Most of us have seen those familiar signs at eateries — “no outside food and drinks allowed”.
But getting charged for it, especially when it’s just kids drinking plain water? That’s something one family didn’t expect.
Charged for kids’ water
According to Mothership, a family dining at a restaurant in Singapore was left surprised after spotting an extra charge on their bill.
The diner said he was out with his family of five, including his two children aged five and 10.
While the adults ordered drinks from the restaurant, the children drank from a bottle of water they had brought along.
However, when the bill arrived, the family noticed an additional S$2 (around RM6+) charge for two “outside drinks”.
He said he clarified the situation with staff, explaining that the children were only drinking plain water, but was told the charge still applied and could not be waived.
“Didn’t expect it to apply to children”
He shared that the charge came as a surprise, as he believed such policies are usually more flexible especially when customers are already ordering drinks.
He also said he assumed the rule would apply to adults rather than children, which was why none of the adults drank from the bottle.
The incident felt even more disappointing as his family had been patronising the eatery for over two decades, dating back to its earlier days under a different name.
Restaurant says rule is clearly stated
In response, the restaurant said it enforces a strict no outside food and drinks policy.
A spokesperson claimed that signage is placed at the entrance and that customers are typically informed about the rule, including potential charges if they bring in outside items.
The restaurant also alleged that the family brought in a large bottle of water and continued consuming it despite being made aware of the policy.
Dispute over whether they were informed
The diner, however, disputed this, saying he did not notice any signage and was not informed beforehand about any additional charges.
He said the fee only became apparent when the bill was presented, which made it feel unexpected and unreasonable.
Following the incident, he added that he has not returned to the restaurant.
READ ALSO:
