4 ms·

The cities pay 50-150€/mo to the owners [1]. I wouldn't participate if I would own a bar/restaurant. Slightly OT: A shopping mall in germany, where paying for

The cities pay 50-150€/mo to the owners [1]. I wouldn't participate if I would own a bar/restaurant. Slightly OT: A shopping mall in germany, where paying for the use of the toilet is voluntary (50Ct / use) makes on avg. ~300€/day, during christmas season up to 8000€/day [2]. If I would own a venue at a highly frequented place I'd rather request 50Ct from the user. ;) [1] https://www.welt.de/regionales/koeln/article13794805/Nette-Toilette-steht-vor-einem-Comeback.html https://www.welt.de/regionales/koeln/article13794805/Nette-T... (german) [2] http://waz.m.derwesten.de/dw/staedte/oberhausen/gladbecker-firma-kassierte-trinkgeld-von-klofrau-id8899268.html?service=mobile http://waz.m.derwesten.de/dw/staedte/oberhausen/gladbecker-f... (german)

matt_wulfeck 10y ago
In this case your neighbor participating in the program puts you out of (the toilet) business!
- easychris 10y ago
  I think the toilet business is only a good one on a large scale anyway: mostly due to fixed costs for paying the cleaning staff no matter if you operate a restroom with 1 or 20 seats. BTW: I'm not sure about the neighbor. As I would only ask for a voluntary 50 Ct. there's no reason to prefer the other guys toilet. I assume my toilet would be preferred because it's cleaner (cause I'd pay more to my cleaning staff).
  - merb 10y ago
    > (cause I'd pay more to my cleaning staff). cleaning staff never gets a lot of money and if you need 50 ct to use your toilet it will probably not be the preferred one because people who pay direct money mostly think they can do whatever they want (they paid for it) so every use is more problematic than somebody who can use the toilet for free (exceptions confirm the rule).
- y4mi 10y ago
  depends. the 50c toilets are often significantly cleaner with automated washing between uses and similar stuff.
- zo1 10y ago
  Except the neighbour has higher costs having to deal with cleaning the toilets that's not being offset by increased profits. TINSTAAFL or TINSTAAFT in this case.
weinzierl 10y ago
This assumes that 1. Participating in the program will cause you additional costs 2. Participating will decrease the voluntary payments I have no data to back this up but my gut feeling is that neither is true. People will prefer toilets in restaurants anyway and at least the locals are used to favour them over public toilets. My thesis is that putting up the "Nette Toilette" sticker will not draw more "customers". When it comes to the voluntary payment: It's considered tipping money for the cleaning staff, so people will probably tip the same. And even if they did not it shouldn't make a difference for you as a restaurant owner, because it's not your money anyway. At least in theory...
- easychris 10y ago
  Yes, you're right, I too think people would "tip" anyway. I just assumed that if you're participating in the program the cities may kind of forbid to ask for money.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- SyneRyder 10y ago
  Newbie question: is it really voluntary? When I was in Germany last year I used the toilets at a bar where I was a customer, and not understanding the etiquette/signs, I walked out without paying. But the "creepy guy sitting alone at a table right outside the toilets" started yelling at me loudly about Geld... at which point I understood he was the cleaner and tipped 2 Euro. (I'm approaching this as an Australian, where public toilets and toilets in shopping malls / department stores are always free. But I don't mind a user-pays system.)
  - mioelnir 10y ago
    Most places where you have to pay, you usually have to pay up front. The yelling guy might just have called you names for being cheap, I certainly wouldn't expect toilets at a bar to have a mandatory fee. Another scheme is usually found at Autobahn rest stops, where you actually have to pay for toilets, but get a voucher over the full amount that you can then use in their shops.

matt_wulfeck 10y ago

In this case your neighbor participating in the program puts you out of (the toilet) business!

easychris 10y ago
I think the toilet business is only a good one on a large scale anyway: mostly due to fixed costs for paying the cleaning staff no matter if you operate a restroom with 1 or 20 seats. BTW: I'm not sure about the neighbor. As I would only ask for a voluntary 50 Ct. there's no reason to prefer the other guys toilet. I assume my toilet would be preferred because it's cleaner (cause I'd pay more to my cleaning staff).
- merb 10y ago
  > (cause I'd pay more to my cleaning staff). cleaning staff never gets a lot of money and if you need 50 ct to use your toilet it will probably not be the preferred one because people who pay direct money mostly think they can do whatever they want (they paid for it) so every use is more problematic than somebody who can use the toilet for free (exceptions confirm the rule).
y4mi 10y ago
depends. the 50c toilets are often significantly cleaner with automated washing between uses and similar stuff.
zo1 10y ago
Except the neighbour has higher costs having to deal with cleaning the toilets that's not being offset by increased profits. TINSTAAFL or TINSTAAFT in this case.

weinzierl 10y ago

This assumes that 1. Participating in the program will cause you additional costs 2. Participating will decrease the voluntary payments I have no data to back this up but my gut feeling is that neither is true. People will prefer toilets in restaurants anyway and at least the locals are used to favour them over public toilets. My thesis is that putting up the "Nette Toilette" sticker will not draw more "customers". When it comes to the voluntary payment: It's considered tipping money for the cleaning staff, so people will probably tip the same. And even if they did not it shouldn't make a difference for you as a restaurant owner, because it's not your money anyway. At least in theory...

easychris 10y ago
Yes, you're right, I too think people would "tip" anyway. I just assumed that if you're participating in the program the cities may kind of forbid to ask for money.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
SyneRyder 10y ago
Newbie question: is it really voluntary? When I was in Germany last year I used the toilets at a bar where I was a customer, and not understanding the etiquette/signs, I walked out without paying. But the "creepy guy sitting alone at a table right outside the toilets" started yelling at me loudly about Geld... at which point I understood he was the cleaner and tipped 2 Euro. (I'm approaching this as an Australian, where public toilets and toilets in shopping malls / department stores are always free. But I don't mind a user-pays system.)
- mioelnir 10y ago
  Most places where you have to pay, you usually have to pay up front. The yelling guy might just have called you names for being cheap, I certainly wouldn't expect toilets at a bar to have a mandatory fee. Another scheme is usually found at Autobahn rest stops, where you actually have to pay for toilets, but get a voucher over the full amount that you can then use in their shops.