Sorry, we don't serve tap water

Posted by dbg (193 days ago)

Does that annoy anybody else?

Just had lunch at a mid-level restaurant in Central, asked for a glass of water and was told they only served bottled water. Ridiculous! I somehow doubt they used distilled water in the iced tea they served me...

End rant

dbg

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Posted by slippery nick (191 days ago)

What would happen if you drank the tap water and you got the runs ?

Maybe you are used to local tap water but what about people from out of town ?

Can a restaurant take that risk ? One bad experience can undo 1000 good experiences.

Posted by dbg (189 days ago)

HK tap water is safe to drink. As I mentioned, I doubt they used distilled water to make the ice tea I had, or the ice cubes that were in it. Most of the restaurants here are happy to serve you tap water - refusal is just a cheeky way of making extra money out of the patrons. Some of the places that don't serve tap water also have the cheek to charge $90 for a bottle of fancy spring water....

dbg

Posted by lunchspecials (181 days ago)

I agree with the OP. They should have a law that requires serving of free water here.

Posted by CaptDave (153 days ago)

Annoys the hell out of me... I wouldn't go back, except to gloat when the place is bankrupt & boarded up.

Posted by HKObserver (152 days ago)

The excuse that the restaurant refusing to serve tap water is "concerned" for its customers (locals or out-of-towners) is pathetic. If they were in the least bit concerned about anything other than their profits, they would serve Watson's or Bonaqua distilled water, and not the overhyped overpriced Euro-water, that is inevitably on offer.

Posted by happyme (150 days ago)

I get around this by asking for hot water. I have never been turned down.

Posted by Norman Bates (149 days ago)

When I am refused tap water, I don't order dessert. Or I cancel the dessert. Then I go somewhere else for coffee and dessert.

Posted by shane (146 days ago)

HK tap water is safe? Why do they advise people to boil it?
I have had intense gut pains from drinking tap water here.

Yes, only offering over-priced bottled water is a scam. Bring your own Banaqua. I do. I take the label off and just set the bottle on the table. Once asked not to drink and immediately asked to see manager. Basically reitterated what has been said in above posts. Manager said "ok". I also stated I liked the place and my only problem was with water choices. I was calm and polite too.

Posted by Norman Bates (146 days ago)

HK tap water is safe. Never had a problem in 25 years.
The only times I had gut problems was after eating raw oysters in some first class hotels that shall remain nameless.

Posted by Sad Sack (146 days ago)

HK tap water might be safe at the source but it often runs through pipes that are 50 or more years old so think of the contaminants that get into it before it gets to your pot brother, when I am leave my place for a month or so and return the water almost always has a yellowish tinge to it until i run it for a few minutes, and boiling does not remove contaminants such as metals, its up to you brother but I try to avoid ingesting whenever possible things that might lead to cancer when I am 60 and water is one of the obvious ones, we are living next to a place with almost no environmental controls and we are living in a city that not long ago was pouring chemicals from factories into the soil, I'll have bottled water thanks, and bottled pure air if anyone has it

Restaurants charging 40 dollars for a bottle of wate, how is that any different from charging the same for a glass of soda which costs them about the same, where i will agree is if you want tap water they should give you tap water, if they refuse tell them thanks I'm leaving an i will never be back, I suspect you will get your tap water brother

Posted by fliedice (146 days ago)

HK Tap water is safe, one needs to boil this as sometimes one never know what ones estate water storage system might throw into the tap via the storage tank, etc.

Drinking evian, perrier, etc is a crime. How can one account for drinking water that has been flown a thousands of miles to a place that already has good water - and pollute the environment. On top of this the latest HK consumer council confirmed that perrier had low levels of inpurities in the water that was not good for health.

The drinking of these imported water is too much of a lifestyle thing that is bad for our life.

Posted by Ed (146 days ago)

I would think that Perrier would be shipped in vs flown... would cost a fortune to fly it in.

Posted by Ken A (146 days ago)

Hong Kong water is perfectly safe... when it leaves the plant....

unfortunately between the plant and your home you're talking about some very old pipes.. you could of course fit a filter....

Of course whether a restaurant should serve you tap water is another matter..

