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.

Aye, and pigs may fly, she can easily order a Light meak and ask for a small portion. Unless there is a back story that she can only eat a starter and drink some tap water, like gastric band.

I dislike coke and it's more or less the only soft drink most places have now that isn't full of NNS which a) taste awful b) make me very ill indeed.

I mostly order tap water now when going out if I don't want alcohol.

I also only drink water. And tap water = much less environmental impact than bottled water.
A counter-argument to the OP's judginess is that it's actually quite rude to go to a restaurant where someone else is lovingly preparing delicious food for you to eat, then trash your taste buds with some super-sweet fizzy drink so that you can't appreciate the meal as much!
And it's rude to judge your friend's choices. I don't actually know of many restaurants that allow adults to order off the kids' menu (which is often processed crap anyway) , but they don't usually have a problem with adults forgoing a 'main' and choosing other dishes/ courses instead.

I had a gastric bypass so only order tap water and a side! Don’t think it’s rude at all.

YABVU

I don't understand why you would order just tap water . I do understand why you would order a jug of tap water for the whole table . Amongst the other drinks , sometimes depending at the table the kids or older members would prefer that particular meal would be preferable with water .But to just decide the whole table would prefer water is a bit presumptuous . or dare I say a bit tight .

Many people prefer to drink water with food as opposed to soft drinks, so I don't see the problem.

Is she dining on her own ?

I’ll order wster but will always order drinks. My sister worked in hospitality for 40+ years and always insists on just tap water and rarely pays service. If she joins for a coffe, she won’t order one. She is not hard up but is tight with certain things. I find it embarrassing. I don’t enjoy eating out with her. It’s a bit joyless.
I think ordering tap water is ok as long as the business is making money on food and other drinks.

That's not rude at all. I always get tap water because I like drinking water and have it with every meal. I don't like drinking fizzy drinks with a meal.

I don't really think it matters what she orders. It's not harming anyone else.

It is an ancient rule of hospitality, of basic humanity, to offer anyone water if they are thirsty. That anyone would question this shows just how pampered we have become, how far removed from fundamental survival needs.

In Scotland it is enshrined in law that all licensed premises must provide free drinking water on request.

Plain water has always my drink of choice. I'm not going to add sugar and chemicals just because I'm in a restaurant. Nor will I add to the plastic pollution created by bottled waters. Nor participate in the extraction of Scotland's natural resources for the profit of those outwith Scotland.

As for food, it's good that your friend can accurately gauge their appetite and is not over-eating. That's unusual these days.

If it’s one of the three smartest restaurants in town, it’s embarrassing when the person you’re with is deliberately ordering cheaply. If you’re not feeling flush, why not go somewhere cheap?

Totally fine to order tap water. It's the better option for the environment too.
Only ordering a side because that's all that is manageable is also fine, especially if the place isn't too fancy.

If one diner is ordering three courses and the other only a side, perhaps that is awkward. If it happens often then they're not compatible diners or just going to the wrong places.

Years ago when vegetarian options were not so available, a side dish was often all there was. For example, a salad or a plate of greens. It's good to just let everyone enjoy the experience.

For the rare diner they orders tap water and a side, restaurants still have plenty of people who go through the card or drink the marked up wine. It hospitality it is swings and roundabouts. Restaurants know this and plan accordingly.

**
FangsForTheMemory

If it’s one of the three smartest restaurants in town, it’s embarrassing when the person you’re with is deliberately ordering cheaply. If you’re not feeling flush, why not go somewhere cheap.

Most wealthy people don’t give a flying fig about how “smart” a service provider is or what they think. Doesn’t even enter their heads. If they want a glass of water, that’s what they ask for.
Worrying about what other people think is a bit of a clue, tbh.

Why? She's ordering off the menu. If she was going in and asking for a half portion of something that doesn't come in half portions and demanding to pay half price then you'd have a point. Ordering what you want to eat off the menu isn't being cheap.

Very few people seem to be considering the restaurant in all this. They have staff costs, heating costs, rent etc to consider, and people going in and occupying a table for two plus hours whilst consuming a starter and tap water is ruinous for their business.

No it’s not rude. Even if you are rich tap water if more environmentally friendly.

I always order tap water if I'm not drinkjng alcohol as I don't like fizzy drinks. I'm not overly fussy about water and I don't want to spend £3 on something when I can't taste the difference. When I'm on holiday I always buy bottled water as I want to be safe.

How on earth would this be rude?

I always ask for 'water': don't want fancy bottled water with its carbon footprint.
I do remember a few years ago in New York when the lovely waiter (in one of a very starred and fancy restaurant) said: would you like bottled water or Manhatten's finest? Loved it. Took Manhatten's finest

Tap water is fine, it annoys me when waiters open with ‘still or sparkling’, it’s just an added unnecessary cost (unless you really like sparkling water, I don’t)! However I would probably also order an actual drink if there was one that I wanted and no I wouldn’t ever order just a ‘side’ in a restaurant. That’s being a massive cheapskate.

Thank you.
I don't drink alcohol and very very rarely a fizzy drink, so mostly it's tap water with a main.
Sometimes, it's even a boozeless beer.
👍

If they are worrying about water, their business model is askew

Of course it’s not rude. I only ever order tap water. Coke is horrid.