Is ordering tap water in a restaurant rude?

Tap water all the way. Generous tips all the way, too. At least £5 just for the "free" glass of water.

Definitely not, tap water more eco choice than bottled. Would not go back to any restaurant that refused to serve tap water.

I always order tap water as it has the smallest carbon footprint.

I doubt the restaurant has an issue so long as the rest of the table is eating etc.

DS, aged about 6 and I used to order the "wrong" breakfast. He ordered me a kids fry up, I ordered him an adults blueberry pancake stack. Then we swapped. Other child, plus DH ordered adults meals too. I guess we knew it was cheeky, otherwise we'd have ordered what we wanted. But we spent a fortune in that restaurant (not in uk - getting bacon and prizes sausages was difficult).

And yes, I usually order tap water. I'd rather eat desert than drink my sugar!

Of course it isn't rude. Most restaurants these days make a big thing of serving tao water appealingly eg chilled and filtered in a nice bottle. It's the norm now.

There was a time when ordering bottled water was presented as the smarter option and tap water was seen as a bit cheap- that was decades ago though. These days I think it's the other way round- you look much worse ordering bottled (still) water and the smarter thing to do is order tap.

Her being wealthy doesn’t mean she has to have a big appetite. Many people go for just a starter (or even a child’s meal if it’s allowed It isn’t in many restaurants). My elderly mother couldn’t eat a main and a large plateful put in front of her put her off eating at all. Nothing wrong with tap water either. Assume she’s driving or a non drinker. If there’s at least two of you the restaurant isn’t suffering. Why not go for afternoon tea instead if you find her embarrassing.

I’m going to go against the grain here. I’m with you OP. Restaurants are struggling with costs rising etc. I would think it’s taking the piss for an adult to order a glass of tap water and a kids meal. I would avoid going out with her in the future and suggest something else like An activity or cinema or theatre etc that’s not food related.

I don't like fizzy drinks. I order tap water because I like it so does DS. DH orders alcohol. We all order meals and DH and DS have desserts too. I don't because I'm not really keen on desserts. I might order cheese and crackers if they have it though. It's not rude to order tap water.

I'm gobsmacked. The staff must have been really meek and timid. Most places would ask you to leave, probably after about 10-15 minutes of ordering nothing.

We always order tap water when we go out to eat as a family. We all just prefer water. We've spent plenty on meals for a family of 5, I've never considered it rude.

Honestly, without wanting to sound like an entitled prick, isn't a restaurant there to serve you? If what you want to eat is a salad and some water... isn't it their job to give you that? Should you only go out to eat if you want to order a rack of ribs and wine? Their business model should surely account for not every customer ordering the most expensive items on the menu.

I only drink tap water as I don't like soft drinks but would order a main meal.

If she was taking up a big table by herself and barely ordering anything then that could be an issue but if she's with other people ordering more then it's fine.

For some people who suffer with digestive issues (acid reflux, for example), water is often the only drink they can drink when out in a restaurant etc. Fizzy drinks and acidic drinks are a big no no for them.

I don’t think your friend was rude, OP.

The intended use is not to provide a side dish and a glass of water.

Are you not an adult? I think this site is for over 18s only. If an adult you can just order a drink . You don’t need your mum or whatever to do it for you.

Equally, the restaurant as a private business could ask them to leave if that was all they were planning on ordering. That's a big call as there would be a tripadvisor blowback. But well within their rights.

Not at all, I think it's quite normal. DD is type 1 diabetic so many drinks spike her blood sugar levels. She doesn't like fizzy drinks either, so always drinks tap water.

It would be rude if everyoneat the table ordered tap water and a side, though. If someone's reserved a table for six and they order six glasses of tap water and six green side-salads or six bowls of olives, then they're massively taking the piss.

Why? The restaurant isn't entitled to average takings per table from every table. Maybe none of them are particularly hungry or have 'some hang-ups about food' as you say. If they don't linger over the table for the time that another group would take to eat six bowls of olives, six starters, six mains, six desserts and drink six coffees, they're just making use of the restaurant for the intended purpose of the restaurant (the provision of such food to diners as diners select from the menu). It's not rude just because they're spending less money than some. The restaurant is there for the customers, not customers for the restaurant.

I always order a jug of tap water for the table but only if we are also ordering a round of drinks for the table at the same time. I like to have a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink If we really only wanted water with our meal I would order bottled water.

I don’t think it’s rude. I have diabetes type 2 so I don’t drink soft drinks - only water - and it really does feel extravagant to order mineral water when I’m fine with tap. No one ever seems to mind; they usually say, “Shall I bring a jug of tap water for the whole table?” It seems to be something they’re used to.

But when the staff came over "a couple of times" you could easily have said... I'll have a cup of tea / coffee / cola / bottle of wine. You didn't have to sit there for 3 hours with one measly glass of tap water.

I wonder how many people would baulk at actually paying for tap water? As PP mentioned, there are costs to the establishments in serving tap water.

I've worked in a few restaurants.

I wouldn't have considered it rude for one person at the table to order tap water and a side. There are plenty of reasons that some people can't eat a lot, and tap water is perfectly OK to ask for. I wouldn't have thought 'She's a tight cow'. I'd probably have thought 'Maybe she's not feeling too well today' or 'Maybe she's just got some hang-ups about food'.

Yes, the restaurant makes a bit less money from the table, but it's not a big deal - I mean, a restaurant also makes less money if a group of an odd number comes in, because most tables are set for an even number. Which means you've essentially got an empty, profitless space that you can't give to another diner. But it's just one of those things - no restaurant thinks it's rude for five people to dine together at a table that can accommodate six, or for one person to dine alone at a table that could accommodate two. Similarly, no restaurant really thinks it's rude if one person at a table doesn't order much - again, just one of those things.

It would be rude if everyone at the table ordered tap water and a side, though. If someone's reserved a table for six and they order six glasses of tap water and six green side-salads or six bowls of olives, then they're massively taking the piss.

I've been to eat in a few places recently who no longer offer "full diesel" coke which is my drink of choice when im out.
I really dont like the saccharine taste of zero diet stuff so if they tell me no proper coke then I respond with a request for water.

Never thought of it as rude.

Then again, I dont piss about with ordering sides or kids meals at the same time so who knows.

So either you were happy to sit there not having anything either or you actually did want something and couldn't use your own voice to order something. Either way it's as much down to you as your relative if the table ordered nothing.

Astonishing pov there.

The kids' meals and the starters are on the menu and they're not produced at a loss.