Posted by yonon11 (146 days ago)

Blame it to the europeans who bottled the water and sell to the world. It is really a crime and stupidity to export water to the countries that has better water resources. This is a scam and those guys who invented this bottled water should go to prison just like maddoff. And now world is polluted with plastic bottles.

Posted by philvirg (146 days ago)

To have sellers, you need buyers... and China also has his own bottled water.
Anyway, I think people should have the choice to have tap or bottled water in any restaurant, safe or not.

Posted by Ken A (146 days ago)

I would prefer to be given the choice.... however, if you think about it from the restaurant point of view, you could ask for the tap water and get something from the water. You then suffer with stomach aches for the next couple of days and the first thing you will think about is that you may have gotten food poisoning from the restaurant's food, rather than from their water.

They're not doing it necessarily because they care about your health, or even because of the profits made from bottled water, but it may be more to do with saving their reputations.

As for yonon's comments yes of course it is only Europeans who bottle water and sell it around the world. You'd never get that from other countries right..... oh wait what's this I see on TV about Crystal Geyser bottled water.... of course its probably all just a scam... similar to those guys selling ferraris when you can get a car for a fraction of the cost.... they just keep forcing their bottled water and sports cars and other luxury goods on people who just have no choice but to say yes....

Posted by Urbent (146 days ago)

I find that kind of attitude just too arrogant. Guests should always be given a choice and for any establishment not to just tantamount to either uncaring or greed. Firstly, there should always be filtered water available for any decent place, i.e. for like the ice machine

Posted by yonon11 (146 days ago)

I dont think the restaurant is protecting the customer thats why they only serve bottled water. All restaurant in hong kong or maybe the whole world use tap water for cooking and even for washing your salads (vegetable). The issue here is profit they want you to drink expensive water so they have more profit. Even Jamie Oliver in his show use tap water for washing vegetable for salads. And do you know how much energy is consumed to bottled the water? from the making of the plastic bottle, cap and seal to the filtering or distilling of water to the distribution from one country to another country. The people are being dupe by this big water bottling company by telling the people that the tap water is dirty. They are advertising that the water comes from the natural spring or alpine but mind you maybe they are just processing tap water hahahaha. guys we shall demand from the reastaurant that the water is free when we ate on there reastaurant.

Posted by foxmulder (146 days ago)

Agree with Yonon. It is nothing to do with concern for the customer. It is a rip-off pure and simple. Happyme's idea is a cunning one. I, too, ask for warm water. Then some ice.......Of course there are other rip-offs in HK: wine prices are an example. Seven Eleven are offering a litre of Paul Masson wine for HKD49.00. OK, it's not fine wine, but pleasant enough. Where can you buy a bottle of wine in a restaurant for under 200HKD? And the measures!! Pathetic. And one mustn't forget the removal of tax which resulted in the supermarkets passing this onto the customer. But the restaurants?? No chance. Then there is the so-called service charge. Don't get me going on that.......Why do they do it? Because we are stupid enough to pay

Posted by philvirg (146 days ago)

Foxmulder : would you work for free ? no... for sure. What you pay in a restaurant is every one salary, for the work they are doing to serve you, the place rental etc... if you could find good food at a production price, every restaurant would be bankrupted !!

Posted by curio (145 days ago)

Agree with Philvirg. The culprits here are the greedy landlords and developers. I heard that rentals of restaurants can cost as much as $250,000/month or more for a 600sq. ft space. So I do drink bottled water in restaurants...

Posted by foxmulder (145 days ago)

Of course they have to make a profit. I don't expect food or wine at production cost . And, in fact, I never said that. I just object to paying inordinately high prices for small measures of wine - especially now that the duty has been abolished. And I object to the lie that is the so-called service charge. Why not be honest and just increase prices by 10% and leave it to the customer to reward good service?

Posted by Tana (145 days ago)

Agree with foxmulder. Sick of hidden costs. One inclusive price saves confusion. Same applies to airfares. Just give us the full price incl of sc, taxes etc etc. Otherwise it's misleading advertising. And saves on mental arithmetic when calculating the bill...

