Toronto bar wants people to stop filling up water bottles in the bathroom
At least one bar in Toronto is fed up with customers refilling their water bottles in the bathroom, and wants them to purchase water from the bar instead.
So much so, there's even a sign posted in the bathroom of Bunker near Church and Wellesley asking bargoers to do exactly this. Is this a case of so-called hydration shaming, or a necessary policy?
A spokesperson from Bunker says this goes beyond staying hydrated, with people lining up for the bathroom with empty bottles in their hands, going so far as to hoard multiple discarded bottles and fill them up for free in a borderline Mad-Max-style mentality.
Bunker charges $4.50 for 600mL bottles of water, but of course they're legally obligated to also provide cups of water for free.
According to the spokesperson, this is a hassle for bartenders and creates a huge cleanup issue. Buying multiple water bottles may not be the most environmentally friendly either, but at least it makes money for the bar.
Bunker and the bar above it, Fly 2.0, host events where there's no cover charge for early entry, meaning that those who don't want to spend money at the bars tend to drink beforehand and forgo spending anything at all once they're out.
In the eyes of the businesses, they can't continue to operate if many of the people who come in don’t buy anything.
Rail drinks are $6.75 by comparison. Water is precious, but so is cold hard cash.
