Mike Fisher, pictured, defended the charge because he said he had to pay overheads and his staff

A cafe manager has hit back at a disgruntled customer who complained on TripAdvisor after she was charged £2 for a cup of hot water and lemon.

The customer, who uses the profile name Hannah C, took to review website to slam Bennett's Cafe & Bistro in York, saying the cost of her simple drink was 'ridiculous'.

She also claimed the waiter was 'rude' when she asked him to justify the cost, adding she would 'definitely not recommend' the cafe to others.

But the manager of Bennett's, which is rated as the 11th best restaurant in the city, was quick to challenge the customer, spelling out exactly why she had been charged £2.

The manager said she was sorry Hannah had felt 'ripped off' before justifying the price by breaking down the cost that had gone into providing the drink, including rent, staff wages and business rates.

Hannah, who visited the cafe last month, said she was joining her friends for afternoon tea but ordered hot water with a slice of lemon because she was on a 'tight budget'.

She said her order did not arrive with her friends' and then she was shocked to find she had been charged £2 for the drink.

She wrote: 'When I asked why I was being charged so much for some water the waiter rudely said "well, do you know how much a lemon costs?" Yes, its definitely not £2.

'He then went on to wrongly inform me that a "pot of tea for one" (which is what I was charged for) is the same price as a lemon. To show just how ridiculous this is, my friend ordered a slice of chocolate cake which was £1.90.'

Complaint: A customer using the profile name 'Hannah C' took to review website TripAdvisor to slam Bennett's Cafe & Bistro in York, saying being charged £2 for a cup of hot water with lemon was 'ridiculous'

Response: The manager said she was sorry Hannah had felt 'ripped off' before justifying the price by breaking down the cost that had gone into providing the drink, including rent, staff wages and business rates

Hannah ended the review by saying the cafe was a 'dreadful place' that she would 'definitely not recommend', adding she thought the 'rude waiter that served me should be sacked'.

GET IN TOUCH Are you 'Hannah C' or do you know who she is? We would love to hear from you. Email: euan.mclelland@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

Just over a week later, the manager of the cafe, who has not been identified, responded to the online review.

She outlined in detail the different jobs the waiter had performed before, during and after Hannah's meal, and reasoned that it worked out to 'at least 2-3 minutes work'.

The manager continued: 'The cost of overheads for the business, i.e rent, business rates, electricity costs, bank charges, etc works out at £27.50 per hour of trading.

'I pay my colleagues a decent living wage and after taking into account holiday pay, national insurance and non-productive time prior to opening and after closing, the waiter who served you costs me £12.50 per hour.

'Therefore, together the cost is £40 per hour or 67p per minute, meaning that the cost of providing you with 2-3 minutes of service was £1.34 - £2.00.'

She said once VAT is taken into account the cost of the cup rises to between £1.60 and £2.40, 'irrespective' of what the teabag or lemon used cost.

Dispute: Bennett's Cafe & Bistro, pictured, has been voted the 11th best restaurant in York on TripAdvisor

The manager said she 'accepted' that this means the 'price of a cuppa in a city centre cafe looks expensive to the one you make at home' but that 'unfortunately that’s the cruel reality of life'.

She said it's the facilities that cost money rather than the ingredients before adding: 'Perhaps, the rudeness that you perceived in me was triggered by the disrespect that I perceived in you by your presumption that you could use our facilities and be waited on for free.'

MailOnline has contacted Bennett's Cafe & Bistro and 'Hannah C' for comment.

Are you 'Hannah C' or do you know who she is? We would love to hear from you - please email: euan.mclelland@mailonline.co.uk