There is one scenario where you’ll get a polite “no.” If the store is completely slammed—like, a school bus full of soccer teams just walked in—and the manager is sweating bullets, they might say, “Sorry, we only give water with a purchase right now.”
Don’t take it personally. That manager is running on three hours of sleep and a Coolatta. They’re not being mean; they’re just trying to survive. In that case, buy the cheapest item on the menu: a plain bagel (no cream cheese) for about $1.50. Boom. You just unlocked the free water achievement.
Or, you know, just buy a $2 coffee. You get the coffee and a free water. That’s basically financial wizardry.