For the first time ever.

No problem, The bill was $5.49,

I gave them 2) one dollar bills and the rest in pennies,nickles and dimes.

I've had 3 big pill bottles full of coins in my center console for two years.

.53 cents for a cup of water , with a $4.75 purchase is just pretty close to too much.

We don't charge for water here in the desert and we've only had 2.75 inches of rain this year.

My response might've been "You can keep it," turn around and walk out (or drive away).

I believe its against the law in Arizona to charge for water.

In the late 1980"s as on a construction job in northern California during a drought and water rationing so that when at resturants we had to request a glass of water but do not remember cost. The toilets in the motel rooms had several bricks to change water capacity in the tank. And car washing and lawn watering could result in violation tickets being issued. ............................ drill sgt.

Possibly charging for the cup only.

quote:

Originally posted by ftttu:
Possibly charging for the cup only.

Bingo. I was involved with an aviation outfit that had a snack bar, and some 30 + years ago we charged spectators a small charge to cover the cost of the cups when they only wanted water. Any other beverage on the menu included the cost of the cup in the pricing.

People look at a commonly available commodity like water and think there is no cost. But there is a cost, both for the water itself as well as the container it is held in. Usually the cost of the cup is far more than the water itself.

When economic times are good businesses are able to absorb small costs like water and cups within their price structure of other items. But, in a time of economic hardship, when pandemic lock downs and restrictions that force increased costs, employee shortages, threats of violence and property destruction, and generally rising costs hit a businesses' bottom line, some are forced to make hard decisions about either raising prices across the board or at least charging for amenities that many customers have become accustomed to being given for free. Those restaurants that make the decision to charge for things like water don't make it lightly...many anguish over the decision.

Many restaurants are now adding a COVID-19 surcharge to their guests' checks, and those that aren't have to account for the costs by charging for things like water.

Those that don't understand how many businesses are struggling, especially within the restaurant industry, have never run a business or have an entitlement attitude.

If the cost for the cup of water is too much then you probably shouldn't be eating out.

quote:

My response might've been "You can keep it," turn around and walk out (or drive away).

So the cup, lid, and straw should be absorbed and passed on to everyone else?

I don't think they should charge for water, but in fact they're charging for the cup, in a manner of speaking. Inventory control and ordering.

Per a friend in the convenience store industry, it's Inventory Control. When one is rung up, a tally is run in the computer for reordering. He said he was mainly referring to coffee cups, soda cups, etc. Syrup and mixing flavors are ordered based on how many cups are rung up. That's why you'll see the clerk at the Gas-n-dash convenience stores going through the trash and counting cups that were thrown away by customers.

I asked about the other freebie stuff, such as straws, mustard packs, sugar packs, etc, and got a mumbled reply that whoever does ordering just has to keep it in mind to order enough of the freebie necessary stuff.

Yes, there's a cost in everything that is sold and we buy. However, somethings should never be rang up and sold and money given and taken. It's a cost and it affects profit and loss. It's a necessary expense to operate the business, but it's really bad PR to obviously charge and expect payment for such things. Things like that need to be be built in so that they are not visible. There's a cost for everything, except a smile and good attitude.

Even automotive shops have a charge on your bill named Shop Supplies. It covers the cost of rags, cleaning fluids, etc etc etc etc. No one likes to pay this, but it is a legitimate cost of doing business. If during the course of working or maintaining your car, they need to add a little bit of differential fluid, washer fluid, brake fluid, etc, there's no point if charging you for the $10 cost for a bottle of brake fluid when you only need a little topped off, for example.
.

I remember some of the times that restaurants would not bring water unless you asked. I live in Arizona and New Mexico and in dry/tough times this has happened before.
But having a fair knowledge of the restaurant and bar industry, things like charging for water just piss people off. Adjust some of your other charges to absorb the small cost of the water and/or cup. It is off-putting to be charged for a thing like that.
Adjust your prices to absorb the occasional water drinker.

quote:

Originally posted by DoubleAdobe:
I remember some of the times that restaurants would not bring water unless you asked. I live in Arizona and New Mexico and in dry/tough times this has happened before.
But having a fair knowledge of the restaurant and bar industry, things like charging for water just piss people off. Adjust some of your other charges to absorb the small cost of the water and/or cup. It is off-putting to be charged for a thing like that.
Adjust your prices to absorb the occasional water drinker.

I understand that side of the argument, and it is one commonly held by restaurant/ bar operators. Unfortunately, dealing with an often unreasonable public means having to acquiesce to optics.

But I'm on the flip side and prefer transparency. We often talk about wanting to know ahead of time what our costs are going to be when dealing with things like medical billing expenses or car repairs. Why is this not also true when ordering in a restaurant?

If a customer wants something not advertised on a restaurant menu, is it really so unreasonable to expect them to pay for it? If I order a filet of fish with cheese I get charged for the slice of cheese. If I order a Tripple Whopper I pay more for the extra burger patty.

If businesses don't charge for the cup of water then they are forced to raise menu item pricing so every customer pays (subsidizes) what only a few customers will order while expecting the item for "free".

Again, it is worth remembering that these are tough economic times for many, including restaurants.

TANSTAAFL...words to live by.

It was the drive through, they told me that small waters were free, but the large were not.

I guess 20 years of "free" water in cups, I am way ahead of the curve,

And the water is the good stuff, not the tap stuff.
So all is good.

I just never order water. I order a small soda and use my own 52oz cup. Problem solved.

The BK around here, razed to the ground and rebuilt two years ago, often had a line of cars out into the road until they came up with a better plan. If every other car asked for "and four large waters, please", I can see how policy would change.

I recall in the mid-1990s a landmark diner charged me 25¢ for a lemon wedge for my glass of (free) water. They are now practically out of business.

Probably too many get that water cup inside and fill it with something else.

The last time I went to BK, they charged me 2.50 for a burger and 3.50 for a Coke. Trust me, it was my last BK trip.

quote:

It was the drive through, they told me that small waters were free, but the large were not.

^^^^^^^^^^
Then order ten small waters.

What torques me is when I go to a real, sit-down Mexican restaurant and they charge for chips and salsa!

Around here some fast food joints would serve bottled water thru the drive-thru to "justify" their pricing of water, which winds up costing the same as half a case of Kirkland brand stuff found at Costco, which is about 18 to 20 bottles if my (faulty) memory serves. Of course one bottle doesn't put a sharp pain in my back like one of those rather hefty cases from the warehouse store does.

Thank you faux Mexican fast food joint for taking my ornery back into account <sarcasm off>.

The politburro types around here have in the past let and even mandated dine-in restaurants refrain from serving water unless it's specifically requested by the customer during drought times, which for some restaurants had become ALL times, regardless of how much rainfall and snow pack we've had in the hills. Considering that prior to this rona crap the sorts of offered wages needed in order to HIRE good quality waiting staff was approaching and even exceeding $20/hr before tips for many of these establishments, particularly those in the big towns like Seattle and Bellevue, I suppose it's not surprising that they're looking at recouping costs any way they can. And now that we're in the midst of this forced downturn there's probably as much if not more pressure to max things out wherever they can.

Must just be me but I never leave the house without a cup of ice water with me.