Only having tap water at a restaurant, rude?

[Chocolattay]

Me and DH have a young baby and are a bit skint.

I go out occasionally with my friends and will skimp them, only have a main and juice etc. Today we finally got round to a date night, baby present.

I am BFing and he was driving. I only wanted water (since baby fizzy drinks give me awful burps and didn’t fancy juice). DH doesn’t like soft drinks and was driving.

We just had a jug of tap water. The staff did keep asking “Are you sure you don’t want a drink?” and we felt a bit pressured so in the end ordered coffees (which we didn’t really want) with our dessert.

Genuine question as I’m curious as to people’s thoughts, is it shitty to just get tap water at a local family owned restaurant?

Perfectly fine, even somewhere very high end. I sometimes have a glass of wine but otherwise I just have water. I don’t really drink soft drinks or juices and certainly not with dinner.

If I'm not drinking alcohol when out for dinner, I just order tap water.
I don't like fizzy drinks, and bottled still water tastes the same as tap water to me, so wouldn't bother ordering it.

@daisypond

I think it’s so completely normal to drink tap water with a meal. It would never occur to me people might think I couldn’t afford bottled water. I never buy bottled water, ever.

Exactly, same here, except if on hols in places where you are advised not to drink tap water. I never realised ordering tap water in restaurants was in any way frowned upon. Oh well, I'll continue to do so!

It’s fine. They make their money out of booze so they’d be a bit screwed if everyone did it, but if you don’t drink you don’t. And I wouldn’t pay fir bottle water.

Just leave a decent tip. Also when waiters do the hassle thing just tell them that’ll you’ll let them know if you need anything.

I only ever drink water. With a meal out, sometimes I’ll get bottled, sometimes tap. I don’t think it’s rude, I’m still spending money.

Most restaurants I’ve been to bring you a jug or bottle of water for the table anyway. I usually order tap water. Who cares if they raise an eyebrow?
In fairness I usually order a drink too, but generally only the one.

Dh and I usually order a coke/pint/wine each and also ask for a jug of water for the table, never had a comment.

Id consider that pretty cheap yeh

@NopeNoNope

I'd order water but wouldn't ask for free tap water. I'd rather not have a drink at all because I'd be worried about the raised eyebrows too and people thinking if can't afford a bottle of water then I can't afford to eat out, but I'd want to just have tap water because that's what I have all the time as I don't drink but id admire you for doing it if I was with you.

@NopeNoNope

As you can see from this thread, no one would think that.

I think given you ordered full meals/several courses, they are being rude not you

I usually drink wine/sparkling water, but my friends usually have tap water and no one has ever said a thing!

@daisypond

I think it’s so completely normal to drink tap water with a meal. It would never occur to me people might think I couldn’t afford bottled water. I never buy bottled water, ever.

Neither do, but I've def seen comments on here where people talk like tap water is gross and say they never drink it. Or have heard people say someone must be skint if they asks for free water.

Like I said, I shouldn't care and people maybe people probably wouldn't think that but I'd be worried about sticking out but looking at this thread it seems it's a common thing to do so I'm obv wrong.

Completely fine. My sister, is teetotal, she doesn't like the taste and juice doesnt really go with a meal. They should be happy with your custom regardless as they should want repeat business. If you go to tea shop for a cuppa you wouldn't expect them to keep trying to make eat food when you not hungry

@Betwixtlives

Id consider that pretty cheap yeh

Why tho? Is it more cheap than say just having a main and not starter, main and pud?

No, not at all rude. You're paying for food and having water with your meal. It's environmentally friendly and just sensible. It would be rude to hang around for ages after the meal drinking only water, but you didn't do that.
I always ask for a jug of tap water in restaurants, even if we're having other drinks too. It really seems quite commonplace, especially in higher - end places. Never had anyone complain or express disapproval. Have done this in France a lot too, where it seems to be quite normal.

No, I only get tap water. I generally don't even finish a third of a drink hence why I just get water as I don't eat and drink at the same time.

@Betwixtlives

Id consider that pretty cheap yeh

Eh? Why is it cheap? It is not about the cost. It’s about that is what people want to drink. What do you think people should order instead? And why?

I usually just drink tap water as I don't like any soft drinks nor fizzy water so I think that was fine.

Restaurants will pressure you to drink. They make the most money by selling booze than the food (unless you’re in a Michelin star restaurant), so I think you find most restaurants push the alcohol. I always have water because I tend to drive when out. .

I don’t think restaurants push alcohol. They offer you a drinks menu and that’s it. Loads of people don’t drink alcohol these days anyway. They must be used to it.

@Livelovebehappy

Restaurants will pressure you to drink. They make the most money by selling booze than the food (unless you’re in a Michelin star restaurant), so I think you find most restaurants push the alcohol. I always have water because I tend to drive when out. .

I know they do make the most money from the booze, but I've never experienced pressure to drink while in a restaurant. I often go out for food with friends mid-week and so can't really drink as I have work the next day. Plus for some reason my stomach can't really handle food plus drinks (including soft drinks like fruit juice or mock tails) - I'm either out drinking or out eating. Unless it's bottomless brunch but tbh even then the food tends to get forgotten about as the booze flows...

I think it’s perfectly acceptable if you are buying food - I wouldn’t do it personally because I don’t drink tap water at home

I drink gallons of tap water only in restaurants! I am sorry your were pressured into unwanted coffees. I don't think that's on.

I think if your eating it’s fine. Got invited to the pub with a few friends recently and two of them drank water with lemon! It’s put me off going again with them. Thought that was pretty cheap (and I did offer to buy them a drink incase they were skint). I think it’s fine not to drink alcohol and ok to order water with food but not ok to just order water - your costing them money in terms of heating and lighting and washing up.

Always ask for a jug of tap water, if thy bring a glass I reiterate the jug, swig as much of the glass as I can emphasisiing the need for a jug, I can get through a litre during an main course and desert. If I'm with my daughter I have to request no ice (no idea why she won't use tap water ice cubes but drinks tap water)

The tap water round here is awful, very metallic tasting. My ex used to run a pub and it used to piss him off of people came in and asked for tap water and nothing else. He said if people started doing it more, he’d start charging for the glass and the service.