Shock as tourists discover Europeans 'don't drink water'

Tourists are in meltdown as they have discovered a baffling thing Europeans don’t do, which is super common in Australia.

Europeans 'don't drink water' and TikTok is furious about it. Picture: TikTok

"Let them drink Evian!"

No, that's not Marie Antoinette; it's - judging by their attitude to tap water - the proprietor of every bar and restaurant in Europe.

Tourists are so confused by this, there's a whole section of TikTok dedicated to solving the mystery of why "Europeans don't drink water."

That's right, as legions of tourists have just discovered, European bars and restaurants won't serve you tap water. Instead they'll bring you bottled water and charge you for it.

A hilarious TikTok user called Brenna took this personally, crafting a video with her travel companions, showing them sculling a bottle of water in various locations across Europe, with the caption "Us the moment we can find water because Europeans don't believe in water."

@br3nnak3ough

♬ Yeahhhh slurpyyyy - AAA

The video went viral, sparking almost 15 thousand comments and gathering 10.9 million views.

It's a question that regularly leaves Reddit stumped, too. Picture: Reddit

Many TikTok users sympathised with the tourists' plight, writing things like: "SERIOUSLY. Or it’s like sparkling water. NO FRIENDS I NEED FLAT WATER" and "It’s so true. I miss my complimentary pitcher of water at restaurants 🤣 When the water is free it’s the smallest glass."

Many tourists are baffled by this cultural difference. Pictures: TikTok

Another said she was laughed at by her French boyfriend's uncle after trying to order water in a restaurant in France. 

Many Europeans weighed in, however, with a different perspective. Some called the tourists "dramatic."

One wrote: "There are markets/stores everywhere & a bottle of water is cheaper than in the US."

Another quipped: "It’s actually illegal to drink water in Europe."

Others pointed out the free drinking fountains you can typically find all over Europe.

So, what is the real reason European restaurants typically won't serve you tap water?

Why won't European restaurants serve you tap water?

Good luck getting tap water here

Theory One: it tastes chalky

According to Tasting Table, one reason European restaurants (particularly in places like Italy) won't serve you tap water is because the tap water there tends to be mineral-rich, making it hard and chalky.

Despite it being safe to drink (locals will drink it at home) some argue it could spoil your enjoyment of a delicate-tasting dish.

Theory Two: it's a money maker

If you don't buy the above theory, another reason European restaurants don't serve tap water is simply because they can get away with it. Also: they need to pay their staff a liveable wage, clean the glasses, and at least get a few dollars out of those people who sit down at a table just to enjoy the view.

Theory Three: it's cultural

As one European on Reddit, who goes by the name of avlas, puts it, it's kind of like tippling culture in the US: baffling to everyone else, but makes complete sense to those who grew up with it.

As avlas explains: "It is not customary to serve tap water in Italy... even if tap water is drinkable. For us, paying for drinks is on the same level as paying for service."

"Would you be comfortable telling your waiter 'I don't want to tip so I'll just go get my food and bus my own table'? It's kind of the same thing for water here, tap water is not usually served so it would be weird."

Theory 4: Europeans often drink alcohol with their meals

@martinrieseofficial

#stitch with @Brenna Europe vs United States, carry a bottle of water #europe #unitedstates #usa #martinriese #water #watersommelier #hydration #fyp #fy #foryoupage #hydration

♬ original sound - Martin Riese

Europe's drinking-alcohol-with-meals culture is definitely stronger than Australia's or America's, so it makes sense that locals wouldn't be ordering quite as much water at a restaurant, anyway. 

Travel tips for drinking water in Europe

Is tap water in Europe safe to drink?

You should always check for the individual country you are going to, but yes, tap water in Europe is generally potable. There is always room for common sense though: as Albatross Tours points out, there's a difference between a bubbler in Hyde Park and a well on a rural Croatian farm.

What about from the bathroom tap in the UK and Ireland?

You may want to give that a miss. As travel writer Alex McClintock found out the hard way, you're not supposed to drink from bathroom taps in the UK, because in a lot of old buildings, the old lead pipes have never been replaced (in the kitchen, where the water usually comes directly from the mains, it has less time to interact with any old piping).

Why does it taste funny?

Tap water in Europe may have a different mineral content to what you're used to at home.

How can I save money on water when travelling Europe?

Take a water bottle and fill it up at public drinking stations (or in your accommodation).

Originally published as Shock as tourists discover Europeans 'don't drink water'