Where do you report a restaurant that wont give you tap water if you ask for it?

SharkMX · 22-11-2023 08:59AM #1

Went out for food to an Indian restaurant at Kellys corner with some friends.

One of them doesnt drink flavored drinks or alcohol with their food and when they asked for a glass of water at the table. Then I decided I wanted a glass of water too to have with my drink that i already bought and asked for one also.

They said sorry we only have bottled water and it would cost €. We both said no, we would just like tap water please.

They refused and we asked why were they refusing. The answer was that they could not give customers tap water because it was bad quality so they would only sell us bottled water for our safety.

This really annoyed all of us at the table, especially the person who only drinks water.

I feel this needs to be reported, but who do we report it to and how? Its a total scam.

Besides if they were telling the truth, which i doubt, and they dont have quality water in the place for cooking, washing etc they should actually be shut down.

Peregrinus · 22-11-2023 09:12AM

Restaurants are under no obligation to serve you tap water (or anything else) if they don't want to, so there is no-one you can report this to. The restaurant is not doing anything unlawful.

Obviously what's going on here is that the restaurant would feel embarrassed or unable to charge you for tap water, and the don't want to forego the margin they would make by selling you bottled water. So they hope that, by declining to supply tap water for free, they can encourage you to buy bottled water.

It's a very stupid marketing strategy but not, as I say, an unlawful one.

Obviously the story about the tap water being unsafe is bogus. It's the same tap water that you drink at home; it's perfectly safe.

If the tap water actually were unsafe then, yeah, there'd be a public health issue, and it would be a concern of the HSE Environmental Health Service. You can, if you wish, report to the Environmental Health Service that this restaurant is telling its customers that their tap water is unsafe to drink. But the EHS will see as quickly as you and I have that this is bogus, and they don't want to be drawn in to a what is in reality a dispute about a restaurant's shoddy attempts to sell overpriced bottled water. They have genuine public health concerns to deal with. So I don't think you'll get a lot of mileage there.

Trigger Happy · 22-11-2023 09:27AM

No law has been broken so there is no-one to report them to.

Leave a bad review, never darken their doorway again and move on with your life.

22-11-2023 09:36AM

Could you just get up and go to a local convivence store and purchase water for a 1/4 of the price ? Assuming one was near.

Deeec · 22-11-2023 10:51AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058323690/where-do-you-report-a-restaurant-that-wont-give-you-tap-water-if-you-ask-for-it

Honestly you need to get real. It's possible the water is of bad quality and unsuitable for drinking. If they had given you tap water and you became ill what would you have done then - put them out of business?

What do you want to achieve by reporting them?

SharkMX · 22-11-2023 12:09PM

Didnt know they could refuse you tap water. Wow. I stand corrected.

It is very bad form though.

JVince · 22-11-2023 09:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399563#Comment_121399563

Where on earth did you get the idea that a restaurant had to provide free water?

Wow alright. Amazing what people think they are entitled to

L1011 · 22-11-2023 09:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121402279#Comment_121402279

There's plenty of places where it is actually a legal requirement - generally a component of the liquor licence. Just not Ireland.

Mrs OBumble · 22-11-2023 09:33PM

This is Ireland: in many towns, the tap water takes horrible, even though it's safe to drink.

standardg60 · 22-11-2023 09:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399205#Comment_121399205

Give me a break, it was an Indian restaurant, not a restaurant in India. If it wasn't suitable to drink everyone in the locality would be informed of such so it's clearly bs.

It's poor form to treat a customer like that but as above it's not unlawful, though perfectly reasonable to name and shame online, i'd be pretty peed off too if it were me.

Hotblack Desiato · 22-11-2023 10:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399205#Comment_121399205

Restaurant is in Dublin, it's the same water a million+ people drink every single day. It's an obvious lie so it's odd that someone would defend this.

If they're making their customers ill with anything they serve then yes absolutely they should be shut down until they can rectify the issue. But that scenario is clearly nonsense. If the tap water is suspect what are they cooking the food in? What are they washing the crockery and cutlery in? What are the staff washing their hands in? They should certainly be shut down in such a case!

Rubberchikken · 22-11-2023 10:04PM

Lots of places are happy to supply tap water. Highly unlikely the water is unsuitable to drink.

