If you live in the US, you’re probably used to going to a restaurant, sitting down, and immediately being served with a glass of water, sometimes even with ice.
I didn’t realize how much I took that pleasure for granted until I ventured out for an ice cream with a work colleague during lunch last week. We went to a restaurant by the lake. I ordered a ridiculously high-priced ice cream along with “hannenwasser” (tap water).
Waiter: “I’m sorry, you have to order bottled water.”
Me: “No, I just want plain water, not bottled.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”
Me: “I’ll pay for it.”
Waiter: “I’m sorry.”
Apparently, some restaurants in Zurich are now refusing to give patrons glasses of tap water (how convenient with the hot temperatures). If patrons want water, they’ll have to purchase bottles of mineral water.
I can’t stand most types of mineral water. They have a metallic taste and leave my mouth more dried out than before. Evian is the only bottled water I like.
Anyway, just in case you need it, here’s a list from the Tages Anzeiger of restaurants that still serve tap water.
And by the way, you know those packets of tomato ketchup you get at fast food joints? You have to pay for those too.:-)
Comments (5)
Sis,
I remember it WELL. OMG!
*singing* God Bless the USAAAAAAAAAA*
I’m still pissed off that in some places you have to “pay to pee”. That’s so wrong, it can never be right!
Yo’re right, Rashunda, in particular with view to our clean and tasty unchlorinated drinking water.
By the way, you should have joined our recent excursion to the Hardhof Groundwater Plant in Zürich. Check out http://www.martinsteiger.ch/files/mensa_ch/wvz_2005/ for some snapshots or download http://www3.stzh.ch/internet/wvz/home/wasserwerke/grund.ParagraphContainerList.ParagraphContainer1.ParagraphList.0003.File.pdf/wvz%2002004-03%20Hardhof%20engl..pd for further information!
I hate mineral water too. It just reminds me too much of my grandmother’s old “iron water” in GA.
Geez everybody knows you need water after ice cream!
They’ve been charging for ketchup sachets for a while here (well for as long as I can remember actually lol) here in London.