[Food] So far this year we have served more free tap waters than any other drink…..

[Brian Fantana]

At the end of the day if a bottle of coke is 1.50 in a supermarket a restaurant or pub are more than entitled to charge a fiver. If you don’t like that stay at home.

And increasingly people are staying at home for that very reason.

 

[Weststander]

All the hotels we’ve stayed in past 5 plus years (Austria, US, France, Italy, Switz) charge for tap water at the table. Marketed as ‘mountain spring’ in the Alps. Mandatory. As very modest boozers this affects us, but no complaints.

I know others who find it outrageous and made a fuss.

Young folk are far, far less into alcohol than earlier gens, hence all the pub, club and restaurant closures.

 

[portlock seagull]

And increasingly people are staying at home for that very reason.

People have always done this. Depends if you like being social or happy in your own solitary/can afford or like to entertain. Personally I enjoy going out, and can afford to so we do.

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

I was in a craft beer bar last night, and the table of 3 sat next to us had a bottle of sparkling water shared between the 3, plus one other drink, and played cards. This was over the course of at least 2 and three quarter hours.

I woke this morning, and read a social media post from a restaurant I like, which is now closing. They said average daily income had dropped but the thing which caught my eye was “So far this year we have served more free tap waters than any other drink”

No wonder restaurants are struggling if this is happening. I have nothing against people who don’t want to drink alcohol, but give your head a wobble and buy a soft drink or two at least.

That's out of order, especially at the Weekend.
I have spent the weekend in Paris and paid 14 Euros for a single expresso and a small coke. I left a 10% deposit and got a rude look.
We still have great prices in the UK and people just don't appreciate it.

 

[chickens]

Cafes and restaurant margins are thin. Drinks are a significant factor when it comes to the bottom line. Not buying drinks is definitely not contributing.

They should have priced their food to be profitable.

 

[Sorrel]

My children are guilty of this. I tell them not to, that they are paying for the place and the service, but I'm not sure they listen.

 

[JBizzle]

At the end of the day if a bottle of coke is 1.50 in a supermarket a restaurant or pub are more than entitled to charge a fiver. If you don’t like that stay at home.

Or get tap water

 

[BN9 BHA]

I was in a craft beer bar last night

Imagine my surprise

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Plenty of successful businesses, chains and hotels offer the aforementioned two within a set price. And walk through any food court in the UAE and you'll find restaurants offering free samples in order to encourage people to give them their custom.

It's surprising that the restaurant in question hasn't considered something similar - perhaps that's a contributing factor as to why they're closing. Perhaps not. It's more likely to be a combinations of issues including current disposable income and market conditions. But because of this they've still got to know their target market's circumstances and price accordingly.

And if there's not enough customers buying from a restaurant in a way that they want in the current market conditions, the fault lies with the restaurant failing to adapt and bring a product attractive enough to the marketplace, not customers. With increased competition through a variety of other options for F&B entertainment and the advent of home delivery, the market will ultimately decide which restaurants stay in business and which don't.

Expecting customers to spend more purely on a charitable basis is delusional.

The article by the owner says that the spending per head is down in general, total revenue have over recent times had dropped and cited one reason being people not buying drinks. He also wants to pay the living wage. He said it no possible and he will now close.

I guess I see things differently. Economic times are tough, I prefer to try and help local businesses. Asking for free tap water, imho, is a further kick in the teeth for businesses already having a rough ride. If you can afford 20-30 for the food you can afford an extra 2-3 euros for a soft drink….the drinks mark up is often the difference between profit and loss.

 

[trueblue]

At the end of the day if a bottle of coke is 1.50 in a supermarket a restaurant or pub are more than entitled to charge a fiver. If you don’t like that stay at home.

Or go out and drink water. It’s their problem to address, not the customer. If I’m in a restaurant and paying for meals, entirely my choice what I drink. If a changing world means the meal prices have to increase, so be it.

Agree though that drinking tap water in the pub is not acceptable in any way.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They should have priced their food to be profitable.

Maybe they should charge tightarses for the tap water?

 

[The Grockle]

Cafes and restaurant margins are thin. Drinks are a significant factor when it comes to the bottom line. Not buying drinks is definitely not contributing.

Agreed but I also agree with a previous comment regarding soft drinks options. Restaurants need to offer better non alcoholic options.

Also off trade wines can be very poor with big mark ups. A £30 quid bottle of house wine that you can't buy outside of a bar/Restaurant is often on par with a £5 bottle you'd buy at the supermarket.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

On a site where supporters expect to be able to get the discount and benefit of a season ticket without the commitment, I guess I should not be disappointed by some of the responses on here.

 

[chickens]

Maybe they should charge tightarses for the tap water?

I’m sorry, I’m deeply unenthused by your rallying cry to pay more than £5 for 250ml of Coca Cola.

You’re clearly:

a) a drinker

and

b) financially secure.

Now, if I take my family out for a meal, I will be spending between 8% and 12% of my monthly income to do that, depending on restaurant.

