Customer refuses to pay 15% auto gratuity at restaurant after being denied tap water to drink
"I kid you not, she said, 'We don’t have water,'" the customer recalled.
A man (u/ilikesnark on Reddit) refused to pay a 15% auto gratuity at a restaurant after the waitress refused to serve him tap water. His story shed light on the exploitative tipping culture that forces customers to pay extra despite disappointing services.
The customer had gone to this restaurant alone, and while ordering, he noticed that 15% auto gratuity would be added to every bill. At first, he was okay with the pre-added tip and placed his order. The tension began only after the customer asked the waitress to bring him tap water. "She brought me a bottle of water, and I told her I’d prefer a glass of tap water. I kid you not, she said, 'We don’t have water.' I asked if there was a sink, and she said, 'No,'" the man recalled. He argued with her and said there must be a sink where she could fetch water, but the waitress refused. The customer was pissed by her attitude, but he didn't lose his cool. However, when he was clearing the bill, he requested the man at the counter to remove the gratuity. "The guy who rang me out apologized on her behalf, explaining the owner doesn’t allow them to give free water. He was nice and removed the tip and offered me a to-go cup of water (which I politely declined since I had my reusable water bottle in the car)," he said. The customer explained that he had never been forced to leave a tip or refused a glass of tap water. "The food was great, but it was by far the strangest interaction I’ve ever had at a restaurant," he added in his post.
Water, considering its importance for survival, should be served free to customers. Despite this, according to a 2022 report by Epos Now, there is no law asking American businesses to provide free water. While many eateries give it as part of their service, many force their customers to buy expensive packaged drinking water, just like the restaurant in the Reddit story. Another concerning point raised in the story is the growing trend of auto-gratuity on customer receipts. In fact, research found that nearly 72% of Americans say tipping is expected in more places today than it was five years ago. The study by Pew Research Center also found that seven in ten oppose businesses including automatic service charges or tips on bills, whereas only 10% favor such charges.
Meanwhile, reacting to the story, u/bobby2286 commented, "So in this case I would have actually tipped that last guy because that’s what tips are for — it is to show appreciation to someone who goes above and beyond. He apologized on behalf of his dumb*** colleague, offered to stick it to the owner, and gave you a cup of water. That’s way more than he should’ve done."
u/randonumero commented, "Where are you? I've never not been given free water in the US. In Europe, I was never refused tap water but generally encouraged to buy a bottle. Personally, a waitress telling me there's no sink would have been enough for me to just cancel the order and leave. She's clearly lying, but the alternative is they're cooking with filtered water or running a hose from outside." A person, u/fanatica23, suggested, "If you're comfortable with it, you should reveal the restaurant's name so others know not to patronize it. Also, leave a bad review stating everything that you encountered. Even Disney gives out free cups of water."
More on Scoop Upworthy
Waiter rejects $25 tip from diner customer for being too small, reigniting the debate on tipping
Woman shares reason for not tipping hairdresser after a $350 service — and people are backing her up
Share on Facebook
