Does the staff in a restaurant ever try to trick you by giving you water without ice in it?
Peace,
mangeorge
IME, the ice water is served exactly like the soda. 97.2% huge cubes of ice, with a small amount of liquid. In the case of icewater, though, the melting of the ice doesn’t leave you with vaguely soda-tasting water, but just more regular water.
While the majority of restaurants I’ve eaten in did serve water with the ice in, I have also eaten at several that did not. YMMV.
I’m still trying to figure out how this would be a trick, exactly. If you asked for ice water, and they bring you plain water, then they screwed up, yes. But how is it a trick? Are they somehow cheating you out of something without your knowledge? What’s keeping you from saying, “No, I would like some water with plenty of ice in it”?
FWIW, I love ice water and nearly always get just that when I ask for it in a restaurant.
I’ll echo the “where’s the trick” sentiment. I guess I’ve been overseas enough to not be surprised by ice-less water. If it’s summer and hot, I’ll insist upon it (but let me reiterate that it’s no big deal). Otherwise, room temperature tap water is just fine by me.
My husband and I have the opposite problem. I don’t really care whether or not there’s ice in my water - it’s usually cold at a restaurant anyway. But my husband can’t stand ice - he hates water with ice in it, so he always asks for a glass of water or soda, no ice. He quite clear, but without fail, he always gets a glass that has tons of ice in it.
I’m not entirely sure what etiquette for this is - is it considered offensive to ask for a drink without ice in it? My husband isn’t particularly annoying - at least I don’t think he’d be one of those customers who would make a server want to give him exactly the opposite of what he ordered just to piss him off. Maybe the server forgets?
Me too! I hate iced water. It’s too damn cold. It makes my mouth go numb and my stomach cramp. Fortunately, being in England, ice is not foisted upon me too regularly, but in any American-style fast food place or cinema, a “soft drink” equates to “a paper cup stuffed full of ice with a dribble of soda poured over”.
You can take your ice and stick it in an appropriately warm place until it melts, I say.
I don’t like ice in my drinks and gladly drink everything at room temperature so if I get a drink without it, I’m quite pleased. It’s when I ask for a drink with no ice and then get one with the damned cubes floating arround in my beverage that I get annoyed.
I have sensitive teeth, I prefer my beverages not to be watered down, and I just don’t like temperature extremes and your drinks are cold enough out of the machine as is. Don’t give me any ice! Gah.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
While I was writing the OP I got a phone call. I should know that I cannot do two things at once, but I cobtinues to talk abd type. Then I hit submit when I thought I was through. Oh well. Here’s the rest of the exciting story;
The other night I was having a bite to eat with a friend, and she asked for a glass of icewater. I’ve noticed that most people specify “ice”, while have some trouble keeping them from putting ice in it. I prefer cool, but not icy water. She knows this, so when I asked why so many ask for ice when the server virtually always brings it, she said “sometimes they try to trick you”. 
That’s it!
So I thought I should warn everybody to keep an eye on those sneaky servers.
I, too, don’t understand how that’s cheating. Cheating to me is when establishments charge you $2.50 for a 10-ounce Coke (go to any Chinese restaurant…you’ll see what I mean!).
I myself like my water as cold as I can possibly get it. More ice, please!
Adam