Dining

100+ Restaurants in Singapore That Do Not Serve Free Water

By Veron Ang

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For a long while we have noticed an annoying trend in many restaurants. An increasing number have a no-water policy: They do not serve free water to diners even when requested. Instead, we have to buy their bottled water. Not only is the bottled water...

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About the Author

Veron Ang is the founder and chief editor of Sparklette. She lives in Singapore and has dined and traveled across the world. She also runs Sparklette Studio, a web design and WordPress development firm. If you'd like to connect with her, head on over to the contact page or follow her personal updates on Twitter: @VeronSG.

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473 responses

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Gerald
June 18, 2009

Spizza!
Reply
- Veron
  June 18, 2009
  
  Pizza and no water? Added!
  Reply
kelvin
June 18, 2009

Muthu’s Curry ( everywhere)
Five Star Chicken Rice( all branches)
Reply
- Veron
  June 18, 2009
  
  Added both restaurants.
  
  I dined at Muthu’s Curry but never really noticed if they served water. In my opinion, a restaurant where people go for thick and spicy Indian curry should definitely serve free-flowing iced water!
  Reply
  - kelvin
    June 19, 2009
    
    Muthu’s Curry not only do not serve free water, they even forced me to buy their extremely over-priced mineral water. They said that they only serve bottled mineral water and these cost alot more than what you can buy outside.
    
    i was so angry i walked out.
    Reply
- Veron
  July 10, 2009
  
  Muthu’s Curry has feedback that they have updated their policy. They now serve free water :) I have removed it from the list.
  Reply
- Veron
  July 10, 2009
  
  Muthu’s Curry has clarified that they have changed their policy and now serve free water :) I have removed the restaurant from the list.
  Reply
jeff
June 18, 2009

Dear Veron,

Maybe a clearer distinction could be drawn.
Possibly fast-food/kopitiam type places should not be cited. Some pseudo-fastfood places should be exempted too (especially those low-profit margin/high-turnover eateries)
Definitely fine-dining restaurants go to the top of the list (they should pour water before you ask).

I know the line is hard to draw, but I think it does make a difference. One would not expect free water at a coffeeshop, neither does one expect free water at macdonalds. But if I pay $70-100 per head for a fine dining experience, even if I’m drinking wine exclusively, I’d expect a glass of iced-water on my table, fully comped. These should be all part of good service.

Maybe that should be the line. Service charge = should provide water. No service charge = no water forgiveable.

Jeff
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  You’re right that the line is hard to draw. But I’m not sure if we can draw the line at whether the restaurant levies service charges. There are many restaurants that do not levy service charges, but price their food highly instead. The seemingly zero service charge is actually hidden in the food prices.
  Reply
- DK
  June 19, 2009
  
  I agree with Jeff. Fast food and kopitiam should not be cited here.
  
  Veron: Great list you have here. Thanks!
  Reply
richard leong
June 19, 2009

Old Town Coffee do not serve ice water too, BOYCOTT!
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  Right. They also charge $0.50 for a small extra spoonful of chili to go with their nasi lemak. When I start a list of craptastic restaurants, Old Town is going right into that list.
  Reply
wendy
June 19, 2009

hatto at ridgewood does not serve water. they use to have a help yourself jug. now they want you to buy water with their own label
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  I won’t be surprised if they sell that across all their outlets. Added.
  Reply
Ling
June 19, 2009

coming from a server point of view..

i once served 12 ice water to 12 youngsters and they all walked out after finishing the water! My manager asked if they ordered anything and i replied, “yes. ice water. so no bill!”

I know this is an extreme case but there are many people out there making use of the free water policy. They would constantly asked for refills; some even need the glasses to be changed! I believe those who do not provide free water also do it in order to reduce the manpower needed and increase seats turnover too.

And no. service charge do not goes to the servers in singapore. =(
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  With anything free there would always be the minority group of people that abuse it. Is that a good reason to deprive the majority who just want to have a proper meal with water?
  
