'If ABs lose, brekkie's on us'

Ted Waters says the breakfast offer is a bit of a risk but it's one he's willing to take. Photo / Nick Reed

Cafe owner offers customers a free meal to ease the pain of any World Cup losses.

An East Auckland cafe owner is so confident the All Blacks will win the Rugby World Cup that he's willing to bet your breakfast on it.

Ted Waters of The Apothecary in Howick yesterday decided to begin his campaign as not only a way to get customers in, but as a show of solidarity with the team as their battle to be the first back-to-back winners of the Cup intensifies.

To help ease the pain if the All Blacks lose one of their games, Mr Waters said he would offer free breakfasts for the rest of the Cup.

"If the All Blacks lose we will refund your breakfast," he said.

"We're a cafe that's got a big HD projector and screen and like the America's Cup we played that every morning - oh, that's not much of an analogy is it," he laughs.

Illustration / Rod Emmerson

"We're taking a bit of a punt, it's not that we're anti-All Blacks, it's the opposite. We just want to help ease the pain of our customers if the horrible is to happen."

The cafe has been showing all the weekend games, plus all of the All Blacks' matches.

"The key thing is, this isn't just for the Tongan game ... it's actually for the rest of the World Cup."

As Howick has a strong Anglo-Saxon base, he's expecting to have a few converted English fans supporting the boys in black.

"I think there's going to be a big move from the demise of the English team into supporting the All Blacks. There's a lot of English so there's been a few sad faces."

The All Blacks next play against Tonga on Saturday at 8am.

The Apothecary is open seven days, 7am to 4pm.