Water Dispenser for Restaurants: A UK Buyer’s Guide to Still and Sparkling on Tap

17th Sep 2026

A water dispenser for restaurants lets you serve chilled still and sparkling filtered water straight from a tap, so you can stop buying, storing and recycling crates of bottled water. This guide explains how these systems work, what size you need, what they replace and how to choose between buying and renting.

Key takeaways

 

• A water dispenser for restaurants swaps bought in bottled water for filtered still and sparkling water made on site.
• Billi’s Spring 45 and Spring 80 bottling systems dispense up to 45 and 80 litres an hour from one under counter unit.
• Refillable branded glass bottles let you sell your own house water and cut single use packaging.
• Licensed venues in England and Wales must give free tap water on request. You can still sell filtered still and sparkling water as a menu item.
• Size the system for your busiest hour. Then buy outright, or rent for a fixed monthly fee with servicing included.

 

What is a water dispenser for restaurants?

 

A water dispenser for restaurants is a plumbed in system that takes mains water, filters it, chills it and, if you want, adds the fizz. Your team fills bottles, carafes or glasses at a tap. Most of the kit sits under the counter, so all your guests see is a neat tap on the bar or at the waiter station.

It is not the same as a bottle fed cooler in a waiting room. A restaurant system is built for volume. It has to fill bottle after bottle on a Friday night without the water turning warm or the fizz going flat.

At Billi, we design these systems for hotels, restaurants, cafes and caterers. You can see the full range on our Billi for Hospitality page.

 

Why restaurants are swapping bottled water for a water dispenser

 

Bottled water looks simple. But it eats cellar space, ties up cash and leaves you with a pile of glass and plastic to get rid of. Here is why more venues now make their own.

 

Lower cost per bottle

 

When you fill in house, you pay for mains water, filters, CO2 and power. You do not pay for someone else’s brand, bottle and transport. On our hospitality page we note that, even at wholesale prices, premium bottled brands can cost 10 to 100 times more than water from your own bottling system. Your own numbers depend on what you pay now. The step by step section below shows you how to work them out.

Less storage and fewer deliveries

 

• No crates in the cellar or on fridge shelves
• No running out of sparkling halfway through service
• No delivery slots to plan around

 

Less single use packaging

 

Every bottle you fill yourself is one less to buy, chill, collect and recycle. Refillable glass goes through the glasswasher and straight back out. Guests notice it too. You can read more on our sustainability commitments page.

A better offer for guests who do not drink alcohol

 

Not everyone wants wine with dinner. In England, 19% of adults did not drink alcohol in 2022, up from 17% in 2011. Among 16 to 24 year olds it was 25%. Those figures come from the Health Survey for England, published by Drinkaware.

Chilled sparkling water on tap gives you a base for house sodas, spritzes and cordials. Add a syrup, fresh fruit or herbs and you have a low cost drink with a healthy margin. Our summer syrup recipe is an easy place to start. If you are still weighing up the fizz, read is a sparkling water tap worth it?

Bottled water and a water dispenser compared

 

Types of water dispenser for restaurants

 

There are three main types. Most venues end up with the first one front of house and the second one in the kitchen or staff area.

Under counter still and sparkling bottling systems

 

This is the main choice for front of house. One compact unit under the counter feeds a tap on top. It gives you chilled still and sparkling filtered water at volume.

The Billi Spring range is built for this job. Both models pair with our Classic tap, have an adjustable chilled temperature and come with a 2 year warranty on parts and labour.

Billi Spring 45

 

The Billi Spring 45 Bottling System dispenses up to 45 litres an hour. It suits cafes, bistros and smaller dining rooms.

Billi Spring 80

 

The Billi Spring 80 Bottling System dispenses up to 80 litres an hour. It suits larger restaurants, hotel dining rooms, banqueting and event catering.

The bottle numbers are simple maths based on the top hourly output. Real life numbers depend on how your team works.

