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Original poster

Is ordering tap water in a restaurant rude?

211 replies

TigerOnTour · 30/05/2024 15:51

My friend often orders tap water in restaurants and I think it's a bit rude. She also has a tiny appetite so will basically just order a side, a starter or a child's meal. I feel like we are pissing off the restaurant. Obviously we don't all have to order a bottle of champagne, but a coke isn't expensive. Friend is very wealthy, if that matters.

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pollymere · 01/06/2024 10:49

I don't see any issue with someone ordering this. Your friend clearly has enough money and class to not give a FF what others think. In restaurants where it matters you are usually charged a minimum amount so you can have just a coffee but at certain times you are charged a table levy for doing so. I imagine your friend does actually spend more than this minimum anyway.

usernother · 01/06/2024 10:45

It's not rude. I do think it's stingy though.

Shanda5 · 01/06/2024 10:08

I don't like soft drinks. I always order tap Water because why waste a bottle when tap is perfectly nice?

RedSuedePump · 01/06/2024 07:53

i will order tap water if i feel the price of the soft drinks are a rip off - £4.50 for a coke for example!! i do like fizzy water though to do order that usually with a meal if i’m having soft drinks.

helpplease01 · 01/06/2024 07:44

No. It’s not rude!

yumyumyumy · 01/06/2024 01:59

I'm not keen on soft drinks and often order tap water but I wouldn't order a kids meal or side unless I was at a fast food place.

Ilovecleaning · 01/06/2024 01:47

Does she tip?

Alicewinn · 31/05/2024 23:55

Yeah, that would embarrass me too

neighboursmustliveon · 31/05/2024 23:10

I have a friend a bit like this. Her favourite drink is water with lemon so she only orders this. She is frugal so always watching the pennies. I’m less so and usually order wine so hope it makes up for it. We only go out for lunch usually when it’s quiet so we are not taking up space from someone spending a fortune.

Lilacwall · 31/05/2024 22:15

FangsForTheMemory · 30/05/2024 19:17

I've got a friend who does this and I find it very embarrassing, particularly as she chooses to go to upmarket restaurants. So we'll sit down and she orders a main course, one of the two or three cheapest on the menu, and tap water. No pudding, no coffee. I feel so uncomfortable I'll order a glass of wine, an expensive main and coffee if I don't want pudding. I actually avoid lunching with her now, because I don't understand why you would go somewhere nice and have something you can make at home.

Your behaviour is much stranger than your friends I must say...

LaughingCat · 31/05/2024 20:38

I don’t really drink alcohol and I hate all soft drinks. I like tap water. Literally no restaurant has hated me for it. Bit weird you’re worrying about your friend’s freedom of choice in what she orders.

OhcantthInkofaname · 31/05/2024 20:24

Wealth has nothing to do with what your friend orders. I prefer to hydrate myself with water. I also do not order massive quantities of food. I have a simple appetite and eat small portions.

Mwanamatapa · 31/05/2024 20:18

I usually have bottled water in a wine glass. Nothing wrong with ordering a side it appetizer. We have too bigger portions anyway. I often order a starter.
I think a restaurant would be glad of the patronage anyway.

JustMeAndTheFish · 31/05/2024 20:09

Absolutely not rude.We always ask for water for the table irrespective of what/if everyone is drinking.

laraitopbanana · 31/05/2024 19:54

Yeah…if you aren’t a child, order from the normal menu… Generally speaking, if you don’t want to spend money, stay home. It is upsetting and annoying to people having to bear with these attitudes. If she wants to be careful then she can choose something else than going out for dinner. A coffee?

About the water… if you aren’t in a restaurant that ask you « flat or fizzy », when you request water…no, it aren’t rude. They will probably just fill the cruche with water tap anyway…

JustBeKinder · 31/05/2024 19:45

It’s pretty standard to order tap water in most restaurants, I was out for dinner last night and we were brought tap water automatically without asking for it

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 31/05/2024 19:33

CaptainMyCaptain · 30/05/2024 15:58

We always order tap water alongside other drinks. It's quite normal.

Same here. Bottled water is a rip off.

Azaleahead · 31/05/2024 19:23

I don’t like fizzy drinks, sugary drinks or alcohol so it’s rare I have anything other than tap water to drink. I always feel a bit embarrassed asking just for tap water, but I love my food so figure I make up for it that way.

Judecb · 31/05/2024 19:17

Completely normal to order tap water.

Lincslady53 · 31/05/2024 19:13

It is a legal requirement in the UK for restaurants to offer tap water.
'All restaurants in England and Wales that serve alcohol are legally required to give customers free tap water according to the Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010, which came into force in April 2010 and was updated in 2014.'

WayOutOfLine · 31/05/2024 13:05

People on injectibles (weight loss) won't necessarily want a whole main course, I think Weight Watchers or one of those is bringing out food specific for that, so clearly there's a marketplace, as are all these protein-rich ready meals they now do in the supermarket. Eating three-course meals in restaurants is going out of fashion, I think, we go to a local one that does two courses for a set amount (so out of starter and main and dessert) and that's very popular.

yeoldbamboo · 31/05/2024 11:24

Plenty of restaurants offer small plates/tapas/snacks for people with small appetites. I expect restaurants know what they are doing and offer tap water without being asked and still manage to survive.

Lancrelady80 · 31/05/2024 11:01

The only thing that's a bit off here is ordering from the child's menu when clearly not a child. Personally, if I ran a restaurant it would be my rule that only under a certain age could do that.

Depending on success of the business, I might offer half sizes of adult meals or OAP deals (only adults I know who have tried ordering children's meals), but my starting point would be children's menus for children only.

Zero problem with ordering tap water as long as something else was ordered by the table too, be that alternative drinks or food (of any type.)

yeoldbamboo · 31/05/2024 10:11

AlviarinAesSedai · 31/05/2024 09:28

Water in my part of the north east is lovely and soft and tastes great. I only buy sparkling water otherwise it’s a waste of resources ( glass or plastic).

Water in the south tastes good too, IMO much better than a lot of bottled waters! A restaurant we visited recently offered bottles of sparkling tap water for £1 and they donated that £1 to charity.