Water

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Here, the "nice" restaurants always bring water without asking and refill throughout the meal. Other places, (diners, family restaurants) it's 50/50, mostly you have to ask.
 
The more expensive, not extensive, the menu, the beter your chances of receiving water automatically. In California, most casual dining (a pharse that I believe was coined by Kentucky Fried Chicken) restaurants like Denny's, Marie Callender, Baker's Square, etc, will ASK you when they bring the menus if you would like water. I think this dates back to the great Southern California drought, when restaurants were being chastised by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley for automatically serving water to people who were not drinking it. You have to remember that this was the same guy that came up the idea of putting a brick in your toilet tank and the "flush for two, but not for one" slogan.:rolleyes:
 
Water is not served here as a matter of course for 2 reasons.

The first is that people more often than not order mineral water.

The second is that mineral water earns more money for the restaurateur...

Best regards,
Alex R.
 
Here, some do & some don't. During drought years, most don't unless asked & I don't blame them. Too many folks order other beverages & don't even touch the water.

My husband always asks for water, but if I'm having something else, I'd just as soon they don't automatically give water to me. Why waste it?
 
:) If there is a drought some restaurants dont offer water unless you ask not just to save water in this way but the incredible energy and water it takes to wash the water glasses in a dish washer.
At the ranch where I used to work and still live but HB still works they have a place card telling you that if you dont need your bath towels washed after 1 or 2 uses hang them back on towel rack if you want them washed throw them on the floor.The idea is to save water and the energy washing something you can use more than once.
 
I almost always have ask. I can't even remember the last time I didn't have to. It used to be always brought out to you.
 
Most of the places I've lived serve water as a matter of course if there is no drought, then they have a policy of "ask for it." No one has ever begrudged me or charged me for it, but having been a waitress once, I know that we threw gallons upon gallons of water away every night. So when the area dries out, simply ask politely for a glass of tap water (if you word it other ways you may get charged for bottled water, and in some other countries, no matter what, you will get charged for it and get a bottle of water).
 
:) One thing the ranch here has been doing for a few years is they have card in the bathroom in the guest rooms to ask if you want your bath towels washed after just one night if so to throw them on the floor if not leave them on the towel rack to use 1 or 2 more times to conserve water and so on .A Holiday Inn outside of Chicago basically asked the same thing about room service they had a card you could cross off what you wanted making the the bed etc.All I really want is the bed made ,the trash out and coffee maker refreshed and maybe 3 or 4 days later fresh towels and fresh sheets. I stayed there about 12 days.
 
as a person in the restaurant biz i believe during the summer definitely water is served but only after a beverage order is taken
during the winter, not everyone wants water
 
Most of the places in the DFW area serve water as requested. Don't ask for water, don't get no water!
 
It is sometimes a matter of ecological policy depending on drought conditions. During some drought times (and I fear we are entering another) it is the policy not to automatically give water but will if asked. It isn't just the amount of water consumed (or not) but the dishwashing water and energy.
 
Ironically, I have to ask for water when eating in a high-end classy restaurant. But if I'm just going to some hole-in-the-wall retaurant, they serve water right away. Maybe the more expensive ones assume you're going to order wine?
 
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