Restaurants to charge a euro for tap water

c_man · 30-11-2015 05:53PM #1

Apparently due to increasing costs to the businesses themselves

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants' Association of Ireland, says a reasonable charge on tap water is "only fair" as he claims Irish Water has repeatedly "flagged" plans to increase commercial water rates.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/exclusive-restaurants-to-hit-diners-with-1-charge-for-tap-water-34243084.html

So what do we think of this? I thought it was a joke to be honest. Tourism Minister Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe has come out against this saying it would be bad for our international reputation. I have to agree (those of ye who have worked in the service industry know how... tight, some nationalities can be when visiting her).

AnonoBoy · 30-11-2015 05:57PM

Follow my handy tips and you can beat this one easily:

First - line your pockets with plastic bags. Then soak some sponges in water at home. Go to the restaurant with the sponges in your pockets.

It's very important to ACT NORMAL at this point. Under no circumstances should you act like a man with wet sponges in his pockets - they'll pick you out a mile away and know what you're up to.

Ask for the expensive wine list to throw them off the scent and then when they're not looking squeeze out your sponge into an empty glass.

Hey presto! FREE water!

For more money saving tips and general advice on awkward penny-pinching subscribe to my blog.

ScumLord · 30-11-2015 05:57PM

Haven't resturants been paying the water charge for years like every other business? How come it's only an issue now?

It's up to the business, if they want to charge let them charge and see if people are willing to pay it.

BoJack Horseman · 30-11-2015 05:57PM

This exact story was in the indo last year.

* found it.... http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/customers-shocked-as-pub-charges-20c-for-water-30704372.html
(pub based, but the same sh*t)

biko · 30-11-2015 05:59PM

Before you order next time, ask if they charge for tap water.
If they do just leave.

Ask when you reserve a table over the phone too. If they do just hang up.

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants' Association of Ireland, says a reasonable charge on tap water is "only fair"

Fair with a euro? I'll give you a cent and round it down to nothing..

Qualitymark · 30-11-2015 05:59PM

Back in the 1960s, when kids started drinking 'soda' and eating 'candy', there was a big campaign in the US to put public drinking fountains everywhere by law, so that no one could go thirsty. That was smashed by the sugar industry.

Any restaurant that charges me €1 for a drink of water will get my €1, once - and my custom never again.

This is an utterly greedy and disgusting scam.

AnonoBoy · 30-11-2015 06:01PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

This is an utterly greedy and disgusting scam.

It's not really a scam though.

If they advertised FREE WATER outside but it turned out that they were charging one euro for the glass to drink the free water out of then it'd be a scam.

Actually that's a good scam - I might try that.

diomed · 30-11-2015 06:04PM

The Ryanair business model.

Niemoj · 30-11-2015 06:05PM

Feckin' shambles of a country.

hatrickpatrick · 30-11-2015 06:06PM

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

This exact story was in the indo last year.

* found it.... http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/customers-shocked-as-pub-charges-20c-for-water-30704372.html
(pub based, but the same sh*t)

That one was actually true, I'm a regular in that particular hotel. Was reversed fairly quickly after social media ridicule.

This is just another example of how FG/Lab policy, while fixing the macro economy, is driving up the cost of living relative to other European countries and making Ireland an unattractive place to visit / live.

Jan Laco · 30-11-2015 06:07PM

If you can afford an overpriced dinner you can afford a glass of water. Just take it out of the €10 tip.

ohnonotgmail · 30-11-2015 06:07PM

c_man wrote: »

Apparently due to increasing costs to the businesses themselves

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants' Association of Ireland, says a reasonable charge on tap water is "only fair" as he claims Irish Water has repeatedly "flagged" plans to increase commercial water rates.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/exclusive-restaurants-to-hit-diners-with-1-charge-for-tap-water-34243084.html

So what do we think of this? I thought it was a joke to be honest. Tourism Minister Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe has come out against this saying it would be bad for our international reputation. I have to agree (those of ye who have worked in the service industry know how... tight, some nationalities can be when visiting her).

except they havent Introduced it yet and when they do it wont be €1 for 300ml.

ScumLord · 30-11-2015 06:08PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

Back in the 1960s, when kids started drinking 'soda' and eating 'candy', there was a big campaign in the US to put public drinking fountains everywhere by law, so that no one could go thirsty. That was smashed by the sugar industry.

Any restaurant that charges me €1 for a drink of water will get my €1, once - and my custom never again.