  Also, I don’t think it’s wrong to ask for water refills. The customer may be really thirsty or having something really spicy! Many restaurants do it automatically, too (Swensen’s and tcc come to mind). But I do think it’s wrong when a customer continues staying in a restaurant with just that glass of refillable water even long after he’s done with his meal.
  Reply
  - Jol
    June 22, 2009
    
    I agreed. If i spend 40+ at a resturant, i already paid $4++ for service charges…. and how many times will the staff come to my table after placing foods on my table? So why should they charge plain water? If they want to charge, then tell customers in advance.
    
    and there are those worse cases that can put some sort of sauce on the table and then charge u $5 or $3 for that plate of sauce u never dipped at all!!! Unreasonable!!! And they should state earlier that the sauce is charged. We didnt ask for that. Its already on our table, next to the slices chillies. So of course u thought its free right?!?!
    
    Of course n those that serve peanuts but dont they know that not everyone can take peanuts? and so unreasonable shops SIMPLY DONT allow u to CANCEL that plate of peanuts!!! Citing they earn low from the foods…….. Zzzzzzzz (ps their foods isnt that cheap at all)
    Reply
    - Veron
      June 22, 2009
      
      Exactly! I hate it when they charge for stuff that you haven’t asked for but they place at your table anyway, such as peanuts, crisps, keropok. And they don’t bother telling you that all these things are chargeable. Believe me, I know exactly what you mean.
      
      I’ve experienced it at mostly Chinese restaurants like Oasis and had a similar encounter at Bali Thai too.
      Reply
- mouse
  June 19, 2009
  
  It’s simple – provide water only once the order has been taken, or if the person has joined a table that has already ordered.
  
  As for refills, that’s what restaurants are supposed to do. Its called service.
  Reply
gwen
June 19, 2009

Barcelos
vivocity #02-91-93
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  Added Barcelos. That’s one less place I need to check out at VivoCity.
  Reply
ben
June 19, 2009

Bao Luo Wan Xiang @ Plaza Singapura basement2
asked for glass of warm water = $0.50 charge….
Reply
- Veron
  June 19, 2009
  
  That’s one pricey glass of water. Added!
  Reply
mouse
June 19, 2009

A year or so back I was at Insomnia in CHIJMES. Two if us were there a long while and had probably run up a $200 bar tab by then. A friend joined us and they refused to serve her water. They were extremely rude about it. Even given that we’d spent so much money with them already and the place wasn’t busy so her seat wasn’t exactly in demand. We would have stayed at the bar and spent more money had they given our friend a drink of water and not been so rude. As it is they’ve lost three generally undemanding, high-spending customers for life. I don’t know if it’s changed in recent times – I doubt it as there don’t seem to be enough sites like your raising awareness of this petty and ridiculous practice. In many countries it is completely illegal not to provide free water – and in some you are even obliged to provide water to people who aren’t customers.
Reply
- Veron
  June 20, 2009
  
  Thanks for sharing your experience. Them losing your business is exactly what they deserve for the poor service rendered.
  
  Added Insomnia.
  Reply
Ris
June 19, 2009

Lucky for the Little India restaurants.. they not only serve free water, they leave the jar and cups on the tables for everyone to refill-at-will. :)
Reply
- Veron
  June 20, 2009
  
  Oh yeah you’re right! Haha I noticed that too. Speaking of which, the last time I visited Swensen’s (Toa Payoh) for the 1-for-1 lunch treats, they also left a jar of cold water on every table for us to refill. Props to them.
  Reply
French Blast
June 19, 2009

That’s a good idea! Restaurants which don’t serve water deserve to be boycotted!
Reply
- Veron
  June 20, 2009
  
  Thrilled to get the French vote!
  Reply
kisetsu
June 20, 2009

I’ve been to Lerk Thai @ Pasir Ris alot of times and they do serve plain water without our asking. So I guess it does not apply to all outlets bah. Nevertheless, great listing. Am surprised by those ‘branded’ restaurants yet they don’t serve the basic need of water. Hmm. :)
Reply
- Veron
  June 20, 2009
  
  I used to be a frequent diner at Lerk Thai (weekly) and yes, they used to serve plain water freely. But on my last visits to the Marina Square and Changi Airport T3 branches within the last month, the waitstaff said that they no longer do that.
  
