I was charged $1.25 for hot water at The Cannibal Cafe as a Dine Out Vancouver customer. I only found out after I got the bill.
In my thirty-some years of life, I have never been charged for hot water at a sit-down restaurant.
I went to The Cannibal Cafe enthusiastically to try out their Dine Out Vancouver menu and I left feeling very disappointed overall. I came to find out the cost of the hot water after the bill arrived. After reviewing the bill, I asked the waitress about the charge of the hot water:
Me: You charge for hot water?
Server: Yes, we do.
Me: Is this in your menu?
Server: Yes, it is.
I did not appreciate the attitude of the server. It would have been better if she said something along the lines of, “Unfortunately, this is our policy.” Here rather non-nonchalant remark did not make it better.
Prior to visiting The Cannibal Cafe, I checked their menu online to plan what to order. Below is a screenshot of their drinks menu online.
Their Eat In/Take Out/Delivery drinks menu online does not show that they charge $1.25 for hot water.
When I sounded off on Twitter to The Cannibal Cafe, this is the response I got:
@foodgressing I’m sorry this upset you. But we do have it listed on our menu. pic.twitter.com/7aHtEnkSbH
— The Cannibal Cafe (@TheCannibalCafe) January 18, 2015
Obviously, there is a discrepancy between their online menu and their menu at the restaurant.
@TheCannibalCafe This is what I see on your online menu: pic.twitter.com/gdi8zEw0KU — Foodgressing (@foodgressing) January 18, 2015
@foodgressing The online menu is our regular dinner menu and different from the Dine Out menu. — The Cannibal Cafe (@TheCannibalCafe) January 19, 2015
Huh? But the menu online indicated that it was for eating in, take out and delivery…
@foodgressing you ordered from the dine out menu. The drinks are on the dine out menu (flip side). Come back and I’ll give you $2.50 back!! — The Cannibal Cafe (@TheCannibalCafe) January 19, 2015
@foodgressing our online menu has nothing to do with dine out orders. — The Cannibal Cafe (@TheCannibalCafe) January 19, 2015
@foodgressing But I’d happily reimburse you 🙂 — The Cannibal Cafe (@TheCannibalCafe) January 19, 2015
So Dine Out Vancouver customers get charged for hot water? But we got charged two hot waters when my husband ordered from the regular menu..Is this how you treat Dine Out customers by sneaking in different costs for drinks?
I don’t get it. I really…don’t. As a Dine Out customer, I need to be incurred $1.25 for hot water whereas regular customers do not. I feel like a second class citizen.
Won’t return to this restaurant. Won’t recommend it. Won’t go back for the $2.50.
Abi
Sunday 18th of January 2015
I think it's unreasonable for restaurants in general to charge patrons for hot tap water. It's not as though you didn't order food. If a restaurant's profit margins are so slim that they can't afford not to charge for hot water, then perhaps they should raise the price of their food rather than imposing a 525% mark up on hot water (assuming that the actual cost for a cup of hot water is 20 cents).
I also consider the restaurant's offer to reimburse you for the cost of hot water to be ridiculous as well. It comes across as smug and patronizing. Do they really expect you to go all the way back to pick up $2.50? Are they going to reimburse you for the tax and tip you paid on that as well? What about the time it will take you to return to the restaurant? It's not worth it. They might as well be throwing change at you.
foodgressing
Sunday 18th of January 2015
Hi Abi, thank you for taking the time to comment. I was unimpressed with the response from the restaurant as well.
Tz
Sunday 18th of January 2015
What is that "Wild Salmon Burger"? Oh wait that is on the regular dinner menu. WHY WERE YOU CHARGED FOR THE WATER when you order from the REGULAR DINNER MENU?
Please stop defending your shady practices. BUSTED