Refused Free Table Service Water at Cafe, Charged $4 Per Bottle Instead

Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 16:39
Last edited 07/10/2020 - 16:40

Tackling the real issues today after the government's budget announcement…

So this was a first for me. Went to a cafe today for sit-down service lunch (I guess I shouldn't mention which cafe, right?). Asked for free water for the table, and they brought out 4 bottles, one for each guest. When I clarified I wanted table service water they informed me that due to COVID they weren't doing this anymore. Called it an 'in-house decision'. They also said that because they weren't a licensed venue they had no requirement to serve it.

This seemed crazy to me. They then proceeded to charge us $4 per bottle. If I was on my own I would have gone elsewhere for lunch despite ordering, but since I was with friends, I thought it wasn't the time to get on my high horse.

I don't see how cleaning a water cup is any different to cleaning a coffee cup. Or how I would be more at risk to covid if they poured water for me out of a tap.

So I won't be going back that.

On the off chance I'm out of touch, I wanted to ask. Is this standard? Also, is this reasonable for them to do?

Poll Options

  • 24
    Yes I've seen it, and yes that's reasonable
  • 20
    Yes I've seen it, and no that's not reasonable
  • 9
    No I haven't seen it, but yes that's reasonable
  • 219
    No I haven't seen it, and no that's not reasonable
Food & Grocery

Comments

  • Caped Baldy on 07/10/2020 - 16:48
    +7

    Name and shame the establishment.

    • Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 16:50
      +1

      Are there any community rules about that sort of stuff? I've left a bad review on their facebook page. For whatever that is worth.

      • Caped Baldy on 07/10/2020 - 16:53

        Okay, so the rules state you are allow to name businesses but may get removed if harassment occurs.

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:commenting_guidelines

        If you're not comfortable give us the rough location.

        • Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 16:55
          +2

          I've left both a google review and a facebook review. My thought here is it discourages people considering the place, but doesn't bring undue harassment their way.

  • Antares on 07/10/2020 - 16:49
    +18

    Technically they're correct, it's only a law for licensed venues to provide free water. I think they're just taking advantage of the situation to make money though.

    I would leave a google review to let others know, and never go back.

    • Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 16:56
      +6

      Yeah, they're technically correct. Which means my only response is a consumer choice one. So I will not be going back, and have left both facebook and google reviews.

    • SlartiBartFozz on 08/10/2020 - 16:52
      +1

      So it seems if they sell alcohol, they must provide complementary water — many cafes are licensed in my experience, but it depends what State/Territory you're in.

    • dufflover on 09/10/2020 - 18:01

      Really? I thought the rule was every place had to offer free tap water. But ok I've never checked the actual laws or anything so if it's licensed venues only that's such a technicality cop out!

      At least if they said at the start they can't do it due to COVID, even if it's an excuse (of playing it super safe), at least they said it beforehand and I'd order a different drink as offers have said.

  • zombrex on 07/10/2020 - 16:57
    +3

    You should have just walked out and voted with your wallet.
    Using COVID as an excuse is disgraceful. Blatant and greedy profiteering.

    • Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 17:01
      +20

      I agree. I would have preferred that. But there's certainly peer pressure to not be a pain from the party I'm with. I'd rather pay $16 across our table, and not visit them again, and not ruin the day for the 3 other people with me. Won't be going back there, and spreading the word through reviews.

  • DannyC on 07/10/2020 - 17:03
    +10

    On the off chance I'm out of touch, I wanted to ask. Is this standard? Also, is this reasonable for them to do?

    Back in the day of waitering, I would always ask if they wanted Sparkling, Still or TAP. With this situation though, I would have let your group know first if I were to charge for it. Even with COVID if your having dine in service tap water is not an unreasonable request to ask for. Like how is this any different from a coffee being served in a cup or cutlery on the table. Them saying they are not a "licenced venue" so we don't need to give you water is still poor form on their part towards their own customers.

  • netjock on 07/10/2020 - 17:03
    +7

    Depends on which state you are in I suppose.

    But $4 for a bottle of water. Makes me wonder whether this country is for real. I guess the cafe owner needs the money so they can put $150k cash towards that Landcruiser.

    • perhaps on 07/10/2020 - 17:16

      Exactly I can agree with the concept of serving bottle's as it is sealed and should therefore be safer covid-wise, but then charging $4 per bottle is outrageous.

    • [Deactivated] on 07/10/2020 - 17:17

      Price of bottled water is ridiculous in this country. Cost me 60 Euro cents everywhere I went in Greece and other parts of Europe for a 600mL bottle of ice cold water.

      • netjock on 07/10/2020 - 19:26
        +3

        In Europe you can get a really good expresso for 1 Euro in Italy. Let's not go there.

        Sydney and Melbourne is as expensive if not more expensive than London. But the difference is one is at centre of the world and the other is well… a bit far from everything.

        • Daabido on 07/10/2020 - 19:37
          +2

          I think the phrase you were searching for was "the arse end of the world". Thanks PK.

        • dasher86 on 07/10/2020 - 19:43

          Coffee was more expensive in London. Like Melbourne prices but in pounds

      • djones145 on 07/10/2020 - 20:20

        the house wine is also cheaper than water in europe!

    • Switchblade88 on 07/10/2020 - 19:49

      Coke's wholesale price for (plain) Pump water is $2.05 per bottle (GST free).

      You'd better believe the prices are unreal, and the cafe owner is just as unhappy about it as you are. But if I'm serving something to a customer who is now expected to pay, it's very much polite to inform and apologise for the cost. You don't make excuses to charge like they've done, that's poor form.

