Can you drink tap water in Europe? Yes but restaurants may charge you

The TikTok video suggested Europeans did not drink water regularly like Americans did. Photo / 123rf

If the size of people’s comically large water bottles these days is anything to go by, hydration is having a “moment”.

However, the well-watered may want to reconsider their European trip or buy an even larger water bottle because they may not get free top-ups at cafes or restaurants.

One woman has alerted fellow travellers of Europe’s unusual approach to water via a viral TikTok, which has been viewed more than 11 million times.

In the clip, the user named Brenna and her friends are seen quickly drinking massive bottles of water in various European spots.

“Us the moment we can find water because Europeans don’t believe in water,” reads the caption.

The video pokes fun at the tendency for restaurants and cafes in Europe to charge for bottled water instead of offering free tap water.

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Many of the 15,000 comments expressed similar frustration at the cultural difference.

“It’s so true. I miss my complimentary pitcher of water at restaurants. When the water is free, it’s the smallest glass,” one person wrote.

Another wrote that her boyfriend’s French uncle giggled when she requested water at a French restaurant, while a European joked they had “never even heard of water”.

“I have stayed in five European countries and this is FACTS, we were so thirsty everywhere,” another stated.

However, a large proportion of comments criticised the video for broadly using “Europe” and being “dramatic”.

One person asked Brenna to “define Europe please”, while another asked which of Europe’s 50 countries she was referring to, assuming the people in the video had only been to one or two countries.

Others said the claim that Europeans didn’t value drinking water simply wasn’t true, pointing out the abundance of drinking fountains in cities.

Several said water was “everywhere” in Europe via free fountains or super cheap bottles in shops.

“People are dramatic af. There are markets/stores everywhere and a bottle of water is cheaper than in the US,” one person wrote.

“Europe had the MOST accessible water ever,” another wrote.

Locals hit back at the video's accusation, claiming European cities were full of usable water fountains. Photo / 123rf

There are many hypotheses as to why European restaurants and cafes don’t serve tap water, from taste and cultural habits to profit.

In the comments, several people referenced the fact that, in Europe, many people typically choose to drink a beverage such as coffee or wine with a meal instead of water.

“In France, I asked for water, the grampa gave me a glass of wine,” one person claimed, while another joked that Europeans “keep ourselves alive just with Aperol spritz, champagne and wine”.

Another reason is the relatively chalky taste of tap water in Europe, caused by the high mineral content. Since this could spoil the taste of a meal, restaurants prefer to serve bottled water, which they must charge for.

Of course, having to charge for water is a profit for the business, which likely factors into the situation as well.

However, one European claimed bottled water was similar to tipping in America, which makes sense to locals even though it’s bizarre to others.

“It is not customary to serve tap water in Italy ... even if tap water is drinkable,” they wrote on a Reddit thread about why European restaurants charge for water. “For us, paying for drinks is on the same level as paying for service,” they explained.