A "CHEEKY" restaurant owner has been slammed after "guilt-tripping" customers for ordering tap water after forking out £30 each on a roast dinner.
Jane Breeds and her boyfriend visited Danish steakhouse Köd London, north east London, to try their famous all-you-can eat roast.
But, they were shocked after reading a small message on the menu.
It read: "You can have tap water but please remember we're running a restaurant, not a charity – wink, wink.
"If you want to have just tap water, we encourage you to donate £1 to Red Cross. Everybody wins."
Jane was outraged upon discovering the "wild" request and deliberately ordered a jug of tap water for the table.
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The fuming 27-year-old still left a generous 15 per cent tip but blasted the restaurant on social media.
"It's a bit cheeky to imply that I'm treating the restaurant as a charity when I'm spending £60," she said.
"When I first saw the menu I laughed and told my boyfriend that we're not ordering any drinks.
"He asked why and I passed him the menu. He found it funny too and agreed to just stick to tap water.
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"I was given a jug and I didn't request for it to be refilled but I'm sure they would have done so.
"[The donation] is a nice idea but I don't think I should be guilt-tripped into donating to charity just because I only wanted to drink tap water.
"I didn't make a donation but I did happily pay the 15 per cent tip that is automatically added on though as the staff were great.
"They didn't say anything about us only drinking tap water and gave great service."
'We're not forcing people to buy drinks'
Owner Morten Orterd, from Denmark, has hit back in response to his disgruntled customer's "snaky" message.
Tensions escalated when he replied to her X/Twitter post calling his restaurant out for "guilt tripping" customers.
The 38-year-old explained that he is actually an ambassador for the Red Cross charity and Jane's message was deterring visitors from paying for drinks.
Dad-of-two Morten, said: "It's a really good offer that people like but it's not possible to make an offer like this if everyone just has free tap water.
It's a bit cheeky to imply that I'm treating the restaurant as a charity when I'm spending £60."
"This is a way in Danish humour to tell people to also buy something to drink so we can continue to have this great offer.
"We're not forcing people to buy drinks. They can have free tap water.
"I understand [they find it cheeky] but to come to a restaurant and have tap water I think it would be nice to also donate something. That shouldn't be a bad thing.
"It's the first time I saw something critical about it. I will of course think about it for the future but I don't think we should change something because one person doesn't agree.
"There are still some things we need to learn about Danish humour working in the UK."
'Wild behaviour'
Jane's debate sparking tweet read: "Made a point of not ordering drinks at Köd steakhouse by Liverpool Street after seeing this on the menu. Wild behaviour lol."
In response the owner penned: "Thanks for [the] attention. You forget to say this is only for our Sunday special where we offer an all-you-can-eat roast for £30.
"We can't do that if everybody only do tap water. We try to add humour, not offence. Tap water is still free, Red Cross donation [is] optional!"
There are still some things we need to learn about Danish humour working in the UK."
The fuming customer accused the owner or "turning more people off ordering drinks" with his "snarky" reply.
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But, Morten shrugged her reply off and added: "We are a Danish restaurant and maybe it's too much Danish humour, maybe it's not.
"We'll see. So far, you are the first we have heard a negative comment from. But we will take it into consideration in our evaluation. Thank you for the feedback."
Kod’s full menu message
running a restaurant, not a charity – wink, wink, we need to make money.
"You know who is running a charity, though? Red Cross is! If you want to have just tap water, we encourage you to donate £1 to Red Cross. Everybody wins.
"All jokes aside, our founder, Morten P. Ortwed, proudly serves as a Red Cross ambassador.
"Each year, the Red Cross selects entrepreneurial individuals to launch exciting and profitable projects to raise funds.
"We would be absolutely delighted if you could support this cause. Please inform your waiter, and thank you immensely."
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