  But over the past couple of days I heard that they reverted after a popular artiste complained of their no-water policy. Not sure how true it is, but it would be good news because I would no longer have to boycott my favorite restaurant :)
  Reply
contrarian
June 20, 2009

I’d suggest that you check with Mamma Lucia Churrascaria for an update. I’ve been eating there for years and it didn’t serve free water for years. However it seems that that has changed since sometime in the second half of 2008.
Reply
- Veron
  June 20, 2009
  
  Would someone verify this please?
  Reply
Jamjam
June 20, 2009

hey Timbre serves water.. u just have them to ask for it… but i dont think they refill ur water… that’s all :)

Coffeeclub at Orchard Fountain does not serve water too… the other outlets all do! :)
Reply
- Veron
  June 21, 2009
  
  I heard that they don’t serve water at Timbre after 10:30pm, but I can’t be sure.
  
  Added Coffee Club. How strange that they don’t serve water at this particular outlet, considering its outdoor location where people would feel even more thirsty.
  Reply
  - Rachel
    December 21, 2009
    
    Timbre does serve free (tap) water when requested. Refills, too, if you ask for it. However, after 10.30pm, customers who want water or refills will have to help themselves at the bar counter; waiters don’t carry jugs of water around after 10.30.
    
    My last visit at Timbre (Substation) was a week or two ago.
    Reply
    - Veron
      December 21, 2009
      
      Got it. The Timbre management clarifies this point on their website, too, and it’s exactly like you said. They are not on the list.
      Reply
Deb
June 20, 2009

re: Old Town White Coffee – I complained to the manager at the Toa Payoh outlet about charging for water, particularly after I/any patron has ordered a meal and a coffee. He admitted that he had received similar complaints, but I see that this has not changed their policy.
Reply
- Veron
  June 21, 2009
  
  It’s funny that the manager would actually admit in front of another customer that they have received such complaints, and just haven’t done anything about it.
  Reply
Mauchoo
June 21, 2009

Old Hong Kong Kitchen at Square 2 (Novena) wants to charge us 80 cents for a glass of tap water. We left without ordering anything and vowed never to return. It’s not that we can’t afford it, but 80 cents for tap water?!
Reply
- Veron
  June 21, 2009
  
  I have heard restaurants charging $0.20, $0.30, $0.50 for tap water. $0.80 is the most expensive yet!
  Reply
- Martin
  August 14, 2009
  
  I am a regular customer of Old Hong Kong Kitchen. I like the food and prices. Comparing with the other Cantonese restaurant, the prices that they charge are low. For the charging of plain water, for what I know is, if you have order other drinks, they won’t charge you any water price and even refillable. I think it is very reasonable.
  Reply
lily
June 21, 2009

Hi, I just went to Tapas Tree at Clarke Quay last weekend and the waitress quite willingly served us iced water when i asked.. my husband did order a beer beforehand.. so i don’t know if that kind of justified the ‘free’ ice water.

Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao at Great World City serves water when you request it.. I like the service there.. the staff are like these middle aged aunties and uncles and are quite friendly and chatty.
Reply
c
June 21, 2009

No Signboard seafood restaurant charges $1.50/pax for iced water.

Shouldn’t it be provided FOC when customers would already be paying a huge sum considering that it’s seafood?
Reply
- Veron
  June 21, 2009
  
  They probably assume that people who go there are big spenders and wouldn’t mind forking out extra for water.
  
  Added!
  Reply
John
June 22, 2009

It is not only about profiting from selling you a glass of tap water. It is also about profiting by depriving you of a drink so that you are forced to buy a glass ridiculously priced of coke.
Reply
ws
June 24, 2009

Erm, I went spizza @ club street recently, and they served iced water / ‘free water’. I not sure about other outlets though.
Reply
- Veron
  June 24, 2009
  
  Alright. To be fair I’ll remove Spizza for now until someone complains about any specific outlet(s).
  Reply