Gesetzliche Verpflichtung zur Bereitstellung von kostenlosem Leitungswasser in Restaurants

Because of the news that an Italian court ruled that [„there is no obligation to supply tap water“](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g4yd8q0j7o) in Italy, I wanted to map where in the world such a right exists.

What counts as ‚customary‘ is not strongly defined, but people from Ireland, Norway, and Iceland on reddit seem to report that all restaurants will provide free tap water on request, despite no legal obligation, and there may be other places where this is normal.

This information was not easy to collect as there doesn’t seem to be a single comprehensive source, so there are almost certainly countries or local areas missing from this map. I would be glad to hear where else in the world it’s normal or a legal right to get free tap water in restaurants.

Jesus the world is more barbaric than I thought

surprised to see so few countries with this law (i lived in two of the blues and never actually thought about it)

this map is also certainly incorrect. every chinese restaurant will serve you tea or hot water, as culturally customary. So it should at least be pale blue. that goes for many many of the red countries here.

This is something that should apply in all countries. I’m very grateful for this law as a Frenchman.

French Guiana should be the same color as the rest of France.

resturants providing free tap water here will result in food poisoning so…

In Australia it is mandatory to provide free water if you also sell alcohol. You do not need to order alcoholic drinks to receive free water.

It is customary to provide free water in all unlicensed sit down resurants and most cafes with tables. It would be unusual to not have water as an option.

If you’re in Australia, and they ask if you want Still or Sparkling they’re trying to upsell you on bottles water. Ask for tap specifically, or you can ask for „table water“, which is just tap water with a fancy name.

Water is a human right.

there’s no federal law in brazil, but some states and cities do have town/state laws requiring it (and obviously many restaurants will give it anyway even if not required to do so).

definitely customary in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Free tap water should be an obligation worldwide without any exception. Well, and drinkable tap water of course too.

Tap water is the best water 👌

For what it’s worth, I’ve never been charged for tap water in the US. It could be specific to a region I’ve never visited, but anecdotally I’ve never heard of that being a thing.

In Mexico we have a saying I think, maybe its called something else, goes „A glass of water is not denied to anyone“. So its customary to provide it if requested. And it creates this belief that if you’re thirsty somewhere on the streets, you can go up to a house and maybe get one, for the phrase resonates in people’s minds since childhood.

Obviously people agree with the thought, but, there is also the „I dont know you, I cant give you an actual glass, because diseases and shit, but I’ll bring you a plastic throw away cup“. And yeah. When you don’t provide it, and you grew up with the belief, you feel like a shitty human.

I come from Israel. It’s normal here to ask for water even if you don’t sit down to eat there. I was surprised to say the least when I asked for water abroad and it showed up on the bill

I come from the Netherlands and I have been on holiday in Greece many times. Since I was a kid, I was always taught that you do not drink tap water there because its cleanliness is different compared Dutch tap water, so you could get really ill. I don’t know if that is the case still but the only way to find out is to try and it and risk spending your night on the toilet instead of in bed.

So if I went on holiday to Greece again and if they offered me free tap water in a restaurant, I’d still not take it, just to be sure.

switzerland should be the lightest blue, it’s very rare to not get tap water for free

The UK rule is interesting historically — it dates to alcohol licensing law rather than a hospitality principle. The Licensing Act has long required venues selling alcohol to offer free tap water, which is why you’ll get it without question in a British pub but sometimes have to push for it in a French restaurant. France’s free water right (carafe d’eau) exists too but is more custom than codified enforcement. The US patchwork is almost entirely local health code — no federal baseline — which is why it varies so wildly even within states.

So it’s obligatory in France but not French Guyana…?

Being English, the red/peach is so weird to me. I think we just take it for granted that tap water will be provided 🤷🏽‍♀️

Canada- not sure the law here but ive lived and travelled all over the eastern half of the country and every resto from low to high end ive ever been to serves (tap) water first thing when you sit down its like part of the whole eating out routine lol. Thats why that news article surprised me so much!

In many of the red countries „tap“ water isn’t necessarily safe. Legal or not.

In Argentina it’s a requirement in some areas.

It should be noted the quality of tap water also isnt the same everywhere.

In some countries I would try to avoid tap water even if free. In others I wouldnt bother to order anything else.