Ma'am, we sell water, we don't give it away
Subject: "Ma'am, we sell water, we don't give it away"
Here's the story - I've got $8 cash in my purse, its over 90 degrees out and I'm a hot sweaty mess who's been painting a new office all day, and I just want a quick lunch.I go to Brownstone Bagel (cash only) on 4th Ave & Union and get a sandwich and chips - my total is $7 and some change and I asked if I could also get a little cup of water. I'd just like a little something to wet my mouth with as I eat - I'm not asking for a large iced anything. A paper dixie cup with tepid water would have been fine.
The man behind the counter (acted like an owner) raises an eyebrow and chuckles, acting annoyed and says "Ma'am we sell water, we don't give it away" and points to the refrigerated case.
I guess I could have held up the line, gone outside to the ATM and gotten out a $20 - but that would have cost me $4 or $5 in fees and a $7 lunch would have quickly turned into a $12 lunch - all for WATER. It's not like I was asking for something huge - it was WATER!
So I ask, is it too much to ask for a little cup of water with your food? Am I the asshole here?
Comments
-
No. You should have put the sandwich on the counter and walked out.
Their bagels suck too. -
I don't think you are an ass hole.. Frankly, that comment was just so rude that if you hadn't already paid for the food I would have put it down and just walked up. I supose they could charge you afew pennies for the cup. Just because we are a country obsessed with bottled water (a gizzioino dollar industry) doesn't mean that a place can't give you some water on a hot day. hey in a sit down restaurant they still ask if you want tap water (often said with an attitude on the part of the waiter )or bottled whatever.
I am on your side with being put off by this incident. -
Thank you! I felt like such a cheap ass - but I didn't even want a huge bottle of water - just a little something in case I, oh I don't know - started choking on my dry sandwich.
The funny part is, I work down the street so I would have potentially gone there often and in trying to save .03 cents he lost a customer. -
That's a stupid way for them to do business. One day they'll wonder why they aren't doing better, and sadly, unless somebody points it out to them, they won't know why....and even if somebody tells them, they might not want to hear it.
-
To see it from their point of view: You have have forgone the chips if you thought you might choke on your dry sandwich. Maybe they didn't have a paper dixie cup on hand. How many places do? You mention your ATM fees as if that's his problem. And they wouldn't have held up the line for you either.
-
As others have said, I would have walked out without paying and left the sandwich there.
Do they have seating in the place? Someone in the industry or with legal knowledge should chime in, but I was under the impression that places with seating are required by law to offer tap water if asked. -
eggcream wrote: To see it from their point of view: You have have forgone the chips if you thought you might choke on your dry sandwich. Maybe they didn't have a paper dixie cup on hand. How many places do? You mention your ATM fees as if that's his problem. And they wouldn't have held up the line for you either.
They had small plastic cups sitting right there, I saw them.
I know I could have foregone my chips, but in 30 years I have never been turned down for a drink of water so it wasn't really something I was thinking about at the time. It's not like I just straggled in off the street. I spent money there. It's a hot day - I'm a neighbor (who, ironically argued with someone else who wanted to go to Subway for lunch - my argument that we should support local businesses).
And yes, they had seating. I ate inside at a table. Now that I think about it - I also think there might be a law about that. -
thanks for the insight. i'm never going to go there.
-
Jamzer wrote: No. You should have put the sandwich on the counter and walked out.
Agreed. That's what I would have done too. And have done before. WTF is his problem being rude about it. A simple, sorry, all we have is bottled water would suffice if they just could not spare a 5 cent dixie cup for you. -
kosherdave wrote: [quote=Jamzer]No. You should have put the sandwich on the counter and walked out.
Agreed. That's what I would have done too. And have done before. WTF is his problem being rude about it. A simple, sorry, all we have is bottled water would suffice if they just could not spare a 5 cent dixie cup for you.
Believe me, I really wanted to, but my friend had already ordered, paid, and sat down eating so I didn't want to be all dramatic. I'm just going to use the power of my dollar and support other establishments in the area instead of that one from now on. -
RockerGirl77 wrote: Now that I think about it - I also think there might be a law about that.
If it's true, you can report them. -
Carnivore wrote: [quote=RockerGirl77]Now that I think about it - I also think there might be a law about that.
If it's true, you can report them.
That's very helpful to know. Do you know how or to whom I would report them? I googled it but didn't find much. -
Call 311. Maybe Dept. of Health?
-
Crazy as it sounds, the plastic cups may be what you pay for when you buy a drink. I feel for you, but this sounds kind of like the same problem I ran into when I worked at the local movie theater -- people would ask us for water sometimes, but we absolutely couldn't give it a way -- because the management were real sticklers about the inventory of the cups. If a cup was used, we had to have a dollar amount attached to it somehow. So no, we couldn't give anyone a cup of water, because we hadn't sold anything with that cup.
Although, if that was the case with the guy you talked to, he still could have been WAY more polite about it. -
Still, if you just bought a big, honkin' sandwich for $7, they could give you a dixie cup of water, even if they had to charge you $.05 just to manage the cup inventory.
This is lame and they are going on my shit list (unless, of course, they come online and explain/apologize/throw themselves on our mercy). -
Geez.
I'm a super nice, too-laidback-for-my-own-good, non-confrontational person...but even THAT would have pissed me off.
It's certainly not too much to ask for a bit of tap water. I worked at a Haagen Dazs years ago, and even though we sold bottled water and my boss was always trying to make as best profit as he could, we went out of out way to buy little plastic cups to keep by the sink just for those who asked for water. And a LOT of people did.
