I have found myself, at one time or another, in the situation wherein it was necessary to use the restroom in some sort of eating or drinking place, not because I was hungry or thirsty, but rather only because, I had to GO.  When nature calls, I am happy to find the closest coffee shop or fast food chain or, when really necessary, a full-service restaurant.
Since most of these establishments hang a sign on their restroom door stating that the bathroom is for Customers Only, despite the fact that I am not at all hungry or thirsty, I must become a customer.  Over the years, I have ordered LOTS of food and/or drinks I didn’t really want and certainly didn’t need.  In addition, WHAT I order and WHEN I order it, varies, depending upon how badly I need to GO.
If my urge to GO is not uncomfortable, then I am much more willing to pop-into a counter service restaurant, wait my turn in line and then place my order for a simple beverage of sorts, like a coffee or bottled water or soft drink.  It is only after I have paid for my drink, proving without a doubt that I am, indeed, a customer of the establishment, that I use the restroom.
If my urge to GO is dire, then things change… I will seek out the restrooms first, trying desperately to make eye contact with the ‘teenager’ behind the counter, so that I can flash my best “I am using the bathroom first BUT I will return to place and pay for an order” stare.
The ‘teenager’ behind the counter really doesn’t care if I actually ever place an order, but I am a rule follower and it is important to me to “subliminally” let them know this.  And to further emphasize what a good customer I can be, when I am finished in the restroom, I often order not only a drink, but also some sort of food item.
The greatest challenge in GOing is when I am forced to use the restroom in a full-service restaurant.  If I really can’t or don’t want to eat anything, then I head to the bar and casually, yet efficiently, take a seat.  Taking a seat at a bar is one thing, but you don’t actually become a customer until you place an order and so I do my best to look like I know exactly what it is that I want so that the bartender comes over quickly. I feel silly going to a bar to order just a soda or a glass of water, so I typically order a beer.  I actually like wine better, but the beer is usually less expensive and less of a hassle, allowing me to politely excuse myself from my stool in search of the restrooms, quicker.
Sometimes I think that in restaurants or food places, it would be nice to have the option to just pay to use the toilet.  But then again, if you are a restaurant and you charge customers to use your bathroom, then you would become the “Restaurant that charges people to GO” and you would have NO business.  So this begs the question, in a restaurant, is the bathroom a service to those who are eating and drinking, or is the food and drink a service to those who simply, just have to GO?
Charge! Charge!

Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!


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