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This app lets restaurants and coffee shops charge to use the bathroom

⁨115⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨alyaza@beehaw.org⁩ to ⁨technology@beehaw.org⁩

https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/05/this-app-lets-cafes-and-coffee-shops-charge-to-use-the-bathroom/

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Comments

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  • farcaster@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    This is going to be an effective way to tank the Google/Yelp review score of your restaurant. And pay toilets are also stupid in Europe, I say that as a European.

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    • MudMan@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Where is this mystical European place where people charge for toilets? I swear, I hear this all the time when it comes to US vs EU differences and I don't know what they mean.

      I mean, I know places that have toilets just for customers, so you need to ask for a key or a code to use it when you're there, I know of a couple of cities that charge a nominal fee, like a quarter for outdoor latrines for some reason, and I know of one specific train station that licensed toilets out to a private company and they tried to charge for them, which is very shitty and everybody hated it.

      The idea of restaurants charging extra to pee is not a thing in the European places where I've been/lived.

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      • Maestro@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        There are plenty of public toilets that charge a small fee. Train stations and airports for example. Also at gas stations it's pretty common. But I have never seen it at a restaurant or bar. Maybe sometimes there's a sign that says it's 50 cents for non-customers or something. But never fir customers.

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      • jarfil@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Keep in mind things have changed over the decades, with a general push towards a public health code for establishmends of “free bathrooms, free tap water”.

        Historically, Germany used to be famous for having only a few stops along the highway, with toilets you had to pay for. Tourist traps along France, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, used to let restaurants and bars to charge for bathroom use, patron or no patron. Gas stops varied wildly, from free bathrooms, to “hole in the ground” ones, to “ask the manager for a key” ones. Rest areas along highways tended to have just a free “hole in the ground” type toilet, and it was up to you to avoid touching anything, then wiping off your shoes .

        As for public bathrooms (outside an establishment), it still varies from place to place. Public events are required to put a number of free porta-potties, tourist traps may want to either finance installations with a fee, or reduce the number of free-standing turds in the bushes.

        Still, over time the general move has been from “pee posts” for sailors to freely urinate onto, or people going down some stairs to sea/river level and taking a dump right there, to having public bathrooms with a “donation” policy, to public bathrooms with free piss walls/areas and a self-cleaning booth for a nominal fee.

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      • mrGarbanzo@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I’ve used one in paris. Had to put .50 euro in the coin slot on the door in order to get in and stand over a hole in the floor.

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      • saze@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        All over the place in Europia. From train station to public parks, in multiple countries, it is somewhat common for a turnstile with a coin slot for a small charge. Doesn’t bother me if it allows for cleaner, safer facilities and keeps the riff raff out.

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      • Sina@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Where is this mystical European place where people charge for toilets?

        Some malls have actually clean toilets, those…

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      • Shadow@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I ran into it in a mall in London, was pretty surprised.

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      • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I see it occasionally in Finland. Saw it a lot in Estonia. Saw a few in Sweden.

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    • HeavyRaptor@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      We still have the ‘Old lady sitting in front of the toilet building’. It’s less common these days but there are still some of these around in eastern Europe. She keeps the facilities clean(er) and takes money from entrants. They usually have a little stand or something.

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    • DrownedAxolotl@feddit.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Tbh, I haven’t even seen many pay toilets in Europe. I only saw them in Hungary.

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  • mp3@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Do you want piss everywhere? Because that’s how you end up with piss everywhere.

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    • pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Yup, I’ll gladly piss on the smart lock that controls this bullshit. I almost pissed in a trashcan in high school in front of the whole class when a teacher wouldn’t let me go to the bathroom.

      I almost had my penis out before the teacher realized I wasn’t bluffing.

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      • scytale@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I remember in grade school, my school constructed restrooms in every classroom so students won’t need to leave class. The problem was they were literally just a small concrete cubicle and the walls didn’t even go up to the ceiling. That was when I learned pissing straight into the water wasn’t a good idea. I went out to the entire class staring at me.

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    • Rentlar@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Shoutout to our resident Tim Horton’s Shit Flinger.

      There will be more of that if this shitty app proliferates.

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      • jarfil@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        New kid’s tale: “Horton hears a Shiiii…!”

