# Would you like lemon in your water? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355 "2010-12-16T13:53:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/21 "2010-12-16T21:11:57Z")
I love lemon but not in my water. They’re particularly bad about wanting to dump some lemon or lime into Pellegrino for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/22 "2010-12-16T21:42:22Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > I agree 100%. It annoys me no end when the server brings out a glass of water with a lemon slice in it, and I will usually request a fresh glass with no lemon. I like to drink water, not diluted lemonade. I don’t like the taste of lemon at all. I normally scoop it out as soon as they bring it over. If it’s still overly lemony, I’ll end up not drinking it or asking for a fresh glass. When I’m at a bar I’ll normally get a glass of water with my drink. My ‘regular’ bartenders know to run the water for a split second in the drain so my water doesn’t taste like sprite or cola. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/23 "2010-12-16T22:11:45Z")
You guys crack me up. Thanks! I’ll just add evil lemons to the list of just about everything that is conspiring to kill me. You know, I never had these problems when I was drinking beer and gin! Maybe the healthy and responsible thing for me to do would be to kick this sobriety habit… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/24 "2010-12-16T22:34:04Z")
> [@Scubaqueen](#): > > ignorance truly \*\*\*is \*\*\*bliss. i used to work at a wastewater treatment plant. :eek: you DO NOT want to know what i know concerning potential infectious surface material out there. make you never ever want to grab a public door knob again in your life. > > you know how walmart has antibacterial wipes handy for the customer carts? > > use 'em. > > yeah, i’m thinking i’ll be squeezing my lemons and oranges into my drinks from now on and deep-six the rind. Eh, I pass on the nasty antibacterial wipes/gels (not only do they stink and fail to clean the hands of nasty stuff but they encourage resistant organisms same as overuse of antibiotics does…like pasturization and cooking of fecally contaminated meats…yeah, but you are still eating SHIT :rolleyes:)…I prefer to WASH my hands and avoid touching the restroom door handles afterwards and then WASH them again after my shopping is done. I am not a germaphobe by any means, but it’s just common sense. And I do not drink most tap water either, knowing full well what it contains (both the bugs and the crap added to kill the bugs). Here, we have fairly decent tap water, but it varies widely, ime. And yes, I WOULD like some lemon in my water. I often ASK for it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/25 "2010-12-16T22:35:05Z")
While we’re talking about citrus, can restaurants/bars please quit putting orange slices with my Blue Moon and lemon with my hefeweizen? If I wanted fruit beer I’d order fruit beer! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/26 "2010-12-16T23:38:32Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > If people can drop a chicken wing on the floor, pick it up and pop it into the deep fryer **on a national TV show** (the Finn McCool’s episode of _Kitchen Nightmares_) you do not want to know what’s happening back there with no cameras. > > A little floor spice makes everything nice. :eek: > > Makes lemons look sterile in comparison. Yeah, Tony Bourdain mentioned in at least one of his books how things get dropped all the time onto the floors of kitchens. Every time, though, they magically fall … onto a napkin. Every time! 😃 I believe he added a sentence about how the “napkin” was the size of a freakin’ tablecloth during the dinner rush. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/27 "2010-12-17T06:42:02Z")
I eat lemons, rind and all. Once, I ordered the BBQ ribs at a Renfaire. It came with a lemon slice garnish. My hands were filthy when I was done eating, and I gotta say, that lemon slice cleaned me up better than any moist towelette I’ve ever used. Smelled better afterwards too. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/28 "2010-12-17T07:20:33Z")
Yep, some restaurants will offer lemon slices (sometimes with hot wet towels too) to clean your hands. It’s super effective. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/29 "2010-12-17T10:34:01Z")
I never get lemon in my water, but not because of germs or anything silly like that. I just don’t need fancy, decadent water when regular water works fine. Plus I hate lemons. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/30 "2010-12-17T11:25:11Z")
