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Newyew22 t1_j4noe64 wrote

When I was working in a similarly restroom-less NYC, the best advice I got was to walk into a bar like you belonged there, go straight to the toilet, then walk out. Confidence is key…

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Stampdaddy7 t1_j4nv5wj wrote

Yeah that’s how you gotta do it. Don’t ask, don’t make small talk, just a smile and a nod and walk straight into it. Most people don’t give a shit as long as you aren’t shitting on the walls or shooting up.

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orcawhales t1_j4qfgg2 wrote

it’s kinda funny because you have to analyze the space in a split second. especially in nyc the locations of thr bathroom aren’t always intuitive. once i had to walk through the hot kitchen with active food cooking to go pee

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Stampdaddy7 t1_j4qj6ew wrote

> once i had to walk through the hot kitchen with active food cooking to go pee

Haha I have never taken it that far but that is kinda funny.

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wrenster00 t1_j4nn05t wrote

Grocery stores, Sheetz, Wawa are your best bets. . I work in a van and go all over town for 10 hour shifts. Few options in the fan/downtown unless you grab food somewhere

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bigkshep t1_j4qbvci wrote

Wawa and sheetz have shitty bathrooms. Good for in a pinch, but I drive by them looking for other places.

Hands down, best bathrooms…….Food Lion. They are always in the back. Always cleanish, no one hardly ever goes in them even when I’m sitting there for 15 mins.

Lowes/Home Depot, Publix, gas stations all suck. Barnes and Noble are decent. Target are usually good too. There’s a couple apartment buildings downtown that are unlocked and have clean bathrooms too, but I’m not giving up those secrets.

Source: I work out of a work van doing service calls at peoples houses for the last 15+ years.

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Mikey6304 t1_j4nkdb7 wrote

This is America, there aren't any.

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DustySleeve t1_j4oseqd wrote

opposed to where? they are legally required at public gathering spaces (basically food establishments or anywhere with a water fountain) and voluntarily offered by national retail. its an american stereotype, much easier to find here than europe or south america. here specifically theres construction all over town with portajons.

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fractalflatulence t1_j4qinvw wrote

>much easier to find here than europe

lol not my experience at all and to go even farther private businesses in europe are way more likely to allow non-paying customers to use the restroom for a small fee. usually like 50cent or a euro.

in the states most businesses besides big box stores don't offer public restrooms.

the best tip I can give anyone besides libraries and museums is hotel lobbies. Especially in the city.

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Power_Blaster t1_j4ns49z wrote

Fast food places are good, depending on the location they are cleaned frequently. (Yes, I know the one you go to is bad, I don't need details). Hospitals are by far the best, they have solo locking doors.

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AccidentallyTaschen t1_j4o5ox3 wrote

Forest Hill Park has a bathroom but it’s always in incredibly bad shape and there’s a guy who usually sits on one of the two toilets all day long/seems to also live there

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WhalerBum t1_j4n59uw wrote

henrico parks. Not much to speak of in Richmond.

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Djlewzer t1_j4ntupw wrote

Hate not having restrooms in city parks. Especially ones with playgrounds.

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Stewkirk51 t1_j4o0wrs wrote

Byrd Park has a bathroom. Other than that, Hollywood Cemetery is the only other public bathroom in the city I can think of.

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Djlewzer t1_j4o15sj wrote

Jefferson park does but it has been locked since 2020.

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WhalerBum t1_j4oj5u9 wrote

Didn’t realize they stayed open that long. Chimborazo has been closed for like 20 years.

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-lamppost- t1_j4q23db wrote

Yeah this pisses me off. We need to complain to the city.

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Diet_Coke t1_j4pvjzz wrote

There are portajohns at Huguenot Flatwater

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ImmobilizedbyCheese t1_j4pwxbh wrote

It's an issue because of drug use. That's why the Bryan Park one, for example, has been closed. Now there are portapotties.

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C-C-Top t1_j4mxw61 wrote

most likely reason is they got rid of as many as possible so they could ban homeless people more easily. God forbid you go into a place without buying something, right?

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CopernicusSnail t1_j4od5x1 wrote

CVS, Food Lion, gas station... As a retail worker I can assure you we don't give half a rats ass.

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[deleted] t1_j4oq8fr wrote

Hotels. Sometimes I go in just to look at the design

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Pretty_Raisin_3267 t1_j4qgbzm wrote

hotel lobbies are my go-to. cleaner than fast food. no feeling awkward for not buying anything. no one knows if you're staying there or not.

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SorryDuplex t1_j4o3z2j wrote

If you’re downtown, you can always go to a grocery store like Kroger or Fresh Market. Other than that, you usually need to be a paying customer at a restaurant to use one of their restrooms.

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DeezEyez t1_j4o7qra wrote

Kroger restroom is decent. Publix is better. The Daily has the best restrooms in Carytown.

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Gh0stIcon t1_j4qux58 wrote

If you can find a Chick Fil A, they are almost always good.

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Swrdmn t1_j4ocve7 wrote

You will not be refuse the bathroom in most public places.

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-lamppost- t1_j4q1w02 wrote

It’s a problem. I carry a roll of TP in my car and a small amount in my backpack/bike trunk and have noted where all the park restrooms are. I often come to the city for recreation and don’t want to have to go into a business to pee. I plan many walks and bike rides around where I know the restrooms to be. Not every park has them and some they don’t keep open all the time.

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dont_tread_on_dc t1_j4q6mey wrote

There was a time when there was public restrooms in cities but starting in the 70s these were delegated to the private sector, and eventually the private sector closed these.

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DrP3n0r t1_j4s9zto wrote

Capital One Cafe if you're in Carytown!

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