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  • rothaine@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    …wikipedia.org/…/Committee_to_End_Pay_Toilets_in_…

    We call upon you once again

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    • derbis@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Haha amazing logo

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  • kbal@fedia.io ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    bans on pay toilets dating back to the 1970s

    It's like my grandpa always said, the problem with pay toilets was that without a way for a VC-funded startup to monopolize the market and take a cut of every transaction they just didn't feel sleazy enough.

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  • Pratai@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Will there be a list of what restaraunts use this so I can avoid them?

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  • LainOfTheWired@lemy.lol ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Just why.

    Seriously why does it seem over the last 15 years public toilets are becoming rarer it’s a mystery to me. Like the world population is growing a lot and we pay more taxes then ever, but it’s harder to relieve yourself in public then ever.

    And now businesses are trying to monetize the few toilets in public we still have.

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    • BautAufWasEuchAufbaut@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Innovative disruptions in previously non-monetized parts of life are the life fuel of our economy.
      Really excited how to see how this will innovate human interaction in the years to come!
      /hj

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    • ericjmorey@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      These are conserted efforts to reduce the presence of “undesirables”, also known as homeless or unhoused, in the areas without public bathrooms.

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      • floofloof@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Well the problem with public facilities is it allows people who are not rich enough to take a piss to take a piss, and it deprives shareholders of profits.

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    • hitmyspot@aussie.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      As rents go up, businesses want to maximize their return on space. So some businesses get rid of toilets, meaning the ones that keep them pay to have toilets available for people that aren’t their customers, making them consider closing them, creating a vicious cycle.

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  • alyaza@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    we live in hell

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    • alyaza@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      shoutout to harkening to Airbnb btw:

      “Homelessness is a growing problem, and some providers worry that a homeless person may destroy or soil the bathroom,” she said. “Flush provides a way to access and provide access to a clean, reliable bathroom … Airbnb was so successful because it provides something we all need — a roof over our heads — and Flush is doing the same for bathrooms.”

      yeah man, Airbnb really solved homelessness and the “having a roof over your head” problem huh

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      • pokemaster787@ani.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        The not-so-quiet part here is “Homeless or poor people don’t deserve to have their basic need of a toilet met”

        They call it a “need” but proudly talk about how they’re taking it away from the less fortunate.

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      • Rentlar@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        Airbnb was so successful because it provides restricts behind exorbitant price-gouging for something we all need — a roof over our heads — and Flush is doing the same for bathrooms.

        Fixed the quote for them.

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      • rar@discuss.online ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        The fresh smell of MBA graduates.

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    • helenslunch@feddit.nl ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      They’ve been doing this is Europe for decades

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      • alyaza@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        yeah and that sounds fucking awful, restrooms which are accessible to everyone should be a bare minimum aspect of all public spaces and all businesses

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  • SuperSpaceFan@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    If I read that article correctly, that was up to $10 to book use of the nearest bathroom?? I’m sorry, when nature calls, I can’t see people trying to reserve a time slot, like you would a hair salon.

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    • scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Ah perfect, my 2’oclock shit is coming up in a few minutes. I should go find something to read while I’m waiting

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      • SuperSpaceFan@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        LoL 🔥

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    • jeremias@social.jears.at ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      It’s perfect for Sheldon Cooper!

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  • vanderbilt@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Fam if I walk into a cafe and I’m about to order and there is a bathroom that costs money I am going to leave. I get why they are doing this (hint it isn’t just the money), but I’ll be fucked if I’m going to tip them and pay to take a piss too.

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  • Thalestr@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Cool. I’ll just piss along the exterior wall of your building then or on the fence at the back of your parking lot.

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  • Powderhorn@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Coffee shops would do well to charge less than the cheapest item on the menu.

    And building new entrances exclusively for washrooms? Now you have fresh capex.

    All apps like this point to is the lack of public infrastructure, which always has the excuse of “people will fuck it up.” Wonder if that’s a structural societal problem instead of individuals. (/s)

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    • RadioRat@beehaw.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Ah yes, the classic “paying nothing to sustain and support a service, then declaring it hopeless because ‘the poors fucked it up’.”

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  • match@pawb.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    We need to do more crime.

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