302503 Mon Aug 22 06:18:41 -0700 2005 8 29 Not About Food 0 1694123 Many of our rants in one seamless go... (URL below) It seemed spot on with the mineral water blackmail: "still or sparkling" makes me want to punch waitstaff. Does anyone have a polite comeback that lets them know that you don't appreciate this form of extortion? You know I actually had a waitress tell me once that "we don't have tap water". Didn't make it there again! Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1743176,00.html Mon Aug 22 06:18:41 -0700 2005 0 drdawn 1 1694124 Did you ask her if they washed the dishes in still or sparkling water??? Mon Aug 22 07:59:18 -0700 2005 1694123 0 Ray 1 1694125 The last time "mineral water blackmail" happened to me the conversation went like this: Waitress: "Still or sparkling, sir?" Me: "Which is free?" Waitress: "Neither, sir." Me:"Then I'm in the wrong restaurant." Exit this patron. It's getting out of control. Mon Aug 22 08:21:15 -0700 2005 1694123 0 beevod 2 1694133 Fortunately this trend hasn't hit the middle-range restaurants in Los Angeles yet -- but the one time they pulled this crap on me in New York -- the most arrogant waiter in the world, at the Beach Cafe -- I smiled that grim not-a-smile and said, "Water from the garden hose in the alley will be fine, thank you, but we'll gladly pay the upgrade to have our food served on plates rather than in pig troughs." Mon Aug 22 10:16:08 -0700 2005 1694125 0 Das Ubergeek 1 1694137 for me, value is almost always right on the heels of quality. i simply don't enjoy the food as much when i know it costs more than it's worth. for that reason, i generally avoid high-end places (i can make it at home four times over for what they charge). as to the water thing, when asked, i say "tap, please." if it's delivered with attitude (as with discourteous service for anything in a restaraunt), the waitstaff will pay for the attitude out of the tip (and i have been known to leave a note explaining the tip). i, too, once had a server tell me they didn't have tap. i told her that was unfortunate, then left. we went to the place across the street. we dropped $200 (a hefty tab for two in our region) on our anniversary dinner. i then took the receipt back to the original place and asked to see the manager. i showed him the receipt, and told him that's how much the tap water had cost him. we haven't been back, but acquaintances have, and said they had no problem getting tap water. (i should note here that my wife is more hardcore about this kind of crap than i am. she got a kick out of it, and it, in fact, enhanced the evening.) Mon Aug 22 10:40:21 -0700 2005 1694123 0 mark 2 1694141 _That_ is the best comeback you could have made! Mon Aug 22 11:05:08 -0700 2005 1694137 0 The Ranger 2 1694182 Funny...if they truly didn't have tap water, that would be grounds for being shut down by the health department. Mon Aug 22 17:49:47 -0700 2005 1694137 0 LT from LF 2 1694283 Bless you. . . I've been in situations where I've had friends be intimidated into ordering $5 bottled water Then, when I ask for tap water, they look at me as if I'm unsophisticated, hopelessly contrary, or maybe, just cheap! Tue Aug 23 21:19:18 -0700 2005 1694137 0 phoebek 1 1694241 Gee. Every day, at whatever scrufty lunch place I'm dining, I get a bottle of water. Mostly, the only other alternative is soda pop. Since I'm trying to avoid sugar, caffeine, and aspartame, there's little else possible. So, am I, from the bottom, encouraging those ying-yangs at the top to believe that they needn't provide water gratis? Note to self: purchase camelback hydration kit soon. Tue Aug 23 13:08:20 -0700 2005 1694123 0 Shep