This is an utterly greedy and disgusting scam.

The problem these days is that everything is quantified down to the cent. Years ago people simply didn't know what kind of money they were throwing away. All we see is a jug of water, but the manager probably see's something they're paying money for. Something that's costing them space storing a load of big juggs that give no return. The lack of space could increase their costs as they can't buy enough food to get discounts, or they can't get in a more efficient appliance because they have a corner of the kitch taken up with big water jugs.

As long as the restaurant is upfront about the costs, I don't see a problem. I can always say no, it's not like I'm going to go thirsty. I think restaurants would be better off allowing people to bring in a bottles of water themselves.

c_man · 30-11-2015 06:08PM

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

This exact story was in the indo last year.

* found it.... http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/customers-shocked-as-pub-charges-20c-for-water-30704372.html
(pub based, but the same sh*t)

It's not the same story... at all. And I put in a link to the Examiner in the OP as well to appease ye.

Duggy747 · 30-11-2015 06:09PM

*Social media causes backlash of water price increase*

"Okay, okay, we're sorry! We'll remove the price!"

*Removes price increase on water*

".................*cough*................"

*Raises price of food*

30-11-2015 06:10PM

One euro for a teeny glass you have gone in one gulp? One euro a jug? One euro unlimited water?

sonyvision · 30-11-2015 06:10PM

Diceys Garden has been charging 20c per glass of Water for a few months now at lunch times.

Carvery is great 5 euro with a student card. Still make it my point not to take a glass of water but fill up my bottle in the office before going in ðŸ˜Š

Sebastian Dangerfield · 30-11-2015 06:10PM

Hasnt this been going on all along? I go to the Galway Bay Brewery pubs and The Woolshed regularly for lunch, and all have been charging for water for at least a year

Walter Bishop · 30-11-2015 06:10PM

Yes the Indo is up to it's usual standards:

Restaurant industry experts say a tap water charge is likely to be...

Mr Cummins expects...

He says some restaurants will be looking at it more seriously than others

However, he said it's unlikely a uniform system will be implemented...

"We are being softened up now for all of this," said Mr Cummins...

So, zero verifiable or sourced facts then.

Halfbaker · 30-11-2015 06:12PM

More clickbait nonsense. Current commercial water rates are about €1 per 1000 litres. Are restaurants really going to add €0.0003 to your bill for a glass of water?

In other news Ryanair will be charging people to use the toilet...

Red Kev · 30-11-2015 06:13PM

If it's true it nasty behaviour on their part. They got a hefty VAT reduction a couple of years ago and it's still not good enough. It has nothing to do with rates, any hotel/restaurant uses so much water in a day that an extra pint of tap water is meaningless. Flusing the jacks is 10-20 pints of water, depending on the cistern.

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

That one was actually true, I'm a regular in that particular hotel. Was reversed fairly quickly after social media ridicule.

This is just another example of how FG/Lab policy, while fixing the macro economy, is driving up the cost of living relative to other European countries and making Ireland an unattractive place to visit / live.

It's not FG/Lab* policy is it? It's pubs or hotels deciding themselves to do this. Business premises have been paying water rates for decades.

*I'm not a supporter of them BTW.

moleyv · 30-11-2015 06:13PM

Sometimes boards reads like the Daily Mail...

Yakkyda · 30-11-2015 06:14PM

A euro or two for unlimited jugs of water per table would be agreeable to most I'd imagine . They do and have been paying for it for quite a while. A euro per glass is taking piss altogether.

Yakult · 30-11-2015 06:15PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I think restaurants would be better off allowing people to bring in a bottles of water themselves.

They would probably try to charge you for de-capping it

Senna · 30-11-2015 06:16PM

I can certainly understand it in bars, It's the same principle as discos only serving bottle water and no tap water. You're taking up space, benefiting from the entertainment, heating, furniture etc, if you want to be there, then spend something.
Restaurants is a different story, you are buying a meal and that should be enough to get a free jug of water

JJJJNR · 30-11-2015 06:17PM

Sure just knock by a farm on the way, they get 220,000 litres per year for free.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 30-11-2015 06:17PM

Some restaurants charge for food as well. Scamming scumbags.

ShooterSF · 30-11-2015 06:17PM

I've worked in the industry for over a decade with managers ranging from genius to did you get this job in a lucky bag? And none of them would be crazy enough to charge for tap water, not even in-house filtered and bottled water. It would just be so stupid when you can adjust the price of meals to accommodate increases in water rates.