Asking for tap water in a restaurant or bar

Maybe its because Germany has world's priciest water

As far as I know, it's the law in the UK for a licensed establishment to serve tapwater for free.

Might be complete BS there and I have no citation or anything, but I always asked for tapwater in the UK and got it for free...

Here in Germany I don't even bother asking, drinks are grossly overpriced I usually go with the largest amount of Tafelwasser available, since the more you get the cheaper it seems to be...

Oh that and bringing my own alcoholic drinks to the restaurant, but that's ex-seattleites influence.

I used to own a restaurant in the UK and the law says that you must provide tap water free of charge......which we always obliged. I sometimes offered ice and a slice (lemon).

Here is one for you all....If you dine in Italy they actually charge you for sitting at the table.....it's called 'Coperto'; a cover charge which you need to pay.

I can't imagine many of you tight arsed tap water drinkers asking to eat whilst standing!!!

asking for tap water is not tight arsed... what is your issue?

Thanks, Expaticus. Your post goes a long way toward explaining the European bias against drinking tap water. News flash: The War is over, and Europe has been rebuilt. It's OK to drink the water again.

Agree with Carm; it's not a question of being stingy. We are talking about requesting high-quality drinking water in addition to a regular drink. There is no financial or logistical sense to drinking bottled water, especially in Germany where it tastes foul due to the addition of Kohlensäure.

In fact, in the one place I was refused, it was intended to accompany a €25 bottle of wine, so who's being stingy? In the end we got it by giving them the choice between a glass of water or walking out of the door.

@James_Runner: I wouldn't call it a European bias; even in Austria, a glass of tap water is automatically served with any coffee. It's a uniquely German phenomenon.

From experience, the Dutch are also reluctant to give away their 'Oh so valuable' tap water

From the Customer Service Awards thread this afternoon:

I read that and was surprised

I had lunch today at a new (to me) noodle bar. The sort of high street place where they have lots of lunchtime special offers and a high turn over.

A 200ml soft drink was included in the meal. I found the food a bit salty and at the end, when they were clearing everything away, asked for a glass of tap water. A 200mi glass of water was brought promptly with a smile and I was given no hassle at all whilst I sat there sippng it whilst finishing off my book chapter.

[quote name='Kommentarlos' date='Aug 20 2008, 6:15 pm' post='1373777']
A 200mi glass of water was brought promptly with a smile and I was given no hassle at all whilst I sat there sippng it whilst finishing off my book chapter.
[/quote

You appear to have found the exception that proves the rule!

So far I never had any problems getting tap water...

I did go out with a mate of mine once though and when he asked what I'd like to drink answered "water", expecting him to buy me a fizzy water. He came back with a glass of tap water...now that's what I call cheap

Some time ago it was reported in a local newspaper that a very well known restaurant in Munich sold Tap ( they named it Stilles ) water with a slice of lemon 0,5L for €3,20. Thats a Kubikmeter price of €6,400!!!

garibaldi: Whether coming from a waiter/waitress or some poster on TT (in this case, you), my response to rudeness is never jealousy.

Have to agree that I don't understand why Germans (esp the older) won't drink tap water. Now if you have ever been to NJ or any large american city, that is where you should avoid the tap water. Still customs are customs! I have never had a problem to get tap water occasionally when one has ordered food and another drink. Must admit though, if someone is so cheap that they go for only the lunch special and then want tap water to avoid paying anything fee- - they shouldn't be dining out. Or they should go to mcdonalds.

Perhaps we should update this thread as and when to 'name and shame' offending restaurants who charge for tap water.

We could also have a 'hall of fame' for places that don't charge, thereby making it easier for tap water lovers to select where to whine and dine...

I will start it off:

1. Olives, Allach. A pitcher of tap water with ice offered FOC. Tap Water Rating: 10
2. Polonis Italian, Feldmoching. Only bottled water available from the waitress. TWR: 1
3.
4.
5.

I'd like to give a special mention to the restaurant at the Hirschgarten who gave me a bag of ice when I sprained my thumb at Aussie Rules training last night. I just walked in, asked if they could possibly spare some ice. The guy got a plastic bag, filled it and gave it to me. I thanked him and left - no probs.

Oh yeah, frozen water.. That must be a rare delicacy here. I remember when we had a BBQ my friend went to buy 2 bags of ice for our coolers (the kinds that would be 79 cents in the US) and they charged him 20 something euros.