Boiling and chilled taps for back of house

 

Your kitchen and staff areas have different needs. A boiling and chilled tap gives instant hot water for tea service and prep, plus chilled water for the team. The Billi for Work range includes boiling and chilled, boiling, chilled and sparkling, and chilled only systems. Every model that dispenses boiling water has a concealed safety lock.

To see how they stack up against a kettle, read how energy efficient a Billi tap is compared to a kettle and are boiling water taps safe?

Countertop and bottle fed coolers

 

Freestanding coolers are cheap to start with. But they take up floor space, need bottle deliveries and are not made for table service. We compare the options in types of office water dispensers compared.

What size water dispenser does a restaurant need?

 

Size for your busiest hour. A system that copes on a quiet Tuesday but struggles on Saturday night is the wrong system.

Here is a quick way to work it out:

• Count the covers in your busiest hour
• Work out how many bottles those tables get through. A 750ml bottle pours three 250ml glasses
• Multiply the bottles by 0.75 to get litres an hour
• Add some headroom for the bar and for staff

Worked example: 90 covers in your peak hour, seated as 30 tables of three. Each table orders one bottle and half of them order a second. That is 45 bottles, or about 34 litres in the hour. A Spring 45 covers that with room to spare.

Not sure? Our Spec Generator walks you through it, or our team can size it for you.

How to choose a water dispenser for restaurants: step by step

 

1. Count your peak hour demand. Use the method above. Write down the litres an hour you need on your busiest night.
2. Work out what bottled water costs you now. Add up a month of bottled water invoices. Include delivery charges and what you pay for glass or plastic collection. This is the number your new system has to beat.
3. Decide what you want to serve. Still only, sparkling only, or both? Do you also want boiling water in the kitchen or staff room?
4. Pick the tap position. The bar, a waiter station and the pass are the usual spots. You need cupboard space below for the unit, a mains water feed and a 13 amp switched socket inside the cupboard. Install requirement sheets are in our technical documents.
5. Choose your bottles. Branded glass bottles take around 4 to 5 weeks from artwork approval, so order early if you have an opening date.
6. Choose how to pay. Buy outright, or rent for a fixed monthly fee. There is more on this below.
7. See it working. Book a demo at our London showroom, then ask for a quote.

Want help sizing a water dispenser for your restaurant? Get a quote from Billi or call 020 7456 6789.

Branded bottles: make your restaurant water dispenser pay its way

 

A tap saves you money. A bottle with your name on it can make you money.

Your logo on every table

 

Our Era 750ml glass bottles can be printed or etched with your branding. They come with a silver or gold lid and work with all Billi systems, including the Spring bottling systems. Lead time is around 4 to 5 weeks from artwork approval and payment.

Branded bottles do three jobs:

• They make house water feel like a premium product
• They keep your name in front of guests all meal
• They show you have moved away from single use bottles

 

Can restaurants charge for filtered water?

 

Yes. In England and Wales, the mandatory licensing conditions say licensed premises must give customers free drinking water on request where it is reasonably available. That covers plain tap water. It does not stop you selling chilled, filtered still or sparkling water as a menu item, as long as the price is clear. Many venues charge a flat price per bottle, or per head for unlimited house water. Scotland has a similar rule for licensed premises.

Should you buy or rent a water dispenser for your restaurant?

 

Both routes get you the same system. The right one depends on your cash flow and your lease.

Rental is subject to a credit check and terms and conditions. Full details are on our Billi Rental page. We also cover the pros and cons in should you rent or buy a water dispenser?

Filtration, servicing and hygiene for restaurant water dispensers

 

Guests judge you on taste. Inspectors judge you on hygiene. A good system helps with both.

What the filter removes

 

Billi filters are made for high flow systems. They reduce:

• Sediment
• Chemicals such as chlorine
• Bad tastes and odours
• Parasitic cysts such as cryptosporidium and giardia
• Heavy metals and lead

They let essential minerals pass through, so the water still tastes like water. See our filters and water treatment page. If you are in a hard water area, read do water filters soften water?

