In Morocco, the free glass of water served with coffee is disappearing
Ordering a coffee in Morocco long meant almost automatically receiving a glass of water at no extra charge. In some establishments, this practice is now declining in favor of a bottle of mineral water charged to the customer.
Mohamed Kimaoui, president of the Moroccan Union of Consumer Protection Associations, told Sawt Al Maghrib that consumers should not have to pay for a bottle they never ordered.
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According to him, if a bottle of mineral water is placed on the table without the customer asking for it, they can refuse it and return it. He notes that the traditional practice remains serving a coffee accompanied by a simple glass of water.
The price must be clear
Café owners have a different interpretation. Noureddine El Harrak, president of the National Federation of Café and Restaurant Owners, points out that no regulation requires an establishment to systematically serve coffee with a free glass of water.
For him, the essential point is displaying the price. A coffee may be sold for 12, 20 or even 30 dirhams depending on the establishment, whether it is accompanied by a glass or a bottle of water, provided that the price is clearly announced before the order is placed.
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The debate therefore concerns less two legal rules than an old habit and new commercial practices. In some Moroccan cafés, the glass of water once placed free of charge next to the coffee is now giving way to a paid bottle.
