$1 for Tap Water in Restaurants

[133724]

Hitherto, tap water had always been free. Well think again...on March 22, a glass of tap water will cost $1 in some of New York’s finest restaurants including Le Bernardin and Asia de Cuba as well as in small eateries, such as the little Vesuvio bakery in SoHo. Ridiculous? Who would ever charge for tap water?

Before you take offense to this extra charge, know that this is all for a good cause. This is a UNICEF project aimed at saving lives by providing safe drinking water to children around the world. UNICEF say that with $1, they can provide 40 litres of safe drinking water, which is enough to give one child safe drinking water for 40 days, or forty children safe drinking water for one day. With $1, they can provide 100 water purification tablets to provide clean water for children in crisis situations.

http://www.thestreaming.info/development_crossing/2007/03/1_for_tap_water.html

[catnhatnh]

1. If I lived in NY I would STILL take offense.....

...that some of the priciest eateries in the world would have nerve enough to further increase my charges as "their" charity work.

[DainBramaged]

3. I completely disagree with your post

But what do I know, I'm just Bramaged.:shrug:

[tblue]

5. Did you get 'bramaged' from this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BerJdS2VJhA

[DainBramaged]

7. And from my shouldermapads

And from having my dain tumor removed in 2000. Bob Nelson was on everything in the 80's, but faded away (and lost most of his hair) years ago.

[TahitiNut]

2. Well, at least NYC tap water is some of the best in the world.

I suspect it's why NYC bagels are better than any. :shrug:

[NashVegas]

8. People Pay $2-$3 for a Bottle of Dasani

And that's not even NY tapwater.

[tblue]

4. Doesn't really bother me, but then I don't live in NY or go to fancy restaurants when I'm there

It's for a good cause, so L'CHAIM.

[Mind_your_head]

6. uh-huh ..... how many times has something that 'leads us down a slippery slope'

been passed off as "A WORK OF GOOD" ~ a "CHARITABLE" Act. Then everyone gets used to paying for tap water, even when the money/majority of the money doesn't go to help any poor kids (or anyone 'poor' at all!). This is particularly galling timing! If these NY restaurants wanted to be "straight up", they should ask their diners/patrons if they would be willing to add an extra dollar for the UNICEF fund onto their bill(how many ppl would refuse an extra buck when they just popped $$$$$ for dinner? ~ especially if one were trying to impress a love interest or a client (Well, okay maybe the Repub/*'s "base" would refuse, but I digress....)

Also, WHERE WOULD BE THE ACCOUNTABILITY that that $1 is going to the poor kids around the world? (Reminds me of the $1 that Laura Bush asked all the kids of America to send to the White House after 9/11. What the hell ever happened to all of those $1 that kids who did an extra chore around the house to earn? This is ABSOLUTE utter BS. Don't be a sucker b/c you think it's "only a dollar". The big frame is getting people used to the idea of paying for something they now get for free!

Anyway, those restaurants that force that policy should be blacklisted/abstained from, imo.

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Lil anecdote:

This has been tried before, btw (charging for tap water). I remember in the early 90's being in Hawaii with my 3 y/o, 6 months pregnant with my next one, going into an airport lounge while waiting for my flight back home and, being totally parched & tired, asking for a glass of water. The bar-person said sure, but it would cost me a quarter. I asked her why it would be a quarter, since isn't tap water free? She said it was for the cost of the Styrofoam cup..... a thought for a quick second and then responded that "I guess that means that refills are free then?" The entire lounge in earshot of this exchange just erupted in rueful laughter.... I can only hope that her tips that afternoon were reflective of her own 'generous attitude'.



With that said,
I'm off to bed!

G'nite,
M_Y_H