Is ordering tap water in a restaurant rude?

[TigerOnTour]

My friend often orders tap water in restaurants and I think it's a bit rude. She also has a tiny appetite so will basically just order a side, a starter or a child's meal. I feel like we are pissing off the restaurant. Obviously we don't all have to order a bottle of champagne, but a coke isn't expensive. Friend is very wealthy, if that matters.

Of course it's not rude if that's what she wants to drink. I'd say it's normal to order tw for the table as a matter of course when out for a meal.
Some people do prefer bottled and of course the restaurant would make more money and waiters get more tip if you ordered bottled water and lots of wine. But it's hardly rude, especially as you clearly order other drinks yourself.
If a restaurant was funny or considered me rude for requesting tap water I wouldn't want to use them at all.
As for having a small appetite, well she can't really help that. Why would she order some big meal that'll just get thrown away. To try and make sure she doesn't look rude or tight in front of waiters or her friend?
If I was her I'd feel horrible if I was being judged in this way.

@TigerOnTour
No
Absolutely not

Why should it be,

Aslong as you are buying something to eat whether a snack or a starter or main meal or dessert 🍨,

Whats the issue? L.o.l

I allways do it no problem

We always order tap water even at expensive places as we can’t justify paying for water. It especially annoys me when the waiter says “ still or sparkling” without offering tap water as an option (I guess that’s how they get you).

I may or may not order other drinks

I always order tap. Anything to reduce the appalling food miles bottled water incurs.

Most places offer water for the table, not rude at all.

So she's eating alone?

Server here. We don't think it's rude to just order a tap water and a kids meal, but we chat with our colleagues and call these people cheap bastards 😂

If you are ordering a meal then it's fine to order tap water though I think it's very cheeky ordering a child's meal as an adult!

Yes this IMO

It's not that it's right to waste food, but you are using a table that could have been used by someone buying a full sized meal. Obviously if it's a quiet place with spare tables it is different to them turning away other customers

We only have water with our meals- it's not rude at all.

The taste of other drinks can spoil the taste of the food- especially thouse riddled with sweeteners.

An Indian near us asks we order a main meal during peak hours (7-9 Fri Sat), which seems fair. Apart from that, assuming others are ordering more that seems fine. My main issue would be if she's tipping at least 10%.

Not rude at all. Ordering no food or drinks at all and only having a glass of tap water would be rude. Ordering a small amount of food because that's all you want is perfectly fine.

If she just wants a starter then she just has a starter. She's still paying for food.

Is she the only one at the table?
I guess you must be there sometimes to know this, in which case she's not taking up a table while only ordering a side and water.

Not rude to order tap water, I do because I’m type 2 and don’t want to ingest all the chemicals that are in the diet/sugar free soft drinks.

Personally I never order tap water when I'm out because I'd rather have a soft drink. I was mortified a few weeks ago when out with a couple of relatives when one of them said we'd go in somewhere for a drink. She ordered 3 glasses of tap water then we proceeded to sit there for 3 hours. The staff came over a couple of times and asked if we wanted any drinks or food and she kept saying we're fine thanks.

What had you ordered? If you'd ordered drinks or food then there's nothing to be embarrassed about. The table was covered.

I have to drink water with restaurant food anything with any element of sugar makes me dizzy as hell for hours after

I hope not. I have been doing this for about 35 years. I only drink water and I'm not paying for something that comes free.

Why didn’t you order a drink?

Does she often drink coke or other fizzy drinks ? Sone people don't like fizzy pop or alcohol

I mean I'd rather a "sitting at table charge" than a random rule that you have to order a drink you don't want

Water isn’t free in the uk, where are you in the world?

in the uk we all pay for our water. It’s a monthly charge, then on top of that, restaurants have to pay staff to take the order, serve it, and wash and dry then stack the glass after, there is nothing free about it.

Not rude! Unless it's the only thing you order! 😆

Restaurants and cafes ought to bring you tap water for the whole table automatically in my view, and an increasing number do. I wouldn't feel remotely embarrassed asking for it. Bottled water is terrible for the environment.

I do t think the water is your issue, your issue is your friend taking up a table while not paying much money. Again, depends on the restaurant and whether it would otherwise fill that table and how much the rest of the group is spending

I didn't order a drink because the relative ordered for everybody and we didn't have anything to eat.