Is it rude to ask for cup of water at starbuck japan?

33 comments

1. Seeing as you were a paying customer that is a bit surprising. Maybe that employee was just having a bad day? Maybe don’t go to shitty corporate coffee chains and you’ll be treated like a customer and not a revenue source?

2. I did receive the water by the way since my friend talked to the 店員, but the water taste like bitterness and resentment from my end.

3. If you’re ordering something else it’s usually not a problem.

   I wouldn’t take it personally or think too much about it. Workers just don’t want to do things that they haven’t officially gotten an OK for. It likely isn’t part of the training and they don’t want to take responsibility for it just in case.

4. Ex- barista here, asking for water is fine even if you are not asking it from the register ( but for the love of god just do at register because you might break our focus especially during rush hour ) and while it is not in our “educational” training video coffee master used to tell me to give water anyway because it’s literally just tap water. Weird that they gatekeep water but in general Japanese are like だるま, you never know which side is actually the real one so just take it with grain of salt.

5. Starbucks in Japan will only give you water in this incredibly tiny paper cup and refuse to use their normal cups

6. In all my years in Japan I have never been denied a request for water. I do admit I haven’t gone to cafés regularly for 10 years, but when I frequented a Starbucks my regular order (with a friend) was two ‘Cafe Americano’ and four cups of water.

7. I’ve seen Japanese people asking for water at Starbucks and getting it without a hitch. Sounds like you ran into an asshole that day.

8. Staff is out of line. Never had any problems with getting water at Starbucks. They always have those little paper cups and ask if you want ice with it.

9. What I love about Japan is you won’t get denied any water and certainly do not have to pay for it in food and beverage establishments. I tried to travel to UK and water was always paid for. I cannot afford to choke on my food in UK.

10. Sucks that it happened to you. I honestly always bring something to drink in a tumbler with me to avoid this. Starbucks also sells bottled water. Of course it means spending more money but you get a lot more liquid than the paper cup. Unfortunately Starbucks is not the same here as in the US for better or worse. Starbucks here seems to be way busier than back home and many people stay there for a long time so I’m sure it affects how they run things. I hope you don’t have this problem again.

11. Why are people on here putting random 言葉 in japanese?

    Just 書く the entire post in 英語 man….

12. Hmm that is really strange tbh, a few times when I wanted to take medicine at Starbucks I asked for water and it was no issue. I just got a small cup of tap water. The barista seems condescending and like they wanted to lecture you. Also their reasoning was dumb af, of course every person could have water if they asked. It’s water not like a free cookie or something.

13. A quick Google shows that you can get water if you ask at order time. Some articles mention you can also do it when picking up your drink.

    https://coffee-trip.net/starbucks-water/
    https://www.ichi-oshi.jp/articles/common/497687

    I understand the rule of not getting water it you don’t order anything, but even though they know you ordered, they didn’t give you water. That’s some omotenashi™️ for you. Great customer service 👍

    Now seriously, and it’s besides the point, but you said you were feeling dehydrated even though you had plenty to drink. Just curious, how long did you stay at Starbucks before you asked for the water?

14. One time I was taking a pill in Starbucks and I was going to take it with coffee (out of laziness). But as soon as I got the pill out, the cashier came to my table with a cup of water without me even asking.

15. Not rude.

    And you’re overthinking this.

16. Go to Tully’s. They have jugs of water and cups available for free.

17. 外人です。I often get water at Starbucks but ask for it while I’m ordering.

18. They give me water at Starbucks whenever I ask. Maybe you encountered a trainee or that person wasn’t having a good day? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway, that was really weird because it should be fine. I’m sorry you experienced that.

19. Did you ask in Japanese or english?

20. Either OP’s Japanese didn’t make it to the staff, OP asked the wrong staff (asked the one who gives out coffee, not the busy cashier), or OP asked for water first then ordered cakes 10 minutes later

21. I’ve had quite a few water crimes in Japan. It’s like the one thing I would actually get pissy at the staff for. Especially one time at a bar that had all you can drink jager meister but refused to give me water unless I paid a stupid amount I was like that ain’t right. Now I’m just like ok whatever.

22. Did you ask for お冷？ or お水？
    MAYBE that is what caused confusion.
    お冷is the free paper cup water, and お水 can be misunderstood as bottled water(which is sold at Starbucks).
    Maybe she was nervous and thought you were trying to get a free bottle of water. lol idk. when I’m nervous I over think things lol.

23. I don’t understand why foreigners always expect the country they’re visiting to accommodate the things that they are used to in their home countries. You are visiting a different country with a different culture. Learn to respect it. The world doesn’t revolve around America.

24. I ask for water all the time and get it every time.

    I have never gotten the smallest amount of pushback.

    In fact, I was literally in a Starbucks in Chiba when I read this and asked the employee (they’re pretty slow)

    They said it’s company policy to give free water in a little cup to paying customers upon request.

    There was a misunderstanding. Don’t dwell on it. Keep working on your 日本語 and 頑張ってね

25. It is totally no problem to ask for water. I do it occasionally. Sometimes I have to take medication or I just want some water. They have little paper cups they give you and they are always quite nice about it so maybe you got someone in training or something.

26. Starbucks sucks anyways

27. Sounds like a ミスコミュニケーション possibly due to the Nihongoes

28. The mental gymnastics of some of the commenters trying to give the benefit of the doubt to a crystal-clear instance of asshole service. There are Japanese assholes too, like in any country, and it sounds like you ran into one.

29. If I ordered something, there was no self serve water pitcher, *and* they still said that to me, I would have asked for the manager. That’s unprofessional as hell.

30. Well, you shouldn’t be denied a cup of water anywhere. So that’s your answer.

31. Strange, I always ask for water with my coffee to cleanse my palette and enjoy the full taste of the coffee. Never had a refusal.

32. Personally I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody with a cup of water in Starbucks in Japan ever. So I don’t think it’s very common

33. I’m also 外人です. Nice to meet あなた.

    I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten water at Starbucks without any questions. Thinking about it, a lot of cafes in Japan (Starbucks also?) have jugs of water where you can help yourself.

    Strong coffee dehydrates me pretty quickly so I usually ask for water with my coffee. Never had anybody question me. Maybe the 店員 thought your were some random 人 from the street?