"I'm never shopping THERE again!" Share your story!

[ladyknight1]

In my area, retail stores are required to have a publicly accessible bathroom and the person can't be required to make a purchase.

[Shoo]

I have IBS, and any store or restaurant that refuses to let me use their bathroom, even if I've bought something, will lose my business forever.

Why does your chronic disease trump corporate or store policies?

I'll answer this. It's my policy not to have accidents in my pants while out in public. There have been many, many times where, if a store refused to let me use their bathroom, they would force me to violate my policy. And yes, complying with a store policy is quite a bit lower on my list of priorities than complying with MY policy. For that matter, a store that would tell a customer (or potential customer) 'We'd rather have you have an accident than let you use our loo', is not a store that I'd like to give my hard-earned money to.

From the POV of a both a once retail manager and a sufferer of IBS...I am not losing my job because of your chronic illness but I will tell you where the closest public restroom is and hope you make it. The staff restroom is in the back where my employees keep their personal belonging and we keep inventory. Further, I am not taking staff off the floor to stand back there while you do your thing then have that staff check the restroom to make sure nothing is missing.

That being said, if it was simply a "you have to be a customer" policy, I'd easily violate it so you could use the restroom.

No one has said they expect the retailer to break their policy, only that they reserve the right to not give them their business if their policy won't allow them to use their restroom.

[Shalamar]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

[PeterM]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

For small stores, sure. Or even larger stores in a mall or other area with public restrooms, though in those cases I'd expect the employees to point the customer towards the public facilities.

[Wulfie]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

Yes it can. Some business centers do not have bathrooms at all. It stinks for employees who have to figure out somewhere else to go if nature calls especially if it is a small store and you are the only employee. I have watched the store for the owner of a bookstore we go to a lot so she can run across the parking lot to the fast food joint to use theirs.

[VorFemme]

I stopped by a fabric (chain) store yesterday - needing to use the bathroom before I started shopping.....the only thing working was the sink....I felt sorry for the employees - but headed out to find a working bathroom elsewhere....

It wasn't that I didn't want to shop - it was that I had about five minutes to spare before embarrassing myself - I did pick up a small roll of ribbon (went by the display on the way from the bathroom at the back to the cash register/exit at the front). 

But leisurely shopping....was not happening.

[Mental Magpie]

I have IBS, and any store or restaurant that refuses to let me use their bathroom, even if I've bought something, will lose my business forever.

Why does your chronic disease trump corporate or store policies?

I'll answer this. It's my policy not to have accidents in my pants while out in public. There have been many, many times where, if a store refused to let me use their bathroom, they would force me to violate my policy. And yes, complying with a store policy is quite a bit lower on my list of priorities than complying with MY policy. For that matter, a store that would tell a customer (or potential customer) 'We'd rather have you have an accident than let you use our loo', is not a store that I'd like to give my hard-earned money to.

From the POV of a both a once retail manager and a sufferer of IBS...I am not losing my job because of your chronic illness but I will tell you where the closest public restroom is and hope you make it. The staff restroom is in the back where my employees keep their personal belonging and we keep inventory. Further, I am not taking staff off the floor to stand back there while you do your thing then have that staff check the restroom to make sure nothing is missing.

That being said, if it was simply a "you have to be a customer" policy, I'd easily violate it so you could use the restroom.

No one has said they expect the retailer to break their policy, only that they reserve the right to not give them their business if their policy won't allow them to use their restroom.

I understand that and think it is absolutely your right to choose to not patronize the store.  All I was pointing out was my POV from the retail side of things.

[Xandraea]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

I worked in a small store in a dying mall that did not have an in-store restroom.  We had at tiny storage area and that was it.  I often worked open-to-close shifts and if I needed to go I had to put the gate down with a sign on it saying "Back in 10" and walk down the mall into one of those deserted-feeling hallways to use the mall's restroom.