Posted by Sad Sack (145 days ago)

Yes let us talk about the hidden charges the most insidious one is that 10% service charge, when I first came to hong kong I understood that this was the tip and i thought it wasnt a great idea because why go the extra yard as a waiter if the type is set, but oh no, i later found out that this 10% does not see the pocket of the staff, it goes directly to the owners

Whats wrong with that you might say, its no different from increasing the prices of all items on the menu by 10%, whats the difference you say

HUGE DIFFERENCE, not to the owner and maybe not to you but its a huge differnceto the waiters because patrons when they get good service dont tip because they think they already have tipped, so the waiter gets nothing or at best a lower tip as some will add a bit to the 10%

To put it all in focus I was in NY recently and its customary to tip 15-25%, on a $200 dinner that's a nice chunk of change for the waiter, thats money that waiters in hong kong dont get, and thats big money over the course of a month, to top it off this arrangement in hk removes incentive for waiters to work extra hard, the entire rationale for tipping

I will tell you brother that this is unethical, it is unfair and it is BS, restaurants who do this are using this "service charge" as a way to steal from the pockets of their staff, and I will not have it from a restaurant owner otherwise, if its not a scam to get the tips of the staff then

WHY DONT YOU INCREASE THE MENU PRICES BY 10% AND REMOVE THE MISLEADING "10% SERVICE CHARGE ON YOUR MENUS?"

Posted by Pokfulam furniture (145 days ago)

does one have the option to not pay the service charge?

Posted by Innocence (145 days ago)

Why not make a protest against this and when you get the bill if it says 10 per cent service charge ask them if they get to keep it. If not ask for the manager and ask them why the staff doesn't get the money.

While on topic did you know that if you put a tip on your credit card bill many restaurants don't give the tips to the staff? Whenever you consider tipping on your credit card I'd suggest that you first ask who keeps that money.

So many ways these restaurants rip off their staff and its so sad!

Posted by janes addiction (145 days ago)

The service charge doesn't bother me at all. I always tip on top of it too.

But the water thing drives me crazy. Half the time I ordered bottled sparkling water anyway, but I am also perfectly happy to drink HK tap water when I want still water. Got into it a heated debate once with a restaurant owner who initially trotted out the unsafe argument, etc. He clammed up when I asked if he washed the lettuce in the salad I had just eaten in bottled water... he eventually acquiesced and admitted it was difficult to make the economics work without charging for water.

Posted by byebug (144 days ago)

Everyone should know that water is not free in HK i mean for human use and consumption... You pay for water bill in your home...you goto play sports at urban parks and wash your hands later who pays? government pays for the bill.... you goto to gym and the gym pays for water expenses... even in all convenience store we pay for bottled water and also in all kinds of business offices parks i mean everywhere.... so the restaurants are not at fault for charging guest for the water bottle, they too have to pay the bill. service charge is not an issue here just because youre ego is hurt for the tap water you didnt get. when you go out to eat expect to pay for everything including drinking water.

Posted by Brocko (144 days ago)

I've always failed to see where the value is in expensive branded water vs no-name distilled bottled water. But I guess that as long as there are suckers out there, there is going to be someone to take advantage of them.

After all, EVIAN spelled backwards is...

Posted by Philly Cheese (144 days ago)

Re the concept of tipping - stories abound of servers in NY getting all pissy when the tip is less than 15%. I fully support tipping for extraordinary service. But when staff expect to be tipped even for mediocre or expected service levels, then I have an issue with it. In Asian countries, tips are always received with gratitude. Not so, I'm afraid across the pond.

BTW the glass of ice is more expensive than the fountain drink in some cases. I really hate the $32 that some restaurants charge on coke - rediculous.

Posted by cowleyp (144 days ago)

It's true, HK water is safe to drink, if the pipes and service feeds are in constant use (as in a catering establishment) then pipe contamination is negligable. Never had a problem personally although I have many friends who won't drink it no matter how many times I tell them its safe, up to the individual.
We all pay for water monthly including commercial premesis. When I studied catering one of the first rules of good service after greet and seat the customer was to offer them a free glass of iced water. This is still almost universal in Taiwan and many parts of China. Good service begats good patronage and good tipping.

Posted by p.mason (144 days ago)

PF - short answer is almost certainly "yes" unless the menu makes it clear that the service charge is discretionary. Have never seen that on a HK menu. They always say: "a 10% service charge will be added to the bill" or similar. So, you sit down, order your food and you have to pay the service charge. Or you could sit down, ask if the service charge goes to the staff and, if not (hah!! it never goes to the staff), get up and walk out and tell them why. Which I have done many times when in a particularly bad mood.

