Watch Out!

When you log on to AOL there are about 5 different sections of news that the front page scrolls through and I found one that caught my eye... "Top 5 Sneaky Restaurant Tricks" as reported by SmartMoney.

Still Waters Run Deep: Tap water may indeed be "still" -- no bubbles -- but that's not what your server is offering when he queries "still or sparkling?" The mark-up on bottled water is easily 200%, so going bottled can be as much of a rip-off as ordering a cocktail. Industrywide, bottled water pulls in $200 to $350 million in profits annually, according to Clark Wolf Company, a restaurant consultant. In stores, a 33.8-ounce flat Voss Mineral Water goes for $3.49; in Riingo, located in New York's Alex Hotel, you'd pay $9 for the same bottle. Worse, once you order a bottle, it's rare that you'll be asked if you want another. Your server will simply open another to top off your glass -- and your tab. Today's Tip: If you want tap water, ask for it specifically.

When Corey and I were in San Francisco over the summer this happened to us at a french cafe in the financial district. The waiter gave me the choice between "sparkling and still". I thought I was safe with still, guess again. We paid $7 for a glass bottle of "still" Evian, you bet your $#! that we drank the entire bottle. Good thing we learned our lesson our first night there, tap please!