[Reika]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

I worked in a small store in a dying mall that did not have an in-store restroom.  We had at tiny storage area and that was it.  I often worked open-to-close shifts and if I needed to go I had to put the gate down with a sign on it saying "Back in 10" and walk down the mall into one of those deserted-feeling hallways to use the mall's restroom.

Yepyep, I worked in a little closet of a store in a mall and had the same thing. Most of the stores, even the big ones, didn't have any bathrooms, not even for the employees. So running to the bathroom was never a simple thing.

[LadyClaire]

One thing that always puzzles me about the "you can't use our bathroom" policy is when the store says "We don't have a bathroom."  Not "We don't have a bathroom for customers", but a lack of bathroom, period.  That can't be right, can it?

The store manager I worked for many years ago told us to tell customers we didn't have a bathroom. We did have a bathroom, but saying "we don't have one" tended to stop people from arguing that they should've been allowed to use it.

[Jocelyn]

From the POV of a both a once retail manager and a sufferer of IBS...I am not losing my job because of your chronic illness but I will tell you where the closest public restroom is and hope you make it. 

That wouldn't change my resolve not to patronize your store. And yes, I've worked retail, and was told to tell customers that. But I knew, whenever I did, that we DID let customers use the staff bathroom from time to time. 
 

[Mental Magpie]

From the POV of a both a once retail manager and a sufferer of IBS...I am not losing my job because of your chronic illness but I will tell you where the closest public restroom is and hope you make it. 

That wouldn't change my resolve not to patronize your store. And yes, I've worked retail, and was told to tell customers that. But I knew, whenever I did, that we DID let customers use the staff bathroom from time to time.

Which is absolutely fine.  I'm just saying it won't change my resolve to not let you use my bathroom.  We NEVER let customers do it in my store.  Some people are willing to break some rules for some circumstances, others aren't.  It doesn't mean we're callous and unsympathetic, though.

[Elfmama]

Let's not get so heated about the bathroom thing that this thread gets locked, OK?

[kherbert05]

Grammarnerd I have two similar stories

1. We were in a local chain TexMex place. Big family meal. I complain my coke tastes funny. I'm ignored. I keep complaining. Finally my Mimmi takes a sip - about the same time the guy at the next table complains his rum and coke has no kick. Mr. Sam (the waiter) and Mary Neil (the owner) apologize figure out the Bartenders were making the drinks for both tables and there was a mix up. They changed policies so that all "plain" sodas and virgin drinks had white napkins and all mixed drinks with soda or could be mistaken for a "kids drink" had red napkins. (Mary Neil told Dad -they were did business together)

2. National chain franchise. I think I was underaged again (I've been legal 3 times due to changing laws). But my cousins were in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. We ordered Virgin Daiquiris. I run to the restroom come out the drinks and appetizer is on the table. The kids whisper they made a mistake these taste like Daddy's and Mommy's not ours.  The waitress  bartender, and Manager refuse to fix the problem. Our drinks are fine - until some collage girls complain about getting our virgin drinks. Then they remade their drinks. I paid for the served food but only the price of our virgin drinks, (wasn't trusting them not to tamper with our food) left - and called Dad and asked how to report them to the TABC. Dad called the agent in charge of the Galleria area - that place was under a microscope till they got busted serving underaged patrons. (Just hope they weren't 7 and 10 like my cousins). Never went back - they closed but so did a bunch of restaurants around there.

[JolieFille]

If I could not use FedEx ever again I wouldn't.  ;

On Wednesday I had a very expensive package out for delivery. An Alienware computer. I waited. The guy shows up and starts digging about in his truck. Finally he looks at me, shrugs, and says he can't find it he'll be back later.

What?! Long conversation with customer support later and he shows back up in 20 minutes. He was pissed, and I could hear his supervisor on the phone and he didn't sound happy. I don't know what the issue was, I mean my box was only 20lbs and they load their truck in delivery order for the most part. I had no guarantee that he'd be back. He was even ruder when he took my ID # and saw that I'm pretty young and I could detect a bit of 'how can she afford this!?' attitude from him.