Posted by Dive bum (144 days ago)

Tuesday night meal in Sauce, Sai Kung. Total bill HK$1,000 for two inc wine and aperitifs. 10% service included but I added $40 cash - seemed reasonable to me, service was OK and over half the bill was in respect of booze. I don't think tips should differ dependent on booze spend - some drink cheap wine, some expensive and some just tea. The tip shouldn't differ in my view - shame I can't do anything about the service charge on that count. But the main point to make is that we asked for water and got two large glasses each with a nice slice of lemon. No charge. Any discomfort the following day, I put down to the wine...

Posted by Dive bum (144 days ago)

We are automatically given (free) glasses of water at Anthony's Ranch in Sai Kung - and free nuts! Not that I drink it, I prefer San Miguel, but it's a nice touch. And they do a splendid burger there. Our favourite 'too late to start cooking' establishment.

Posted by rasbro (144 days ago)

brocko. there is big difference between spring water (bottled natural water) and distilled water. distilled water has NO nutrients and in fact can remove nutrients from your body by acting as a sponge for trace metals, vitamins and minerals your body needs. most doctors and nutirtionists warn against drinking significant amounts of distilled water.
however, there is hardly any difference between expensive and cheap spring water except for packaging and distance shipped.

i have never had a problem with tap water here in HKG. i don't drink it often though, more the taste than the worry of contamination...

water on the table in a restaurant should be part of the running costs, consider it part of that 10% service charge! the fee they pay to the government is neglible for a glass of water, far less than 1HKD per glass i would imagine.

in many states in the US it is illegal to refuse water to any patron, regardless of whether they actually purchase food or not.

the only time i leave a tip in HKG is when i receive exceptional service. in 3 years here i have left a tip only 2 times.

Posted by selda (143 days ago)

in Chinese restaurants they serve boiled tap water, which you can have hot or cold. I have never been denied tap water....that's what most people in HK drink, and it's perfectly safe, i use a filter to get rid of impurities and chlorine smell, but boiling does the job too.
If a Western restaurant refuses to serve boiled tap water, i would ask for the manager, tell him that i object to the carbon footprint of bottled water, and that i would never return to his/her restaurant. Very persuasive argument, and never failed to work :-)

Posted by lagu-lagu (143 days ago)

After having a couple of glasses of red wine at an Italian restaurant in TST,we were ordered food. And I said, "can we have some water please" waiter says OK but you have to order bottled water as we don't serve tap water here. This is the first time I was refused water at a restaurant so I felt bad. I said I just want normal tap water and if you refuse want to give me that call the manager. Manager came and said the same thing they don't serve tap water and neither the surrounding restos. I said we ordered a thousand dollars worth of food and you're not going to give us water? He said, I'm sorry but we will not , but you can order bottled water. I said, fine cancel our order, bill please.

Posted by Sad Sack (143 days ago)

Brothers, and sisters, we need to assert ourselves and bring fairness back into the world

Commandment Number One

- if you go to a restaurant and you ask for tap water and they refuse, tell them you are leaving and be sure to inform them of why

Commandment Number Two

- if the menu says 10% service charge ask if the staff gets that as a tip, if no call for the manager and tell him/her that you refuse to pay this because it is a scam, the restaurant is misrepresenting this implying it is a tip for the staff when in fact it is a surcharge on every item on the menu, it is UNETHICAL to do this because most people assume this IS THE TIP, and then tip nothing or much less. Tell the manager you REFUSE to pay this or you will leave immediately.

I dont care if they rewrite their prices and add 10% because that would be the honest thing to do, keeping that on the menu as a service charge is deceit and it is shortchanging the restaurant staff who probably get jack shat in tips because of it

STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE Brothers!

