I just got back from a trip from Europe. The trip was to France and Italy. I had a great time so don’t think I am criticizing the culture in any but this way. I was treated to the best Parisian restaurants and the best food in Italy but I absolutely thought that I was going to die of dehydration while I was there.
I am used to having water and other non-alcoholic beverages automatically refilled while I eat. That is not the case there. Of course, we always ordered water but it was only 1 liter to share among 5 people. We always ordered another liter to share later in the meal but we always got the impression that this was not customary. We could have ordered more but it always seemed that ordering water was on par with ordering a bottle of wine, an appetizer, or an entree so it was a little strange. I am ashamed to say that when I went to the bathroom, I guzzled water out of the sink.
On the flight home on Alitalia, I was literally dehydrated on the 8 hour ride home as was my two-year old daughter. I went back to the flight attendant’s cabin at least every 45 minutes to get two 4 oz glasses and they looked at me very strangely.
I don’t think this question is due to ignorance because my MIL is from England and my SIL recently moved to England and they both said that it is the same there and they don’t understand it.
Do Europeans drink less in fluids than Americans? Why are they stingy with water?
I don’t know whether european people drink less water or other fluids than american, but you can ask for more water as many times as you want. There’s no custom preventing you from doing so. Though in some countries, you’ll get charged for tap water.
It’s true that your water bottles aren’t refilled without you asking first, generally, though.
I don’t know whether european people drink less water or other fluids than american, but you can ask for more water as many times as you want. There’s no custom preventing you from doing so. Though in some countries, you’ll get charged for tap water.
It’s true that your water bottles aren’t refilled without you asking first, generally, though. I assume the idea is that if you have water handy, you’re less likely to order wine, or beer, or a coke, you’ll just pour some more water in your glass without paying attention. If you’ve to stop and think “I’m thirsty” and to call the waiter, you might order something else than water.
Because they want you to buy expensive drinks. Refills and free drinks, including water, are very rare. When we found out that the cafeteria at my new university offers free tap water with meals, we were surprised (and unlike a restaurant they are heavily subsidized.) In restaurants you can get all the drinks you want, but you have to pay for every single glass and at least here water isn’t even cheaper than other drinks.
Not that I’m an experienced European traveler, but I visited a friend of mine in Germany a few years ago. One of the differences, he said, in eating out in Europe vs. America, is that in America, the waiter/waitress will continually come to your table and ask if anyone needs anything, such as refills or whatever. In Europe, on the other hand, they’ll take your order, come back with the food, and then leave you alone the rest of the time. It’s not that they don’t want to be bothered with serving you anymore, it’s more like they prefer to let you enjoy your meal in peace–they’ll be happy to bring you anything, you just need to get their attention first.
I’m not saying this was a factor in your situation, of course; I just thought I’d toss out the possibility.
I don’t understand - I’m a Merkin who’s been to Europe a few times. The bottles of water were always quite cheap and we generally ordered a lot, since we spent a lot of time walking (and sweating). Why didn’t you just order more if you were thirsty? And even if people gave you funny looks (why should they?) why would you allow yourself to become dehydrated rather than order some more water? Why were you trying to split a liter of water five ways anyhow? And didn’t you have any other opportunities to drink something? Like at your hotel?
Was it a day or night flight? I flew on Delta Atlanta to Frankfurt. On the night flight over there was little beverage service and I was fortuante to have brought my own. On the flight back during the day they were constantly offering water to the passengers.
I spend all of August in Germany. Hot and muggy and virtually no A/C. Our office was sweltering so everyone stocked up on water to keep at our desks. On weekend outings I rarely saw people carrying water bottles around like you see in the US but none of the Germans looked dessicated to me.
THANK YOU. It drives me librarian poo the way the staff is always hovering around in cafés, diners, restaurants in the US. Leave me ALONE. I’ll call if I need something.
Back to the OP. It all depends. Drinking water from the tap is a no-no in many countries in the south of Europe, even to this day. It’s usually safe, but will taste icky and chemical. Everyone buys bottled water to use for drinking in their homes. So water on the side comes from bottled water, many times costing the restaurant the same as buying a soft drink. You wouldn’t expect free coke with your meal in the US, would you?
In better restaurants, when you order a claret, you’ll automatically get a glass of water on the side.
I have been to Europe more than a few times and believe me, money was no object. I am sure that I could have demanded water and they would have brought it. I am just asking about social conventions and whether Europeans drink less than Americans. Members of my family from Europe and living in Europe have been struck by the same thing. I did order non-alcoholic drinks from my hotel and they too came in 4 - 6 oz classed.
No way! You lose less than that amount when traveling through desert. You are not sweating in an airplane, so there’s no way you could lose all that water.
Buying bottled water is very much a hangover from the days when tap water wasn’t necessarily to be trusted (it’s now of a uniform quality across the EU, at least). The taste varies depending on your location, and in any case most people get used to any tap water fairly quickly. It normally only tastes revolting to those not used to it.
Yes, I know, GM. But I’ve lived in the south of Spain and even though I know the water is safe, the slightly chlorinated, brakish taste is not nice. I’ll brush my teeth, wash dishes, do laundry, shower and cook (some) food in it. I won’t drink it.
But that doesn’t matter. A bottle of Lanjaron or Evian is expensive. Restaurants are not gonna give them away. And many people still take out the ice cubes from their drinks, from fear of being poisoned. Pouring water from the tap and putting it on the table in a restaurant is not going to happen very soon.
As far as I know, the reason you wouldn’t get automatically get Miller…sorry water, refills in the UK, is that the waiter/ess would expect you to order a pint anytime soon.
Purely anecdotal, but I think Americans do drink more fluids than most nationalities. I couldn’t believe the size of the drinks over there - 32oz sodas in Jack in the Box, unless my eyes deceived me, which came in a plastic bucket big enough to wash a dog in. :eek:
I drink very little… maybe three or four cups of tea and a glass or two of water per day. Quite a few Brits have leapt on the “drink loads of water” bandwagon, even though the myth about drinking 2 litres of water a day being necessary for good health has been comprehensively debunked. For some reason, seeing people clutching bottles of water, as if they may be about to die of thirst on the Uxbridge Road, irks me somewhat. But then I’m easily irked
What everyone else said, though - you can get more drinks with your meal, but you’ll need to ask. The staff won’t think it odd, but they won’t usually offer before you ask. That’s just how we do things.
Yeah, I often did notice in Europe that you don’t get much when you order a drink. A Coke here is much bigger than a Coke there, at a restaurant. Ditto water. Here when I go to a cheaper restaurant esepecially I get a Coke the size of my head, and I drink it down and usually get another. There, you got this little thing in a glass (the size you used to get at diners a long time ago) and have to beg for a refill. I assumed they just drank less in general, in the same way that they ate smaller portions (and were less fat, of course).
Oh, and with that one little lonely ice cube, if you ask for it.
Every 747 I’ve been on (I assume that what took you over the Atlantic) has water and cups freely available in the toilets without having to bother the attendants. They probably couldn’t understand why you wanted their water instead.
Years ago Tracy Ullman made a comment on the Letterman Show about “you Americans and your huge containers of milk! In England you get a pint or quart of milk but here they’re enormous with great big handles on them!”
