Cafe charging for tap water

[coldheartwarmtoes]

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!

As a guest I prefer having a reasonably priced tap water on the menu and just paying for it.

I don't like asking for something which isn't on the menu, I don't like to ask for a favour in business relationship. I want to have clear itemised price and pay it, no faffing with free water, tips and other indirect parts of the business.

My local coffee shop started this earlier in the year. On my WFH day I would often pop round and order a panini, a coffee, and a glass of tap water, then sit and eat my lunch and read for half an hour. I just stopped going as it annoyed me so much.

I think tap water is a human right of sorts, and so should be offered for free. But! No reason to serve it in a nice glass with ice and lemon to passers-by not buying anything. A carafe of water on a side-dish, a few simple cups, eventually the offer to use the tap to fill a waterbottle. For those having food and/or drinks a glass of free tapwater (make it a bottle or a carafe) should automatically be served as a sign of hospitality and appreciation.

I've worked in many cafes etc and never had someone just irder taolp water and nothing else. I do think it's a sign of the times if people are actually doing this. A lack of public services, a lack of understanding that a business isn't there to provide free water and shelter.

If the cafe are being inundated with people just wanting water and nothing else, a charge is very reasonable.

Put a minimum spend on adult customers if you must but charging for tap water seems uncharitable

Probably similar price to ask for bottled water then 😂 (outside of London)

I can maybe understand doing this in a rural location where all the competition is in a similar position but in a big city where many places like Cafe Nero let you help yourself to as much free water as you like there is a chance that some customers will just go elsewhere.

If you run your own business one of the benefits is to decide who you don’t want there though so maybe the cafe would be fine with that.

I don't know what you mean? I'm suggesting that the cafe owner could have a kilner dispenser with water for paying customers to use. The cafe owner's issue is the time spent washing up etc. If paying customers have an option to fill their own flask with tap water to drink while consuming the food they bought then this resolves the issue.

If you were a bit community minded people might look to support you in turn if you fell on hard times as they would also see you as a vital part of the community. Each to their own though.

I fo think charging for tap water is a bit cheeky. we always ask for a pint of water each when go for pub grub. we spend about 40 or 50e each time so I think that's enough. I am one though that always asks for half portions. I have a small stomach and can't eat a full dinner that some places serve. even worse when it's curry or something portions are massive. can't bear to see food left behind in a restaurant. I don't expect it to be half price though. if full portion is 15e then I think around 10e is a good proce I dint expect it to be half of 15e

I agree with most previous posters that if you are buying other things eg a coffee, tap water should be free on the side. However I think if you are going in to a cafe, sitting at a table and only ordering tap water, that is very cheeky indeed and I think in this case it’s entirely reasonable to be charged!

I know one person who often works from cafes and will sit there for 5-6 hours at a time ordering only tap water. In terms of etiquette I would say that that is poor behaviour, but also totally unreasonable to expect businesses to tolerate!

I had an interesting experience last week. I went to an independent cafe near to where I live. Not for the first, second or even third time. I had a coffee and a cake and then I left. I popped back ten minutes later and asked to use the toilet as I’m nine months pregnant and the act of standing up basically made me need the toilet. The owner woman was behind the counter, she’d served me, she’d served me before in previous visits, she’d asked how my pregnancy was going, and she said no, unless I bought something else.

I was absolutely incredulous. She was not interested in reason. I might understand it if I hadn’t bought anything at all, though if I was her I’d have let a pregnant woman use a toilet, plus she may be more likely to come back in the future. I won’t be.

@Hibiscrubbed I’d be boycotting that cafe. That’s just petty.

Who on earth goes to a cafe and sits down and just orders water. I’ve never seen this happen and have worked in lots of bars and restaurants. Has anyone on here ever seen another customer do this? If it ever did happen it must be so rare as to not be worth mentioning.

Sounds like the cafe is going to go out of business very soon. We would totally boycott a place like that for several reasons. Firstly, the food premium we pay should more than cover the cost of water. Secondly, I am not going to order a full portion of food for my kid just to see most of it go the bin. Thirdly, I highly doubt anyone goes to the cafe to just drink water so the owners are being sour because they can no longer charge £3 for a cup of tea or coffee that costs them 20p to make. My kid only drinks water and there is no way I am paying £1 for it. I bet they won’t let us bring our own water either…

I find it odd that people expect to go into cafes/pubs and expect to use loos etc. without buying anything - I'm on the road a lot for work and if I want to use facilities at a cafe or pub, I'd always buy a coffee or something as well. Similarly if I want my bottle filled when I'm out cycling, I'd always buy something.

Thirdly, I highly doubt anyone goes to the cafe to just drink water

Despite numerous people on the thread detailing folks that do exactly that…

In the UK? My understanding is that anyone can knock on a door in the UK and ask for a glass of water, for free. It's the law. The cafe can't charge for tapwater. They may be able to charge for glass hire!

that seems like a spurious comparison. someone can knock on my door, but I'm not obliged to give it to them.

Similarly, someone can knock on my door and ask if I'd let them move in. That's not illegal either. Unlikely, but not illegal. And I don't have to say yes.

If there ordering something else then it should be free but getting nothing else just a water than a charge is ok. Especially if they are sitting at a table meaning paying customers can't get in

I am not going to order a full portion of food for my kid just to see most of it go the bin.

Tbf, they mean adults who order half portions, not kids. Presumably kids are being accompanied by adults, and those adults should be ordering from the adult menu not kids menu.

Links to the law have been posted several times.

only places with an alcohol license are obliged to have free water

To be fair you do seem to be suggesting that you spend very little on your children in a cafe despite them probably taking up a full seat

It should be free when ordering food . I only drink water with my meal. Sometimes I’ll have a tea afterwards. I wouldn’t go back to somewhere who charged £1 for a glass of tap water . My sister and I regularly drink two jugs of water with lunch.
Of course they can charge and people can choose not to come back.

Would you suggest I spend a bit more so the food and the drinks which she doesn't like can be thrown away to make the cafe owner happy? I spend an appropriate amount for the things she eats and drinks and it just so happened that she very rarely wants anything to drink other than water. If the cafe has an issue with having children present, they are free to make it adult-only spaces. But until then my kid has a right to take up space especially when she comes with two adults who spend plenty on their own food and coffee.

"detailing" or "speculating"? Because I see nothing like this mentioned in the original post.