Cost cutting and a level of meaness is my guess

Go elsewhere for your meals. Maybe if enough people voted with their feet/money they'd realise that being cheap is poor form and shortsighted.

Hotblack Desiato · 22-11-2023 10:10PM

double post

lmk123 · 22-11-2023 10:16PM

I’d say straight to Drew Harris or else the army, maybe try the SAS, such is the gravity of this situation

elperello · 22-11-2023 10:18PM

I have never been refused a glass of water in a restaurant anywhere.

It's outrageous to refuse a glass of water to someone dining in a restaurant.

And to think these people probably consider themselves part of the hospitality industry.

Strumms · 22-11-2023 10:21PM

Look they didn’t only have bottled water. No restaurant in this country is without potable water. No public building is…. They are just attempting to nickel and dime you for a few more euros.

may not have been practical but I’d just have walked and not paid… it’s quite reasonable having been refused the simple courtesy of a glass of tap water…

JVince · 23-11-2023 12:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121402543#Comment_121402543

Walked and not pay for your meal?

What a totally and utterly stupid comment.

mondeoman72 · 23-11-2023 12:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121402543#Comment_121402543

OMG That is the absolute stupidest - throw toys out of the pram post I think I ever read. And for the record, tapwater is not free for a business, it is paid for in water rates. A business pays its bills from its fare, that includes the sale of bottled drinks, side orders, food and whatever.

amandstu · 23-11-2023 03:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403024#Comment_121403024

Tap water is as good as free.It was most discourteous to refuse tap water to a customer.

I thought the customer was always right.

With us it was the other way round .We always gave water from a bottle in case there was any question about the quality of the tap water(old pipes in the house)

Never charged for it.

Maybe the restaurant owner didn't like their customers (unruly ,impolite?) and over reacted.

Maybe the staff was new and inexperienced?

mondeoman72 · 23-11-2023 03:29AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403280#Comment_121403280

No, it is not "as good as free", a business has to pay for it.
You have no idea what the restaurants financial situation is, so reducing additional drink sales by giving away water could be causing financial damage. I am frequently a designated driver and always have to pay for my pint of miwadi. "Sure its as good as free"
"I thought the customer is always right" LOL, That is an americanism linked to Karens.
The general attitude of the OP where they want to report the restaurant is laughable. Perhaps they should do that. Hopefully they will be put right.
Recently, I dealt with someone having a mickeyfit over someone selling "poisionous" food past its best before date. I linked them to the FSAI and they went quiet.

amandstu · 23-11-2023 03:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403285#Comment_121403285

I will file your post under delusional

mondeoman72 · 23-11-2023 03:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403286#Comment_121403286

Dont you mean factual?

Savetheplanet · 23-11-2023 03:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121402292#Comment_121402292

Not really relevant when we know the restaurant was beside Kelly's corner in Dublin though. It is out of order but as said, not illegal.

amandstu · 23-11-2023 03:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403287#Comment_121403287

Correct

ozmo · 23-11-2023 04:30AM

Years ago - I worked in a fast food place after school in Dublin City- the workers there were always under the (likely incorrect) impression we had to give tap water when asked. I only worked there parttime so didn't question it.

One regular customer would often ask for water - then asked for the hot water - then started bringing in his own teabags and asking for a dash of milk.... we drew the line at that point... lol.

kowloonkev · 23-11-2023 05:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403285#Comment_121403285

You may be factually correct but seem to be clueless about business and especially service industry and consumer psychology.

The answer for a struggling restaurant is never to make the service worse and come across like a tight-arse.

Every restaurant should have 'free' filtered water in any case and add it into the food cost.

Mr Disco · 23-11-2023 06:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058323690/where-do-you-report-a-restaurant-that-wont-give-you-tap-water-if-you-ask-for-it

Did you call the gardai? This could be seen as attempted murder by thirst. You may be in line for lots of compo if you take a civil case !

Strumms · 23-11-2023 06:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403024#Comment_121403024

😅 They also pay for light and heat, insurance…. Should clients be billed for those directly too :) ? Maybe charge for toothpicks and serviettes while they’re at it eh 😉