The Tap Water Hall of Fame and Shame

1. Olives, Allach. A pitcher of tap water with ice offered FOC. Tap Water Rating: 10/10
2. Polonis Italian, Feldmoching. Only bottled water available from the waitress. TWR: 1/10
3. Hirschgarten. Offered a bag of ice FOC 8/10
4.
5.
6.
7.

Was that deliberate?

@LP - Do Germans have something against ice and cold drinks?

My girlfriend and her family never have anything in the fridge that will not go off. It can be 30c outside and they have water in a cupboard that it a little colder.

Ice - nowhere to be seen, none in the freezer. They are all happy to drink slightly less than room temperature drinks.

Yuk!

They don't like things super-chilled as in America, but I wouldn't say that they like things warm either. Try serving them a beer at room temperature and see what they have to say. Similarly, try serving them a beer from a super-chilled fridge in a glass from the freezer, and they'll think you are genuinely bonkers.

Mmmmmmmm...yes! then again...maybe it was a typo...

It's fairly ubiquitous in Hesse now at most gas stations and drink places. An american expat founded the company a few years ago, and it's really taken off. I think the bags are c. €2 per ... not bad, considering the high electricity prices and water that's 5x as expensive as the US!


There is a residual cultural belief that drinking cold beverages is unhealthful, but every time we have ice on offer at a party everyone wants it. I think the increased popularity of more tropical cocktails has driven this (don't call them "Longdrinks" in my house unless you want to end up wearing one ) I also find that most guests ask for beer out of the fridge rather than "Keller kalt".

The other problem is most European 'fridges don't have freezer units, which usually live in the basement and don't lend themselves to ice on demand. And these are usually deep-freezes that can dessicate most ice trays before one gets around to using them.

Therefore, my wife bought the family a nifty on-demand ice maker from Tschibo a few months ago. It's about the size of one of those automatic expresso machines and makes respectable-sized cubes in a jiffy. I scoffed at first but underestimated it and now find it delightful.

You take for granted ice machines being built in your fridge..

My toddler son cannot stand fizzy anything and it really perturbs the German wait staff to have to bring him tap water. cracks me up every time...

Oh, and he doesn't like potatoes, in any way shape or form, so he gets veggies as a substitute. They are SO appalled by this, they literally ask 3 times, and even ask my son directly, just in case Mama is being mean, I guess. HA!!

I will have to look for this ice maker. I cannot believe it cost >20 Euros for 2 bags of ice!!

You wuz robbed.

How big were these bags of ice?

I guess around 5-7 pound bags.

You should go to Korean restaurants. They will always give you water for free.

This is universal practice, it seems, for all Korean restaurants all over the World.

Oh and by the way - being Brits, which a lot of you are, why is it so surprising that one would want to ask for a glass of tap water? I mean, afterall, we are supposed to be used to drinking water out of the tap, aren't we? When my dad was alive, he would buy bottled water, small ones for bedside and larger ones for normal consumption. My mother used to be a bit annoyed about the idea of having to purchase water, as it's free from the tap, but she went along with it. Now that my dad is gone, she happily drinks water from the tap, and this is the UK I am talking, where tap water tastes gross...

But I digress...

I have something against the US practice of filling my glass with ice & then adding just a little of the liquid I ordered.
The solution of course is to ask for either "no ice" or "very little ice" & at least then you get something to drink rather than just numb your upper lip...

Surely this practice has nothing to do with the fact that the ice is much cheaper than the drink you actually ordered...?

Um, why single out Jersey? I've lived in Jersey City and the water that came from my tap was fresh, clear, cold and tasted just fine. Very refreshing during the hotter days of the year. Similarily ... I find the German dislike of ice unsettling. I was appalled at having to drink tepid fizzled water when my body clearly needed a nice chilled liquid to quench my thirst.

You people really need to lay off Jersey.
oh..in answer to the OP question. My experience has been you can ask, but more likely you'll be bought a bottle of mineral wasser (Ohne Kohlensäure) without gas, rather than a glass of water straight from the tap.

That's why they sell beer!

LOL ..

well then I stand corrected!

We could not take it anymore so we got a little ice machine that spits out a handful of cubes every 10 minutes for like 120 eurodollars.

We also started freezing 1/3 of a plastic water bottle on its side so that we have cold water most of the day.

I guess ice is unnatural, like AC? God made ice for a reason...


I love Jersey.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/fr...otivational.jpg