To think that if you are going to charge a pound for a mug of hot water, you should make it clear?

[pussycatwillum]

Yesterday I went out for lunch with a group of old ladies. One of them only ever drinks hot water. The waitress provided this for her. We then had lunch and asked for the bill.
The mug of hot water was charged at one pound.
The lady concerned was a) not happy to be asked to pay so much, although she did concede that she would have happily paid 50p as presumably they do have overheads to pay.
b) cross that nowhere on the menu was it mentioned and the waitress did not say 'There will be a charge of a pound for that, madam' which would have given her the chance to say no.
So was she being unreasonable?
It was at a place I have been to lots of times and when I mentioned that she wasn't happy the waitress immediately deducted the charge, but I think this was to avoid a scene.
Is it reasonable to charge for hot water, and is one pound a reasonable amount?

But it still clearly rankles years later, so I guess I won't persuade you otherwise.

oh ffs, what a bunch of babies. why would you expect anything free from a business unless it was specifically offered to you?

If you don't like how a business sector operates, just stay at home and don't use their services. The only things I think you can reasonably complain about is shit food and rudeness. Not the cost of things you have agreed to buy.

and if you don't know the price, just blinkin' ask!

wallison have you read anything I have written???

It is not there job...they take the order and give it to the kitchen or drinks waiter, the bill will be added up. If the manager has to make up a price they will do it.

If you want to know the price ASK the waitress or waiter, and they can go and check for you...

• their job.

^^why would you expect anything free from a business unless it was specifically offered to you?

Err, because there was no mention of payment? If there is a transaction going on, there should be a price stated. Also, some places do offer freebies - I've been in restaurants where we've been given bread, or olives even, and quite often if you go for a tasting menu they'll add in one or two extras just because they're available on that day - and not charge for them. On all of those occasions, a member of staff will suggest it, without any mention of price, and so you know it is free.

I have read everything you have written, yes, and I disagree with you because as I say there are restaurants out there where things like bread/extra items on the tasting menu etc are free. So it is reasonable to assume, when someone asks if you would 'like' something without telling you a price for it, that there is indeed no charge. So I think it is pretty sharp practice to 'offer' things to customers, make no mention of price and then suddenly the customer finds out, too late, that they are indeed being charged. Because in other restaurants they would not be charged.

bonkers. utterly bonkers. when they just put it on the table without asking it means its free. Its NOT free if they ask you if you'd like it, or better check. That's the basic rule. But like any business people do things differently in each establishment.

have it your own way. restaurants are all cunts out to rip you off except the nice ones who give you stuff for free. I get it. I really really do.

Are you suffering from heatstroke?

No, I am professional who is trying to show you why things happen the way they do. I get no knowledge of my efforts, just more whining on the same theme.

leaving now. You are the kind of customer who is never pleased unless you feel you getting something for nothing.

Yes, you are casting your eminently reasonably-worded pearls before swine, I can see that.

Incidentally, which profession are you in? Is it medicine, law or teaching?

Glad you realise that.

Not sure what you mean about my profession though. I owned a cafe if that helps.

Or are you suggesting, god forbid, I am fibbing? tsk!

So when a waitress asks if anyone would like some drinks, do you assume they are free as well?

If you don't know if something is free or not, then use your words and bloody ASK! Don't stick your silly head in the sand and then bitch when a business quite reasonably charges you for what you consume.

I think I love you Midnite!

wallison, want to explain your last comment?

if you want to insult me, make it clear what you mean, otherwise your post looks weirdly incomprehensible passive aggression.

Wallison, it's called up selling and most servers will be trained to do it in order to increase revenue.

Madame, no I don't own a business but I have worked in a number of different types of cafes and restaurants. I do agree with you in theory but I have found that people feel entitled to a lot more than water so maybe it is worth just giving in to avoid pissing people off. Then again I am in North America so maybe people here feel more entitled.

And you said it was a cafe you owned? In that case I think it is reasonable to charge for hot water or iced water.

I always ask how much I'll be charged for hot water and I always offer to pay. It's not on most menus so I wouldn't assume that meant I would be given it for free. However, ime, as I said upthread it's about 50/50 whether I'm charged or not.

I think it would depend on the total order. "Hi, can I have a blueberry muffin, a sandwich and a cup of hot water" would probably mean most places wouldn't charge you. But if you're only ordering just the water, and especially if you think you can put your own tea bag in it, then take up one of their tables for an hour, then I think charging is quite fair.

Businesses are there to make a profit. They aren't a charitable affair. If you don't want to pay for hot water, then use your own kitchen and your own kettle.

Most things are an upsell. I get annoyed when I go to a kebab shop. I like just meat and a tiny little bit of cheese. No salad, not sauce. But I usually always get charged the extra 50 cents for cheese, even though I'm having nothing else, and about quarter of the cheese that they usually put on. But they're a business, they can charge what they like, and I can either pay or choose to go elsewhere if I wanted to be that petty about 50c.

MidnightScribbler tbh I can't imagine ordering hot water for my own tea bag! I was a bit when I read that upthread! It does explain why some places charge much more than others for hot water if they expect you're going to be sneaking a tea bag into it.
I always order hot water with something else but then I'm the sort of person who offers to buy something if I need to nip into a cafe/pub to use a toilet with dc. I run my own business perhaps that's why I view it differently.

A bit off-topic but something nice happened yesterday in a cafe to me. Ordered a coffee and the realised I d forgotten my purse. Coffee had already been made. Told them I d nip out to bank to get some money. They said, oh just sit and enjoy your coffee. That's nice I thought and I replied that I'd get it immediately I'd finished to which they said 'oh just give it us next time you're in'. Anyway, I did get the money out afterwards and went back, explained to a different assistant that I was paying due money. She said 'oh I'll just charge you a takeaway price'. It was Neros and I guess I hadn't expected that from a high street chain. I'll definitely go back.

My mum is an OAP. She drinks only hot water too she is more than happy to pay for her drink and is pleasantly surprised when, from time to time, she is not charged for it. £1 is cheap for a hot drink in a cafe.