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Q: Why do so many expat restaurants in China charge for water?
Considering the prices they're already getting out of us, it always sets my teeth grinding. Table water should be free. Period.
No, I don't need icecubes in it. No, I don't need any lemon zest crap. Just plain water.
I have been to many restaurants in China for the last 15 years. On all, if I order a bottle of water, I must pay for it. If water is served from apitcher with lemon slices in, it is free. If you are charged for it, and it bothers you, start looking for a new restaurant to patronze.
Maybe in a way it is like those packages of facial tissues they place on the table and charge you 2 Rmb for each. Since I do always carry a few on my shoulder bag, I always decline them, and check the bill afterwards to insure they are not included.
Maybe you should start bringing your own bottle of wate to that restaurant and see if they get the message......
I'm not sure if they do charge you. The restaurants that I have been to only charge you for bottled water. The water in the glass should be free. For some reason they don't like to give you free refills either. The only place that I have gotten a free refill was at subway and that was because the soda fountain was out near the customers. Even then they only want you to take one free refill which I don't mind.
Because it's an "expat restaurant." Laowai are all rich so charging for water shouldn't matter to them. And for the locals that eat there, it's a "fancy" place to be able to show off eating there. So paying for water for water is just seen as part of the showing off experience.
Just stop eating there. Find you a few hole-in-the-wall places. They offer great flavor and so much cheaper.