Posted by beachball (141 days ago)

> Posted by rasbro (3 days ago)

> [ Message | Report Abuse ]

> brocko. there is big difference between spring water (bottled natural
> water) and distilled water. distilled water has NO nutrients and in fact
> can remove nutrients from your body by acting as a sponge for trace
> metals, vitamins and minerals your body needs. most doctors and
> nutirtionists warn against drinking significant amounts of distilled water.
> however, there is hardly any difference between expensive and cheap
> spring water except for packaging and distance shipped.
>
> i have never had a problem with tap water here in HKG. i don't drink it
> often though, more the taste than the worry of contamination...
> water on the table in a restaurant should be part of the running costs,
> consider it part of that 10% service charge! the fee they pay to the
> government is neglible for a glass of water, far less than 1HKD per
> glass i would imagine.
>
> in many states in the US it is illegal to refuse water to any patron,
> regardless of whether they actually purchase food or not.
>
> the only time i leave a tip in HKG is when i receive exceptional service. > in 3 years here i have left a tip only 2 times.

A very sensible post by rasbro - except for the point about distilled removing nutrients from your body which is simply false (but a very common belief/urban myth).

Posted by foxmulder (140 days ago)

Right on, Sadsack! Power to the people!!

Posted by neversaynever (140 days ago)

why don't u ask for an empty glass and then go to the bathroom to fill it up? Simple.

Posted by MarathonHK (140 days ago)

The day I have to get up and get my own water from the toilets, the 10% service charge better not appear on the bill..

Posted by jing22 (140 days ago)

10% service charge (a global phenomenon) is added to cover things like linens, breakages, and service ware items - it is not a tip - tips are always listed as gratuity no matter where you are in the world. I've been a waitress in HK for many years and I tell you there is nothing worse than people who don't tip. BE GENEROUS if you get good service, we work hard and don't get paid very much. Your tip, even if small, is always appreciated and we always remember generous people.

Posted by Dick Hunter (139 days ago)

There is no logic in adding 10% service charge. A company's costs + profit margin should be included in the sales price. I remember the time that local restaurants that didn't ususally serve to non-locals did not charge a service charge. And then suddenly they started adding the 10% extra (late 70s).

It would be very strange if I went to Wellcome and the cashier would add 10% to my bill as a 'service charge'.
Imagine going to a restaurant and getting a bill for your meal + 10% service charge + an 'electricity charge'. Would you accept that ?

Posted by MarathonHK (139 days ago)

I agree with Dick.. If the service charge is not a tip and is not related to service it should just be added to the total price quoted. If it s to cover linen etc.. it should be a fixed charge (same as in Greece where you pay a fixed charge for the cuttelry and bread)
I m pretty sure 50% out there consider it as 10% for service and don't add any tip. I admit I did this when I first arrived in HK. As I thought the charge was imposed on me whether I enjoyed the service or not, I didn't see why I should add a tip on top for the same thing..

I would also like to add that unfortunately they are too many restaurants in HK (especially some of the more expensive ones) where the service jsut doesn't deserve any reward at all. How many times have you ordered cocktails and got them with your meal.. appetizers served after main course.. wine served half way through the meal..

I once watched the waiter struggle while opening the wine.. He had split the cork, and was desperately trying to get it out without it breaking. In the end, the cork finished at the bottom of the bottle, and the waiter just turned to me and said "you wish to taste the wine?"..

Posted by camberwell (139 days ago)

Hi - have also been asked to pay for water at a restaurant in Soho. I'm boycotting it now.

Posted by Sad Sack (139 days ago)

Brother, there is a point to calling the 10% a service charge instead of doing the ethical thing and increasing prices by 10% and removing the "service charge"

The reason is that restaurants want to steal the tips of the staff, there can be no other reason, straight and simple it is a scam.

I've pointed it out I'll do it again, most people read 10% service charge as an enforced tip for the waiters, and they tip less or not at all because they think they have covered the tip in that charge

Of course the restaurants don't give the service charge to those providing the service, they pocket it, the servers give crap service because the concept of tips for doing a great job doesnt exist, whether they do a good job or not doesnt matter because the owner keeps the tips either way


If any restaurant wants to dispute this then tell me this, why is it at some restaurants there is a very clear notice on the bill SERVICE CHARGE NOT INCLUDED.

That exposes the scam dont it? They are telling you to that a service charge is implied to be a tip but that it isnt and they'd prefer that you tip their staff, hats off to restaurants that do this.

Can we name restaurants that dont add 10% service charge, these would be the restaurants that are not ripping off their staff and we should bring our business to them, lets have it, STAND UP FOR THE HARD WORKING, UNDERPAID, SERVING STAFF WHO ARE GETTING THEIR TIPS RIPPED OFF!!!

