Have you ever witnessed this while eating out.

[DaisyLynn]

I never ever looked at this as being cheap. I rarely ask for just water at restaurants, but when I have I seem to remember being offered lemon much of the time. When I worked in a restaurant I never looked at the customers doing this as being cheap...I actually didn't even think twice about it.

 

[HOGFAN]

I have done this before. No, its not an Arkansas thing. A Virginian was the first person I saw do this.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I 100% of the time get 1 lemon wedge in my "free" water. I don't drink anything besides water.

At Noodles, they have lemon wedges in a bucket near the serve-yourself drink station. I usually take 2.

 

[scrapquitler]

Ugh. My MIL.

The MIL and FIL go to a local to us place on Sundays. This place sells sandwiches, and if you buy a sandwich, you get a free coffee with it. MIL and FIL split the sandwich, FIL drinks the coffee. MIL brings her own teabag and asks for a cup of hot water and makes her own tea.

She doesn't understand why I think that is WRONG

 

[C.Ann]

My mom used to do this - with hot tea.. For dietary reasons, there was a particular brand of decaf tea that she used and none of the restaurants carried it.. So - she would ask for a hot cup of water and use her own tea bag.. I really never gave it a second thought.. (Although she normally would get a little something to go along with it - even if it was only a muffin or hard roll..)

 

[Michelle and crew]

I don't drink anything carbonated, caffeinated or with sugar. I don't sweeten my waters, but I order water and lemon all of the time. I've taken my own tea bags. If someone wants to charge me for hot water, I am ok with that. (Most times you order tea, and it comes in the form of a hot pot, and a tea bag. I substitute mine.)

As for there always is water, I get tired of plain water all of the time.

 

[Aneille]

I don't really see this is a big deal but I have never done it. I have ordered water with lemon.

If you order water, the server usually asks if you would like lemon in it. And the sugar is often on the table at many chain restaurants so I guess I don't see it as that big of a deal.

I hate most bottled lemonade and would prefer to make it myself.

 

[MichelleVW]

Honestly I could care less if someone did that. We order water with lemon all the time because no on in my family really likes soda all that much. I don't put any sugar in it because that would just taste gross in my opinion, but I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[TeresaBelle]

I never ever looked at this as being cheap. I rarely ask for just water at restaurants, but when I have I seem to remember being offered lemon much of the time. When I worked in a restaurant I never looked at the customers doing this as being cheap...I actually didn't even think twice about it.

This.

 

[TeresaBelle]

Ugh. My MIL.

The MIL and FIL go to a local to us place on Sundays. This place sells sandwiches, and if you buy a sandwich, you get a free coffee with it. MIL and FIL split the sandwich, FIL drinks the coffee. MIL brings her own teabag and asks for a cup of hot water and makes her own tea.

She doesn't understand why I think that is WRONG

I don't either..

 

[mhsjax]

Here is the difference for me. If you go and order water and get a lemon, (common here in Florida, cause you know we have nasty water) no big deal. If you order water and ask for several lemons so you can make lemon aid, then to me it is tacky. Also in regards to original poster and being at a sandwich shop, some of our places like this have self service drink stations with the lemons out, and to go and fill your cup with water and then take multiple lemons (oh, and have you seen how expensive they are) and use them to make lemon aid, then yep, you are cheap.

 

[jrmasm]

Here is the difference for me. If you go and order water and get a lemon, (common here in Florida, cause you know we have nasty water) no big deal. If you order water and ask for several lemons so you can make lemon aid, then to me it is tacky. Also in regards to original poster and being at a sandwich shop, some of our places like this have self service drink stations with the lemons out, and to go and fill your cup with water and then take multiple lemons (oh, and have you seen how expensive they are) and use them to make lemon aid, then yep, you are cheap.

I agree.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

SO I guess myself and most people I know are cheap then, cause we all do this. A lot of places here have the packets of lemon juice on the table and people don't really put lemon in their tea here. that often. I've never seen anything wrong with it, but I guess it's because I've always seen so many people do it.

(btw I'm not talking about places that give you lemon wedges with water, I always turn those down when asked cause I don't know whose had their hands all over those and it's gross to me...but that's a whole 'nother issue. This is only places that have lemon juice packets on the table or drink station. I would never ask for a packet of lemon juice to make lemonade, but if it's freely available to me, I will use it. )

 

[jen0610]

Honestly I could care less if someone did that. We order water with lemon all the time because no on in my family really likes soda all that much. I don't put any sugar in it because that would just taste gross in my opinion, but I don't see anything wrong with it.

But when you order, do you take the ONE lemon most places put in the glass and be happy or do you ask for several more to be brought out.

I have gone to lunch with a co-worker that because she is cheap makes her own lemon-ade. Even with lemon-ade as a drink selection, she still makes her own. I have seen her ask for over a dozen lemon wedges and go through the entire supply of sugar packets that are on the table.

IMHO, that is wrong. Very wrong. Some one earlier said something about diet lemon-ade. Do like one of my friends does. She askes for a lemon-ade and a water. She drinks about 1/4 - 1/3 of the water, then adds in the lemon-ade to delute it to her taste. She gets the taste she wants and doesn't put the cost on the restraunt.

 

[ckay87]

The world would be a much better place if people would just not get bent out of shape over the insignificant behavior of others.

Standing ovation.

On this issue I couldn't care less. I cannot keep track of at what point somebody's lemon + water becomes lemonade. In fact, I have enough faith in people to venture that IF a restaurant were to charge a small fee for a lemon, people would still pay it. I'd personally rather have....and pay for.....my own lemon water than to have that sickening sweet, sugared up lemon-flavored garbage that you get when you actually order a lemonade.

 

[scrapquitler]

[/B]


I don't either..

Bringing your own food into a restaurant instead of buying it there isn't wrong?

 

[okeydokey]

[/B]


I don't either..

If she wants tea she should order tea and pay for it. The poor waitress probably makes a dollar tip on service to this couple.

 

[Disney Doll]

I ahve been known to squeeze a fresh lemon slice into my water on occasion. I like it that way sometimes.However, adding those packets of lemon juice and then sweet & low to water just sounds gross.

Would it bother me, per se, if someone else did it...not really, as long as they didn't make me drink it.

 

[scrapquitler]

If she wants tea she should order tea and pay for it. The poor waitress probably makes a dollar tip on service to this couple.

Exactly. If you want tea, pay for tea. Don't ask for a cup of hot water and make your own tea. If you want a particular brand of tea, bring your own teabag but PAY for the tea...it's not like the hot water, the cup, the sugar and cream and the waitress bringing the hot water to the table are something the restaurant provides for free.


And yes, my MIL thinks $1.00 per person is an appropriate tip.

 

[Missy1961]

The world would be a much better place if people would just not get bent out of shape over the insignificant behavior of others.


FWIW, I don't do this but I have relatives who do and I still love them to pieces.

I agree with you on all counts.