I like a slice of cucumber in my water. It’s very refreshing. I wish more restaurants would do it. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/31 "2010-12-17T15:02:41Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Yeah, Tony Bourdain mentioned in at least one of his books how things get dropped all the time onto the floors of kitchens. Every time, though, they magically fall … onto a napkin. Every time! 😃 > > I believe he added a sentence about how the “napkin” was the size of a freakin’ tablecloth during the dinner rush. my old public works boss was a former restaurant manager in his earlier days. yeah, us average consumers don’t want to know what goes on in the kitchen. if we did, he said, there would be \*\*no \*\*restaurant business. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/32 "2010-12-17T15:20:18Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > I like a slice of cucumber in my water. It’s very refreshing. I wish more restaurants would do it. You are right about that! I had some at a spa once and was hooked. I love lemon in my water, too. It is a completely different thing than weak lemonade. I also love the flavored carbonated water made by Canada Dry and another brand whose name escapes me at the moment. But lemon water in restaurants? I’ve been drinking it for years and haven’t noticed any increase in illness or my general filth level. I do wash my hands a lot, though, and am rarely sick. WASH YOUR HANDS. /mother mode ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/33 "2010-12-17T15:24:35Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > You guys crack me up. Thanks! I’ll just add evil lemons to the list of just about everything that is conspiring to kill me. > > You know, I never had these problems when I was drinking beer and gin! Maybe the healthy and responsible thing for me to do would be to kick this sobriety habit… 😛 You know, Humphrey Bogart was known to claim that the reason he was the only member of cast or crew on _The African Queen_ not to come down with Montezuma’s revenge was because he never drank the water, only his private supply of liquor. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/34 "2010-12-17T15:31:30Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Any germs that could survive deep frying have earned a chance to kill me. What about [decomposed, deep fried mouse](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=589564#post13261693)? When I’m overseas, I like lemon in my Coke Light. It’s sweeter than Diet Coke and the lemon cuts through it. But I like my water lemon-free, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/35 "2010-12-17T15:36:00Z")
Upon reflection, I find this thread restaurant~y and foody. Off to Cafe Society, from MPSIMS. Ellen Lemony. I mean Cherry. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/36 "2010-12-17T17:05:03Z")
I like a lemon in my ice water. As **Ellen Cherry** said, it’s just not the same drink as lemonade, and that’s OK. A friend warned me about germs but I haven’t any problems that I know of. Maybe I won’t drop the rind in from now on, though, just in case… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/37 "2010-12-17T18:47:13Z")
> [@Strainger](#): > > Dammit, I asked for water, not weak lemonade. If I wanted a damn lemonade, I’d order the real thing. Or get them to give you a second lemon slice, and you can get the real thing for free. One glass of cold water, the squeezings from two average-sized lemon slices, and two packets of Splenda\* make a good glass of lemonade. And it’s the real thing, unless you absolutely must have real sugar. \*The reason why real sugar doesn’t work is for the same reason you can’t sweeten unsweet iced tea with sugar: it just sinks to the bottom of the glass and doesn’t mix in. Splenda, OTOH, stirs into cold beverages without any trouble. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/38 "2010-12-17T18:57:20Z")
The thought of someone named **Scubaqueen** working in waste water has really made my day 🙂 And, I don’t like lemon in my water. I’m in the “I don’t want weak lemonade!” camp. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/39 "2010-12-18T07:06:29Z")
Lemon in tea is okay, but not in plain water. And, yes, if my water comes with lemon and I don’t feel like sending it back, I do turn it into lemonade. I really don’t get places that do stuff like this automatically. Put the _LEMON_ on the side, and the customer can decide!!! ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355/40 "2010-12-19T03:45:14Z")
I like lemon in club soda, but I’m not fond of it in plain water. To me it isn’t as refreshing as the plain water. There’s a woman at my church who, when we put out pitchers of water alongside the punch and tea and coffee, thinks we should add the lemon slices to make the water “look pretty”. I’ve told her that we shouldn’t contaminate an entire pitcher of water, and that anyone who desires lemon is free to add their own if she puts the slices out in a dish on the side. She still tries to sneak them in there, though. I also explained my theory of why there should not be sherbet in the punch (as much as I love sherbet) but she’s still fixated on the “look” and not the practicality. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-lemon-in-your-water/564355.md?page=1)