At the very least, he could have been cooler about it, and perhaps a little apologetic. -
queencallipygos wrote: Crazy as it sounds, the plastic cups may be what you pay for when you buy a drink. I feel for you, but this sounds kind of like the same problem I ran into when I worked at the local movie theater -- people would ask us for water sometimes, but we absolutely couldn't give it a way -- because the management were real sticklers about the inventory of the cups. If a cup was used, we had to have a dollar amount attached to it somehow. So no, we couldn't give anyone a cup of water, because we hadn't sold anything with that cup.
When I worked a McJob a million years ago, we had "courtesy cups" that did not have a $$ amount attached to them, for exactly that reason. This place is not a huge business that counts every cup like that, so there's no reason why he should not have accomodated you.
Although, if that was the case with the guy you talked to, he still could have been WAY more polite about it.
You might try printing this thread and showing it to him - nothing is as potent as bad publicity (see the recent Pavilion thread).
His response should be to apologize to you, and your further action should be to tell all of us that he's really a good guy who was having a crappy day.
No business in this economy should be hurt too much over a cup of water. -
The business is not being hurt over a cup of water... it's being hurt by the owner/manager/employee's arrogance and dismissive attitude toward his customers... and that is the perfect reason to hurt a business.
Otherwise I don't disagree with your suggestion that someone print out a copy of this thread and give it to the store.
Perhaps they'll finally realize that making fun of their customers is a very poor idea. -
I think that all of the Brooklynians can get thirsty for water at that store and see what happens ;-)
-
booklaw wrote: The business is not being hurt over a cup of water... it's being hurt by the owner/manager/employee's arrogance and dismissive attitude toward his customers... and that is the perfect reason to hurt a business.
As a business owner myself, I'd certainly appreciate the opportunity to be cognizant of my bad behavior and to work with the customer to make it right - especially if that behavior was getting this kind of bad publicity. If that was the owner, he needs to know that and if it was an employee he definitely needs to know that.
Otherwise I don't disagree with your suggestion that someone print out a copy of this thread and give it to the store.
Perhaps they'll finally realize that making fun of their customers is a very poor idea.
All this discussion over a (non) cup of water? C'mon..... -
Of course he should have given you the water. With every customer interaction, a business person has the opportunity to make or lose a FUTURE sale. He lost several.
-
Yes, call 311 and report them.
-
There's an illegal war going on, homeless people on the street, gas prices are insane, food prices are insane, and you want to call 311 and/or the Health Dept and complain that some store owner didn't give you a CUP OF WATER?
-
My teenager told me that by law, establishments that sell beverages (and perhaps food?) are required to provide cups of water to anyone who requests them. We have gotten big cups of tasty ice water at Starbucks in several states -- hey, mebbe that's why they're tanking?
-
BrooklynGigCenter wrote: You might try printing this thread and showing it to him - nothing is as potent as bad publicity (see the recent Pavilion thread).
Don't show it to him. Print it and hang it in their window when nobody's looking. -
Bricktop wrote: My teenager told me that by law, establishments that sell beverages (and perhaps food?) are required to provide cups of water to anyone who requests them. We have gotten big cups of tasty ice water at Starbucks in several states -- hey, mebbe that's why they're tanking?
I would be really, really surprised if there was such a law.
Regardless, very stupid way to do business. -
Mpmav1 wrote: [quote=Bricktop]My teenager told me that by law, establishments that sell beverages (and perhaps food?) are required to provide cups of water to anyone who requests them. We have gotten big cups of tasty ice water at Starbucks in several states -- hey, mebbe that's why they're tanking?
I would be really, really surprised if there was such a law.
Regardless, very stupid way to do business.
I think there is a law about serving tap water for free at restaurants, at least in NY or NYC.
Somebody else is going to have to do the research tho.
ps, now that I've read where you're talking about, I'll just add that this is just one more reason that Brownstone Bagel on 4th Ave & Union SUCKS. -
I think this is true, also. Who wants to be the volunteer researcher? Anyone? Bueller?
-
Did this place have tables -- could you have sat down and ate -- or is it a grocery store set-up?
I will not give business to any company that does not provide access to water and toilets when I ask. -
They have one or two tables, but it's more of a deli.
And they suck.
They charged me an extra $1 (or was it $1.50..) for scallion cream cheese. Wha...? The counterman insisted that was the price - scallion cream cheese costs the same as the fanicer (fish) cream cheeses.
The deli at 5th and Sackett is a 1000% better.
Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
- 40K All Categories
- 27.1K Neighborhoods
- 5.1K Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
- 7.1K Prospect Heights
- 2.3K Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
- 8K Park Slope
- 549 Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
- 442 Flatbush/Midwood/Ditmas Park
- 657 BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens)
- 151 Red Hook
- 104 Gowanus
- 304 Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst
- 130 Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay
- 270 Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and Downtown
- 598 Windsor Terrace / Kensington
- 673 Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park
- 749 Brooklyn and Beyond
- 6.3K Stuff
- 86 Brooklyn Back When
- 1.2K Brooklyn Pets
- 257 Brooklyn Kids
- 241 Brooklyn Eats
- 51 Brooklyn Booze
- 3.6K The Lounge / Random Stuff
- 611 Brooklyn Politics
- 122 Brooklyn Sports and Fitness
- 111 Brooklyn Photos
- 339 Site Issues
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 6.2K Listings
- 1.1K APARTMENTS and REAL ESTATE
- 1.3K Sales Openings Events
- 2.3K The Classifieds