Member-only story
NYC’s Wack Restaurant Bathroom Law
Bathrooms are hard to come by in the Empire State. Clean bathrooms even more so. Clean bathrooms are like unicorns: breathtaking, beautiful and probably a Bed Bath & Beyond display. If do you happen upon a public loo it’s most likely to be devoid of toilet paper, soap and hope. The nicer bathrooms are usually in a hotel or restaurant. But most businesses will only let you use their toilet if you’re a customer, which I understand. I don’t love it but I get it.
However, New York law makes things even more difficult for those of us who have to “go.” In NYC, a restaurant is only legally required to provide a bathroom to its patrons if it has 20 or more seats. If the restaurant only has 19 seats, then they don’t have to provide a bathroom to you!
Imagine you’re sitting down to a lovely meal. You’re eating, you’re drinking, you’re conversating (perhaps not a real word but it should be). You’re laughing and connecting, having a great time. Then you realize you need to use the bathroom, you approach your server,
“Would you be so kind as to direct me to the facilities?”
They say, “I’m sorry, there’s no bathroom for the public.”
“Wait — what? But how can that be? I am a customer, I’m paying for my meal!”
“Yes, I know but we only have 19 seats in this restaurant. The law says we don’t have to have a bathroom for patrons so we don’t. Would you like me to refill your glass?”
“A refill? No, no, I definitely don’t want more to drink!”
“Are you sure you don’t want to watch me slowly pour a long stream of water into your cup?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
End Scene.
If you run a business where you sell items that literally create the need for a bathroom but then you don’t provide your customers with a bathroom, that to me is outrageous. It’s sick. It’s almost sadistic. It’s like that establishment is now playing some kind of crazy mind game with people. “Here drink, drink, drink more — now SUFFER!”
