhospitable.
    It is for each business to decide how they balance the on-cost, opportunity cost and customer relation benefit.
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    esuhl wrote: »
    I also base my opinion of the meal on the overall experience. Charging paying customers for tap water seems incredibly petty and inhospitable.

    It's simply not good customer service, and I'd never go back if I was charged for tap water having bought a full meal.

    But clearly you dont if you're saying you won go back if, as part of the overall price they charge you for tap water?

    "Fantastic food, fantastic ambiance, fantastic service, fantastic price but i'll never go back because they charged me for a jug of tap water"

    ?
  • Cherryscone
    Cherryscone Posts: 1,412 Forumite
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    qwert_yuiop wrote: »
    Have you recovered yet?

    Just about :rotfl:If I ever go back I will buy a bottle of Water Instead of Coke.
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  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
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    motorguy wrote: »
    But clearly you dont if you're saying you won go back if, as part of the overall price they charge you for tap water?

    Clearly I do, as charging for tap water would impair the overall experience. It's not hard to understand.
    motorguy wrote: »
    "Fantastic food, fantastic ambiance, fantastic service, fantastic price but i'll never go back because they charged me for a jug of tap water"

    ?

    Yep.

    Just like I wouldn't go back to a restaurant which charged me a 20p because I'd dropped a fork and asked for a clean one. Or 50p to wash a tablecloth after I spilt food on it.

    It's not about the cost; it's about the whole experience. The hospitality industry should be hospitable towards paying customers.

    Customers are paying for a service. Part of that service should include basic things like tap water, cutlery, crockery, napkins, tablecloths, etc.
  • jouef
    jouef Posts: 117 Forumite
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    esuhl wrote: »
    ... Part of that service should include basic things like tap water, cutlery, crockery, napkins, tablecloths, etc.
    All on your list have on-costs but only tap water bears a significant opportunity cost.
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