I believe that pay toilets in Europe already accept credit cards, at least in some places. Happily, pay toilets is an idea that hasn’t caught on in the US.
When we visited Southern Italy in 2018 there were free public restrooms that had tip bowls to help pay for the cleaning and upkeep of the area. They were very clean and the attendants were friendly. I’m sure we over-tipped, but so what.
Here we have these “Loos” in various locations around downtown near various parks, which is essentially a kiosk (has a roof and walls, but said walls are somewhat open with grating around them…for air circulation, I’m sure). More times than not, when I have needed to utilize one, there has been one of our “resident” houseless population either flaked out in it or shooting up. I doubt making them a pay toilet would prevent this unless the payment was more than the cash they get panhandling, so that wouldn’t deter this activity.
I’m in a tourist town, and public bathrooms are a real problem—or rather, a lack of them. The only public bathrooms I knew of right in town near the store where I work shut down after covid, and the coffee shops & restaurants stopped allowing walk-in users in theirs. For a good while there was absolutely nowhere in town we could send customers (except the big stores 5-10 min. drive away), & we absolutely lost customers because of it (“I can’t enjoy shopping like that; I might as well go back to the hotel”). Now there’s one across the street and past the park, but it’s still a good ways for older folks and little ones…
The town is starting to talk about building some new public bathrooms, but it’s some overly complicated, very expensive plan that (I predict) will take ages to actually produce anything useful.
uniquename about 2 years ago
I believe that pay toilets in Europe already accept credit cards, at least in some places. Happily, pay toilets is an idea that hasn’t caught on in the US.
face.less_b about 2 years ago
My that was a long set up
T Smith about 2 years ago
“Year of Free Gas.” Or, as it’s more commonly known, a Taco Bell gift card.
Pickled Pete about 2 years ago
Free toilets but pay for wipes..
CoffeeBob Premium Member about 2 years ago
When we visited Southern Italy in 2018 there were free public restrooms that had tip bowls to help pay for the cleaning and upkeep of the area. They were very clean and the attendants were friendly. I’m sure we over-tipped, but so what.
raybarb44 about 2 years ago
What a friend……
dsatvoinde Premium Member about 2 years ago
Here we have these “Loos” in various locations around downtown near various parks, which is essentially a kiosk (has a roof and walls, but said walls are somewhat open with grating around them…for air circulation, I’m sure). More times than not, when I have needed to utilize one, there has been one of our “resident” houseless population either flaked out in it or shooting up. I doubt making them a pay toilet would prevent this unless the payment was more than the cash they get panhandling, so that wouldn’t deter this activity.
Taracinablue about 2 years ago
I’m in a tourist town, and public bathrooms are a real problem—or rather, a lack of them. The only public bathrooms I knew of right in town near the store where I work shut down after covid, and the coffee shops & restaurants stopped allowing walk-in users in theirs. For a good while there was absolutely nowhere in town we could send customers (except the big stores 5-10 min. drive away), & we absolutely lost customers because of it (“I can’t enjoy shopping like that; I might as well go back to the hotel”). Now there’s one across the street and past the park, but it’s still a good ways for older folks and little ones…
The town is starting to talk about building some new public bathrooms, but it’s some overly complicated, very expensive plan that (I predict) will take ages to actually produce anything useful.