Standard policy for us is to all order a soft drink each, and water for the table. If I’m out with the kids I don’t want alcohol for obvious reasons. We will, in general, make an event of it, have three courses, and rely on the restaurant having priced its dishes that it’s making some money on that.

Far more often than not, the soft drinks will be dreadful. Sugar syrup from a nozzle. I tend to leave the soft drink and drink the water.

Clearly the place you describe does not have a range of desirable soft drinks, otherwise they’d be selling them.

Its closure has nothing to do with people ordering water, and everything to do with not being a profitable business. I can’t join the lament for a business too stupid to check whether or not it’s making any money on its food.

 

[hart's shirt]

The article by the owner says that the spending per head is down in general, total revenue have over recent times had dropped and cited one reason being people not buying drinks. He also wants to pay the living wage. He said it no possible and he will now close.

I guess I see things differently. Economic times are tough, I prefer to try and help local businesses. Asking for free tap water, imho, is a further kick in the teeth for businesses already having a rough ride. If you can afford 20-30 for the food you can afford an extra 2-3 euros for a soft drink….the drinks mark up is often the difference between profit and loss.

As a former owner of a small business for over 10 years which employed 12 staff at its peak, it's always sad to see SMEs go to the wall. The impact is felt far beyond customers to staff redundancies and the knock-on effect to families. I saw it first hand.

Since physiological needs such as food and drink are on the lowest level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, it's not that people don't want to dine out.

But in a free market, it's not the role of the consumer to subsidize for-profit businesses. Just because I can pay for something doesn't mean I have to any more than I want to. Increase the incentives for customers to buy with better products, a better experience or a better price and there will be better sales.

And regarding for-profit businesses, the profit margin has to be sufficient as a matter of prime importance.

If it's not due to increased costs, declining disposable income or anything else, the market will judge it without emotion or favour.

 

[The Fits]

Agreed but I also agree with a previous comment regarding soft drinks options. Restaurants need to offer better non alcoholic options.

Also off trade wines can be very poor with big mark ups. A £30 quid bottle of house wine that you can't buy outside of a bar/Restaurant is often on par with a £5 bottle you'd buy at the supermarket.

All the restaurants I know in Bristol that are decent will sell a house wine that far exceeds anything available in most supermarkets (especially sub a tenner). The wines I have as my house wines are so much better than supermarket wine that they’re almost different drinks all together. They’re also wines you can’t buy anywhere else than a few local bars/restaurants. Is 28-30 quid too much for that? When people happily pay 6 quid+ for a pint of Madri. Which is basically piss.

 

[Durlston]

The cost of a Red Bull in a pub is scandalous. Better off buying an extra large can in a supermarket and drinking it in a pub garden (with the warmer months ahead).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m sorry, I’m deeply unenthused by your rallying cry to pay more than £5 for 250ml of Coca Cola.

You’re clearly:

a) a drinker

and

b) financially secure.

Now, if I take my family out for a meal, I will be spending between 8% and 12% of my monthly income to do that, depending on restaurant.

Standard policy for us is to all order a soft drink each, and water for the table. If I’m out with the kids I don’t want alcohol for obvious reasons. We will, in general, make an event of it, have three courses, and rely on the restaurant having priced its dishes that it’s making some money on that.

Far more often than not, the soft drinks will be dreadful. Sugar syrup from a nozzle. I tend to leave the soft drink and drink the water.

Clearly the place you describe does not have a range of desirable soft drinks, otherwise they’d be selling them.

Its closure has nothing to do with people ordering water, and everything to do with not being a profitable business. I can’t join the lament for a business too stupid to check whether or not it’s making any money on its food.

1) never suggested paying a fiver for a can of coke.
2) The restaurant does have a range of decent soft drinks. We can debate what decent means, but they also have bottled mineral water (both still and sparkling.) for all those customers who clearly like water.

As for the rest, your argument is all over the place.

 

[The Grockle]

All the restaurants I know in Bristol that are decent will sell a house wine that far exceeds anything available in most supermarkets (especially sub a tenner). The wines I have as my house wines are so much better than supermarket wine that they’re almost different drinks all together. They’re also wines you can’t buy anywhere else than a few local bars/restaurants. Is 28-30 quid too much for that? When people happily pay 6 quid+ for a pint of Madri. Which is basically piss.

Theres definitely exceptions and it sounds like you are better than most but Is stand by my comment that many house wines are over priced for the quality.

I think £30 quid for a house bottle is reasonable but it should be on par with a a decent £10 supermarket wine IMO, it's not often the case.

 

[The Fits]

Theres definitely exceptions and it sounds like you are better than most but Is stand by my comment that many house wines are over priced for the quality.

I think £30 quid for a house bottle is reasonable but it should be on par with a a decent £10 supermarket wine IMO, it's not often the case.

It won’t be at pubs or restaurants owned by chains, which I think flavours people’s perception. It will likely be the equivalent of a 4 or 5 quid bottle, and not an aldi one, but then the food will be awful too. No head chef worth their salt will send out bad wine and if they do they don’t deserve to be open in the first place.