  • PissLUR on 07/10/2020 - 17:18
    +4

    i'd rather buy other drinks than a $4 water.

  • pingualien on 07/10/2020 - 17:43
    +7

    If I had to pay 4 dollars involuntarily for water I would've also paid and then posted on Ozbargain

  • chumbucket on 07/10/2020 - 17:47
    -8

    Perfectly reasonable, especially considering the $5k fine for allowing people to share right now
    While i have seen some cafes go around refilling cups with a jug they are in control of, its up to the premises. Especially as its a courtesy rather than a requirement.

    You also didnt have to get the water….

    • Lockdude on 07/10/2020 - 18:23
      +11

      I didn't want a shared water container. I wanted them to put 4 glasses under a tap, and pour some water. I didn't walk out either, also for the embarrassing/awkward thing. But there are a million ways around it. Why not sell the bottled water at cost? Or at least at a reduced profit.

    • jjjaar on 07/10/2020 - 19:55
      +3

      Let’s support the small business owners who are doing their best to get through this time… water charges or not. NO ONE asked for this.

      There’s supporting a small business who has done it tough and then there’s a small business taking advantage of thirsty diners…

  • Bargain80 on 07/10/2020 - 18:49
    +1

    It's understandable during this pandemic to only offer bottled water.
    But charging $4 a bottle is ridiculous.
    The cost of buying bottled water in bulk is less than $1/bottle.
    I'd be happy to pay $2/bottle max.

    • zombrex on 07/10/2020 - 19:24
      +7

      Why is it understandable?
      How is filling a glass with water any different to filling a glass or mug with soft drink, coffee, tea, juice any other beverage.
      If it so dangerous to fill a glass of water then there is nothing they can be doing in the kitchen that is safe.
      There is no evidence at all that drinking water has spread the coronavirus anywhere in the entire world. Restaurants have been open throughout this crisis for more than six months and there has not been a single case of such a transmission worldwide. It is not understandable, it is totally absurd and ridiculous.

      • jjjaar on 07/10/2020 - 19:56
        +11

        Exactly! If they can’t give you a glass of water, they can’t give you cutlery because they clearly can’t clean things in a hygienic manner.

  • AustriaBargain on 07/10/2020 - 19:26
    +6

    If they don't trust their staff to hygienically wash, refill, and store the bottles in the chiller, then I'd be more worried about the hygiene in the food handling. Sounds like a very sloppy restaurant if they don't even trust themselves to fill a bottle with water. Even without covid they should have been washing the bottles and using clean hands when handling them anyway.

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2020 - 10:55

      Agreed with what should have been happening.

      But nobody was washing out water bottles in between customers.

  • whooah1979 on 07/10/2020 - 20:19
    +1

    $4 for a bottle of water sounds like a posh established. Looking the part doesn't come cheap.

  • Cave Fire on 07/10/2020 - 21:17

    Maybe what they meant is they don't want the extra staff cost for them to wash and disinfect water glasses. Might have to log and audit that as well. If you asked for free and they brought out the paid water, that is a bit sneaky… almost like they know you won't refuse in front of your group.

  • McFly on 07/10/2020 - 21:53
    +3

    Free drinking water should be provided via table service rather than at self-serve stations.

    That was the Victorian government advice when restaurants were re-opening after the first lockdown.

    • BigBirdy on 08/10/2020 - 08:47

      Here in regional Qld, that’s exactly what most cafes & restaurants are doing, providing free water via table service where it used to be self-serve

  • 00 on 07/10/2020 - 22:06
    +3

    UnAustralian

  • Willco88 on 07/10/2020 - 22:15
    -7

    $4 for water is better than $20 for "latte" or "chai macchiato soy decaffe" BS HIPSTERS

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2020 - 10:56

      Ok boomer

      You realise you don't order a chai decaffe right?

      How those amyloid plaques coming along?

  • Hedgehog on 08/10/2020 - 08:42

    Hope you knocked the water price off your generous TIP…

    • 82norm on 08/10/2020 - 12:50

      Tip, what’s that?

  • Brendoo on 08/10/2020 - 08:50

    Tax cuts are coming… Free water cancelled and up go all the prices.

    • Lockdude on 08/10/2020 - 10:15
      +2

      Sorry, but what's your point here? We should be overpaying for services and denied reasonable requests because businesses need donations?

  • whooah1979 on 08/10/2020 - 12:05

    Why didn’t you look at the menu before ordering? They’re required by law to have a menu and it must show all prices including gst.

    • Lockdude on 08/10/2020 - 12:16
      +3

      Menus don't list free water (at least not in my experience!). When asking for water for the tables, bottles were brought over. I'm sure water was listed on their menu for $4, though I didn't look. But my only option for water was $4 a bottle, or go without. That's no illegal, but that's not a business practice I want to support.

      • Forfiet on 11/10/2020 - 06:42

        Seems you both should of clarified the availability of "free" water… And ideally they should of confirmed… While I understand you didn't want to make a fuss, you could of declined your bottle and saved at least $4 without impacting others….. But I agree it silly if they had tapwater before covid, that they can't serve it know(The glasses and jugs go through a dishwasher)… Oh well….

  • HeWhoKnows on 08/10/2020 - 14:17
    +1

    Hohumm!
    The bottles of water have been handled just as much as handling a glass and a free bottle of water.

  • TransportPosters on 10/10/2020 - 14:27
    +1

    Considering it would cost them about 30c for a bottle at supermarket prices, $4 is bordering on taking advantage, considering food and drinks is what their business specialises in. $1 for a bottle straight from the slab or maybe $2 for a chilled one would have been a way to go.

    What do you think?

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