Customer fights back after restaurant refuses to serve free tap water

Some restaurants have adopted automated payment systems that include mandatory gratuities, sparking debates about tipping culture. While many argue that tipping provides essential income for service workers, others believe restaurants should pay fair wages instead. A Reddit user, u/ilikesnark, recently shared a frustrating dining experience that reignited the discussion—this time over a restaurant's refusal to serve tap water.

In their post, titled "Waitress refused to give me water so I removed the 15% auto gratuity," the Redditor described the awkward situation. They had gone out to eat alone and noticed the restaurant’s policy of automatically adding a 15% tip to every bill. While ordering, they requested a glass of tap water, but the waitress instead brought a bottle of water. When the customer asked again for tap water, the waitress insisted they didn’t have any.

"I asked if there was a sink and she said no."

— u/ilikesnark

"I argued with her about surely there’s a sink she can fill a glass from and she flat out refused, saying they only have bottled water," the user explained. They were confused because the restaurant clearly used water for drinks and cooking, and there were no known issues with the local tap water.

At that moment, they decided to let it go and continue their meal. But when the check arrived, they took issue with the automatic gratuity.

A manager steps in to apologize

The customer requested that the restaurant remove the tip, which prompted another employee to intervene. "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)," the Redditor wrote.

While they found the food enjoyable, they couldn’t shake off how strange the entire interaction was. "I’ve never been forced to leave a gratuity as a party of one and sure as hell never been refused a glass of tap water," they said.

"I've never been forced to leave a gratuity as a party of one."

— u/ilikesnark

The post quickly gained traction, with many Reddit users criticizing the restaurant’s refusal to provide free water.

"She messed up. She had the opportunity to throw the owner under the bus."

— u/Due-Lab1450

Another commenter, u/KittyandPuppyMama, pointed out that even if a restaurant only sells bottled water, they likely still have running tap water available. "They have glasses, they have a sink that dispenses water they're already using to cook food. This is assuming it's a place with clean tap water," they noted.

Others found humor in the situation. u/TenOfZero sarcastically remarked, "I would have left and made sure a manager knew that I thought it was completely disgusting that they don't have a sink in the kitchen to wash things."

The larger debate on tipping culture

This story ties into a larger discussion about tipping practices in the U.S. In many parts of the world, restaurants provide fair wages, eliminating the need for tipping altogether. But in the U.S., tipping remains a major part of the service industry, with many workers relying on it to supplement their often low base pay.

However, auto gratuities—especially in cases where service isn’t up to par—have been criticized by diners who feel they should have control over how much they tip. The practice of automatically adding a tip to every bill has made some feel like they’re paying extra for service that may not meet expectations.

"Even if they only sell bottled, they should still pour you a cup of tap water."

— u/KittyandPuppyMama

Situations like the one u/ilikesnark experienced make people question whether tipping should be a choice rather than an obligation. What do you think? Should restaurants be required to serve free tap water? And should auto gratuities be standard practice? Let us know in the comments!