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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cafe charging for tap water

234 replies

coldheartwarmtoes · 04/09/2023 13:47

Cafe local to me posted on Facebook yesterday that they were going to start charging people £1 for tap water.

Basically they're fed up of people just ordering the water and not a drink when there water, staff, washing up costs attached etc.

The whole thread derailed with people flouncing and being horrified.

Are they being unreasonable?

I'd share the link but they took it down!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
LubaLuca · 04/09/2023 14:11

Nobody should be going in a cafe only for a glass of free tap water. They're using resources and space that should be dedicated to paying customers.

A glass alongside a paid order of anything else should be free.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:11

SleepingStandingUp · 04/09/2023 14:06

But spending £2 a go on bottles water when they have a tap working perfectly fine is ridiculous when I'm spending £30+. Fine if it's the only thing you're ordering esp if they're then sitting down to drink it

Show quote history

This.

I'd rather pay £1 for a jug of tap water than £2+ for a small bottle of water, as that means I'm not contributing to the single use plastic mountain and often I'd like to drink more than 500 ml of water with a meal.

I also don't like sweet drinks whatever they're sweetened with and will always prefer plain water with a meal if I'm not drinking alcohol.

BungleandGeorge · 04/09/2023 14:14

i think it’s fine to charge but £1 is too expensive if you’ve ordered other items. If people are just ordering water sitting at a table and using the loo £1 is fine but I’ve never seen anyone do that personally. I don’t think you should expect free water bottle refills without purchase either

Viviennemary · 04/09/2023 14:15

I often ask for tap water but only if I buy another drink too. I don't think they are allowed to charge for tap water. Bit cheeky to have just tap water.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:16

So should I buy a drink I don't want, to avoid being 'cheeky'?

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 04/09/2023 14:19

you could order some food instead? Cheeky to go to a cafe and not plan on spending any money

GingerIsBest · 04/09/2023 14:19

Our local cafe doesn't have this sort of guideline, but I can see how they might want to implement it because they get quite busy in there so if someone was taking up a table and only having water or there were endless walkers coming in and asking for bottle refills, that makes it hard for them to serve the customers. And they can't really afford more staff.

But overall, I think charging for tap water is ridiculous and I'd probably boycott a place that started doing it unless there were very strict guidelines as above in place.

Viviennemary · 04/09/2023 14:19

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:16

So should I buy a drink I don't want, to avoid being 'cheeky'?

It's folk like you too mean to buy a drink that cause small cafes to go out of business.

Viviennemary · 04/09/2023 14:20

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:16

So should I buy a drink I don't want, to avoid being 'cheeky'?

It's folk like you too mean to buy a drink that cause small cafes to go out of business.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 04/09/2023 14:20

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:16

So should I buy a drink I don't want, to avoid being 'cheeky'?

You could order food instead? Cheeky to go to a cafe and not plan on spending anything

wizzywig · 04/09/2023 14:20

@AtomicBlondeRose you ask shops to fill your bottle when you aren't buying anything ?

BarbaraofSeville · 04/09/2023 14:23

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 04/09/2023 14:20

You could order food instead? Cheeky to go to a cafe and not plan on spending anything

Show quote history

I never said anything about 'not spending anything'. Confused

If I'm in a cafe, I'm there because I'm buying food, otherwise, why else would I be there?

I want plain water with my meal and I don't want a plastic bottle of water, or a soft drink, especially when they charge £2+ for it, hence being happy to pay £1 for a jug of tap water.

HamBone · 04/09/2023 14:23

As PP’s have said, I’m assuming that they’ve got “customers” who are only ordering a glass of water and then hogging tables for a significant time, preventing additional paying customers from using them.

Or perhaps the first customers are ordering a small snack, finishing it and then asking for tap water while they continue sitting at the table for a lengthy time - perhaps working?

It might be more diplomatic to set time limits at tables during busy periods. We live near a university and one. local cafe has signs asking customers to limit their table use to 45 minutes from 12-3. I think that’s fair enough, because students often bring their laptops and work there for ages- and it’s a tiny cafe with limited seating.

FlamingoFloss · 04/09/2023 14:23

They are not allowed to charge for tap water (I work for a water company). What they can do is charge for a cup but this is usually a disposable cup not a proper cup
or glass and the. It would be minimal.
I think if you are purchasing food then it’s entirely reasonable to ask for tap water and not be charged for it. They are BVU

HamBone · 04/09/2023 14:25

If I'm in a cafe, I'm there because I'm buying food, otherwise, why else would I be there?

@BarbaraofSeville As I suggested above, they probably have table hoggers who work there for 2-3 hours.

PinkRoses1245 · 04/09/2023 14:25

It should be free if you order another drink, or food. But if just tap water, that's fair to charge. You're taking up a seat in the cafe

AtomicBlondeRose · 04/09/2023 14:26

@wizzywig - yep - they usually have a “tap water available” sticker on the door in chains like Costa so they have signed up for this! I don’t go in if it’s busy but say I’m in a railway station I’ll just nip up to the counter and ask. Never been refused or had anyone act like it’s an issue. It’s literally a scheme to cut down on plastic waste! https://www.refill.org.uk/

Home - Refill - find places to eat, drink and shop with less waste

Refill is an award-winning campaign, from City to Sea, designed to connect you to places to eat, drink and shop with less waste.

https://www.refill.org.uk/

Seashellies · 04/09/2023 14:26

I think ordering a glass of tap water if you're having food or if you're part of a group where most are ordering other drinks then it seems fair to be free, I also wouldn't mind if people were passing and wanted their own bottles filling up. I can see why people wanting to sit down and use a glass etc whilst taking up a table are annoying and not worth their while, seems reasonable to charge tbh.

AtomicBlondeRose · 04/09/2023 14:27

Costa are happy to do it…

Cafe charging for tap water
PinkRoses1245 · 04/09/2023 14:28

I used to work at a student bar, and we introduced a charge of 50p for hot water - honestly I had to deal with so much abuse from customers about it. But it cost us washing up the cup, the hot water, and also almost all customers then used our milk and sugar, with their own tea bags.

wizzywig · 04/09/2023 14:29

@AtomicBlondeRose I never knew that! Thank you for sharing.

HamBone · 04/09/2023 14:30

PinkRoses1245 · 04/09/2023 14:28

I used to work at a student bar, and we introduced a charge of 50p for hot water - honestly I had to deal with so much abuse from customers about it. But it cost us washing up the cup, the hot water, and also almost all customers then used our milk and sugar, with their own tea bags.

@PinkRoses1245 What, people brought their own tea bags in and used your tables, milk, sugar, etc.?! Wow- I can understand why you started charging 50p!

BlueBlubbaWhale · 04/09/2023 14:31

Seems reasonable. It's CF territory to go in and just ask for free water. Fine if you're ordering other stuff which I imagine is why they say at their discretion,

Ohmylovejune · 04/09/2023 14:31

@coldheartwarmtoes

What might happen is no help in covering costs now. And actually, someone who orders only free tap water is unlikely actually to come back and spend a lot another time as its an indication of their situation or choices.

I'm.the only one that orders a paid for drink when we go out in our family. The others all order tap water. I'd expect to pay if they didn't serve alcohol. We always have good food orders though and tip. They don't drink water to save money per se they drink it because that's what they like - its what they drink at home too. And they'd never just order water.

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