Servicing and filter changes

 

Filters only work if they are changed on time. On our BilliCare service plans, filters are changed every six months and the engineer checks temperatures, pump speed and the tap.

• Silver plan: two planned visits a year with filter changes and checks
• Gold plan: the same visits, plus parts, labour and call outs
• Combi plans: Silver cover during the 2 year warranty, then Gold cover after it

Gold and Combi plans do not cover refrigeration kits, compressors or whole units. Our UK wide network of trained technicians does the work. You can order filters and CO2 from the Billi shop, and our guides on when to replace water filters and how to change a filter cartridge cover the basics.

Quality and compliance

 

Every Billi drinking water appliance goes through strict quality control testing and meets all relevant standards. Billi’s Quadra range is Global GreenTag certified and has an Environmental Product Declaration that supports LEED and BREEAM credits. Billi is also a member of the International WELL Building Institute.

If you are working with an architect or designer on a new venue, these pages will help:

• Certifications and compliance
• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Colour samples
• Disability access services
• Case studies

 

Water dispenser for restaurants FAQs

 

What is the best water dispenser for restaurants?

 

The best water dispenser for restaurants is a plumbed in, under counter system that serves chilled still and sparkling filtered water fast enough for your busiest hour. For most cafes and bistros that is the Billi Spring 45. Larger restaurants, hotels and caterers should look at the Billi Spring 80.

How much does a water dispenser for restaurants cost?

 

It depends on the model, the install and whether you buy or rent. Billi prices on enquiry, so ask for a quote. If you rent, there is no upfront payment and you pay a fixed monthly fee with servicing included. Compare the quote with what you spend each month on bottled water, delivery and waste collection.

Can a water dispenser for restaurants serve both still and sparkling water?

 

Yes. The Billi Spring bottling systems serve chilled still and chilled sparkling filtered water from one under counter unit and one tap. You can adjust the chilled temperature to suit your venue.

Do restaurants have to give free tap water in the UK?

 

Licensed premises in England and Wales must give customers free drinking water on request where it is reasonably available. It is one of the mandatory licensing conditions. Scotland has a similar rule. Unlicensed venues are not covered, although most offer tap water anyway.

Can restaurants charge for filtered still and sparkling water?

 

Yes. The free water rule covers plain tap water. You can sell chilled, filtered still or sparkling water as a menu item. Make the price clear on the menu, and still give plain tap water for free if a guest asks.

How much space does a restaurant water dispenser need?

 

The Spring systems use a single compact unit that sits in a cupboard under the counter, with the tap above. You need a mains water feed and a 13 amp switched socket inside the cupboard. Exact sizes are on the install requirement sheets in our technical documents.

How often do the filters need changing?

 

On BilliCare service plans, filters are changed every six months. Very busy venues or hard water areas may need a different schedule, so ask our team. Changing filters on time keeps the water tasting fresh and protects the system from scale.

Can we put our own logo on the bottles?

 

Yes. Billi’s Era 750ml glass bottles can be printed or etched with your branding, with a silver or gold lid. Allow around 4 to 5 weeks from artwork approval and payment.

Can we rent a system for a short lease or a pop up?

 

Yes. Billi Flex is a rolling rental with a 60 day notice period, made for sites with short or temporary leases. It is also a handy way to try a system before you sign up to a 36 or 60 month term.

Get a quote for a water dispenser for your restaurant

 

If you are ready to swap crates for a tap, we can help. Our team will size the right water dispenser for restaurants, cafes, hotels and caterers, and talk you through buying, renting and branded bottles.

• Get a quote
• Send a product enquiry or contact us
• Call 020 7456 6789
• Email marketing@billi-uk.com
• Visit the London showroom at 91 Turnmill St, London, EC1M 5QU. Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm