Free water or a priced beverage?

Discussion in Food & Drink started by andrew320 • Jun 11, 2012.

  1. andrew320

    andrew320Active Member

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    Someone mentioned in a thread that they usually tend to order water when they go out for lunch or dinner. My fiancee and I always, always order a glass of water as opposed to spending $1.99 for a glass of soda, $8.99 for a pint of beer, $2.99 for milk or $2.50 for juice (I don't even drink soda, milk or alcohol).

    Over the years, we have noticed waiters and waitresses give us looks for just ordering water (maybe our paranoia).

    Question: when you go out to eat and spend an absurd amount of money of food you can cook at home, do you order water or something else?
     
  2. classicnyer

    classicnyerActive Member

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    This was definitely a loaded question, haha!

    I always order water with my meals, partially because besides for alcohol, there aren't any other really good choices. I don't drink soda, and if I'm going to drink fruit juice, I may as well drink water. I usually defeat my own purpose, though, because if I'm at dinner I'll have an alcoholic drink afterward as/with dessert, and I KNOW how overpriced that is, haha!
     
  3. addicted_buyer

    addicted_buyerExpert

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    I always order a soda, and probably one more if the big is big enough to make me that thirsty. I've never been the kind of guy who drinks water - If I'm eating out, I'll be enjoying myself :p
     
  4. S.O. Price

    S.O. PriceActive Member

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    Oh, this is such a difficult question for me! I HATE paying the prices nowadays for a diet pop at a restaurant. It's outrageous! Before I arrive at the restaurant I always tell myself I'm just going to order water and then once I sit down, about 9 times out of 10 I buckle under my desires and order something to drink. After I get the bill, I am mad at myself for wasting my money. If I had any courage, I would have a 20 oz. pop bottle hidden in my purse (which I filled from a 2-liter bottle) and just drink from that. Alas, I have not actually done that yet!
     
  5. NopGuy

    NopGuyActive Member

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    I always get water when I dine out. Most of the restaurants I go to bring you water for free if you ask for it (though it tastes like it came straight out of the sink, but it's free so I can't argue). I don't drink soda that often and I don't care for fruit juice. Most of the time, I'll just bring a bottle of water or something from home and put it in my bag to take in. Most places don't care if I do this, and the ones that do, I just sip and put away.
     
  6. mariaandrea

    mariaandreaMember

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    For lunch, it's always free water. For dinner, water and wine. I try and limit soda anyway, so it's an easy choice, and I really like wine with dinner and I've discovered good new wines at restaurants, so it's worth it to me.
     
  7. Sandra Piddock

    Sandra PiddockExpert

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    I'm with Maria on this - I like wine with dinner when I go out, and I always order water as well, so we can make the wine go further. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself a little.

    I find if you order a bottle of house wine between you, it's a cheaper option than ordering by the glass, and if you can't drink it all, ask for the bottle to be corked and take it with you - you've paid for it, after all.
     
  8. Linky

    LinkyExpert

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    I just have a cup of tea with whatever I order. But I order it after I eat, sometimes not though. I remember hearing that it is not good to drink while you eat. So, I just order something to eat when I go out. We tend to go to places we know, so they often bring a water jug with them but I carry my filter water bottle with me...wherever I go.
     
  9. dissn_it

    dissn_itActive Member

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    I am with Maria on this, too. We don't go out as often as we used to. When we do, it is usually for a really nice dinner and I am having wine for certain!
     
  10. Mrs. Pirz

    Mrs. PirzExpert

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    I almost always order water because I don't drink soda or beer. I will have fruit juice if I am having breakfast and alcoholic beverages if it is a special occasion but usually I order water. I think I don't drink enough usually anyway and most of the time we walk around under hydrated therefore I take advantage of the dining out situation and have water with meals
     
  11. Isabellas2007

    Isabellas2007Active Member

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    I usually get water unless it is a meal you need to have the other drinks for. For example, if the food is a pizza you want to have beer or soda. Then I will get a Coke. However, other then that it is water all the way!
     
  12. Adeal4u

    Adeal4uActive Member

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    I drink water with my meals because I not a fan of soda. Occasionally I'll have a beer, but that's the only exception. Restaurants don't like when you order water because they don't make any money. I wish there were more things to drink on the menu, besides soda. Juice is a good alternative, so sometimes I will have that, but I prefer to drink water.
     
  13. love2loveu

    love2loveuMember

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    Well when I go out to eat I always order water because I do not drink soda's or juices. I rarely order any kind of alcoholic beverage. However, my husband and my son orders juice and soda. I do not feel like the person taking the order looks at me funny for just getting water. I also like that for water they normally do not charge for it as well. I am happy that my habit of drinking water can help save some money.
     
  14. Sugarhill

    SugarhillActive Member

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    I get both and have never had an issue with any person from the wait staff. I usually want a glass of water and also some tea, lemonade or soda with my meals. If I'm going out to eat, I don't suddenly draw the line at the price of a drink. If money is that much of an issue, then I shouldn't be out to lunch or dinner.
     
  15. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    I've never gotten any looks for ordering water, or at least not that I really noticed. It's not even just for the price difference, but rather that I prefer drinking water the majority of the time. It's healthier and I drink a lot when I eat, so I prefer guzzling down water than something sugary and carbonated.
     
  16. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    When we eat out water is usually given for free in restaurants, but we still order cola or tea or whatever beverage is on their menu as we wait for our order to be served.
     
  17. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I order water when I am out for dinner, I don't drink soda. I had not thought about getting a bottle between the two of us and corking it if we do not drink the whole bottle. The next time I go out I will give that a try.
     
  18. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    It is a loaded question. LOL!

    When I go out to eat even if I don't spend an absurd amount of money, I usually just get water. I might order ice tea. It really depends on the weather.
     
  19. classicnyer

    classicnyerActive Member

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    A bottle of what? Of wine? Where I live (it might be local or it might be national; I don't know) it's illegal to take alcohol out of a restaurant or bar, so it's not a good idea to buy a bottle unless you plan on finishing it. For that reason, I'd never try to split a bottle unless I was out with at least three people. I suppose, though, that you could cork it and stash it in a large purse on the sly, but I personally wouldn't bother. If I want to "take the party home," so to speak, it's cheaper and less hassle to just drink water at the restaurant and then hit the liquor store on the way home.
     
  20. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    There's nothing really wrong with ordering waters when you go out to eat. I think the thing that *will* piss off a server though is if you ask for water with lemons and make lemonade at your table with the sugar packets. Nothing screams "I'm not getting a tip off this table" quite like that. People that do that really should not be going out to eat in the first place.