Posted by MarathonHK (139 days ago)

I can t recall ever not paying the 10% surcharge in HK.. didn't know some places didnt have it.

Posted by Barraclough (138 days ago)

I find the service charge bizarre. It's like going into a shoe shop and being charged 10 percent extra because the staff had to walk into the stock room to get the right pair. Your food is no good to you sitting in the kitchen and without a waiter to bring it to you.

If the service charge is actually for something else it should be labeled appropriately.

I have been here donkey's years and agree with the poster who thinks that most people think the service charge is the tip – I did for years. I am still reluctant to tip having already made a forced payment for 'service'.

I also am under the impression that in some restaurants tips are pooled and the owners even get a cut from them, which makes me reluctant to tip generously but means that wait staff lose out. I am happy to see a post from a waitress who says she does get to keep her tips.

I have only been to the US once. I was very happy to tip generously because staff knew what they were serving, could anticipate needs and could drop into the background when appropriate and be called over again without a drama. But HK's inconsistent service standards are another rant all together.

Posted by Barraclough (136 days ago)

Restaurants/Bars that don' charge the 10% (added by Ed)


Delaney's, Dublin Jack's, er that's it...

Posted by all2play (136 days ago)

I used to own a restaurant and my my policy was that;
a) the 10% service charge was always optional added to the bill, i.e. if you weren't happy with the service, then I would subtract it from the bill.
b) the service charge was taken of the restaurants takings and added to the waiting staff's tip pool. None of this ever went back to the management or ancillary staff.
c) all credit card slips were closed, i.e. totalled out before presenting to the guest for signature. It always bugs me when the slip is left opened for a tip when you've already been charged the 10%.

To Jing22 who think S/C is for things like linen and bread, that's really what a Cover Charge is, but you seldom see it nowadays. Breakages are always built into the gross profit margins. S/C should, ethically speaking, be given back to the waiting staff. And I would have to disagree that people don't tip are the 'worse'. People in general will reward regardless of S/C added or not provided that the meal and everything around it has met their expectations; if not, well that's why.

Getting back to the water topic of this thread, I remember back in the good old days of the late 80's -90's (UK) when only bottled water -be it local or imported- was served in some of the fine dining establishments I visited -these were 2 or 3 Michelin places. In most places, these were 'free' or at least they would charge for 1 bottle and subsequent ones pro gratis and at least it did soften landing when the bill came. Whereas today in the likes ofSOHO or NOHO , whereby all it takes to establish themselves as Fine Dining, is to put Cesar's Salad on the menu and serve only bottled water from a pompous waiting team who think that you're betraying their ethos by visiting their temple of gastronomy and dare to ask for 'tap' water. How absurd! They really ought to get back to the grass root levels of service and question themselves as to why they're there in the first place and check their pretentious attitude at the door.

Posted by all2play (136 days ago)

Places that don't put S/C on the bill; independent noodle places (not chains) and roast meat joints, Cha Chan Tengs, etc. Plenty if you look around.

Posted by p.mason (134 days ago)

Maya in Lockhart Rd. Wanchai doesn't charge service. And the food is pretty good and not too expensive

Posted by cowleyp (132 days ago)

Recently had dinner in Pizza Hut (kids). They gave us all a glass of cold water on sitting down as they presented the menus, wife and kids bought smoothies but I stayed with water and the service staff, who despite looking about 13 years old worked well and tirelessly topped up my glass at no charge. Needless to say a cash tip was left despite service charge.

Posted by yonon11 (132 days ago)

Hey guys i hate this 10% charge and no free water in the restaurant. What I did is I went to the market buy the food to cook and enjoy my home cook meal. The best thing is i'm now good in cooking. At least my home cooking is i'm very sure it is clean unlike in the restaurant i dont know how clean it is and then you pay 10% charge and no free water.

Posted by FuckED (132 days ago)

and how clean is your kitchen yonon11? Don't forget, bringing a hot date to have dinner at home has less kudos than taking her to a nice restaurant -especially when dinner is served and you're still sweaty from all that work in the kitchen ;-)

Posted by dbg (46 days ago)

Just coming back to this. I went for dinner at Mrs. Jones last night and, upon sitting down, was asked by the waiter if we preferred still, sparkling, or tap water. Now THAT's the way it should be done.