Is It Legal to Charge for Water at a Restaurant?

Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, restaurants must provide free, regular, filtered, or tap water to customers and cannot charge for it. While restaurants may sell mineral water, customers cannot be compelled to buy it. 

In Avinash Acharya v. Foresta Cafe, the Consumer Commission held the cafe liable for unfair trade practices and deficiency in service when the petitioner was forced to purchase mineral water at a higher price.

Similarly, in Rupasi Multiplex v. Mautusi Chaudhuri, the Commission noted that no one should be forced to pay an exorbitant price for a basic necessity like drinking water.