To be cross at Costa coffee not letting me go to the loo?

[Treatedlikeamaid]

I think of all the money I’ve spent in Costa and just now I nipped into a branch, it was empty. I asked if I could use the loo and the young man serving told me not if I wasn’t going to buy anything. I mean..it was empty! I’ve spent 100s in there over the years. ! I’m a lady of a certain age when we need the loo, we need the loo! I’m irrationally angry and then got all embarrassed and tearful. Not pleasant at all. It wouldn’t have cost Costa anything to show a bit of consideration. Humph!

Totally unreasonable. They are a coffee shop it a public toilet. Who cares how much you've spent over the years.

Not a public toilet that should say

I do this all the time - I never bother asking, just use it. Sometimes buy a coffee, sometimes don't.

Absolutely used to hate this expectations from randoms that our toilets were free for all use😑 It's not a public toilet. We used to be helpful. Stopped after few months.

Interestingly enough, it was always the ones who nipped in just for a toilet that left it in various levels of mess. One smoked crack or smth there based on the smell a customer alerted us to...

And we were an independent, not even a famous chain

No it’s not a public toilet because they’re all bloody shut!

No it wouldn’t have hurt to let you use it.

I remember being out with my son who was about 3 months old and I was still struggling with bladder weakness postpartum, I was nearly in tears trying to find somewhere to let me use the toilet.

They're a cafe, not a public toilet. Why would a random barista care how much you've spent over the years?

If you needed to go then you could have bought something.

Why didn't you just buy something?

I would have used it without asking then bought a drink afterwards.

Just use it. They don't know if you're going to emerge and buy an over-priced coffee or not.

I doubt they'll ask what happened to you in the bog to make you decide against ordering a latte light frappacino mocha.

Just smile and wave.

Standard practice I'm afraid. Just find the cheapest biscuit to buy so you become a customer.

It is a very real inconvenience though that Covid has forced many public toilets to shut. Round about here you used to have the option of the library or the museum. Both currently shut.

It wouldn't have cost him anything to let you use it (though he's probably the one that has to clean the loos) but I voted YABU 'cause at the end of the day, it isn't a public loo.
But had it been me, I'd have let you use it - I'd like to think most decent people would.

Chances are he's been instructed by management to not let anyone use it

Next time just walk in and use it, if you are approached then say yes I am meeting a friend in 10 minutes thanks.
Then when done say thanks, I’ll just wait outside for them as they don’t know the area well.

No it’s not a public toilet but quite rightly it wouldn’t make much difference to them.

Btw if you really needed to, they do small chocs on the till for about £1. Buy one of those then use the loo

Its irritating OP but they're quite within their rights to decide who uses their loo.

Imagine if someone walked through your front door and announ they'd just popped in for a quick wee!

That said I've been very grateful to pubs and restaurants in the past for allowing it.. especially when I was pregnant and definitely when I had desperate small child in tow!

Why didn’t you buy a biscuit or something?

You age and sex are irrelevant. It’s not a public facility, it’s one for customers. And even less relevant is how much you claim to have spent there. You weren’t spending anything on this visit.

They're customer toilets. What would make you think past customers qualify? 😂

Did you expect him to recognise you as some sort of Costa VIPee? When I was pregnant I remember one day really needing to go, I went into the nearest Nero and got myself a drink and cake then used their toilet. I wouldn’t have the front to just walk in and expect to use their toilets.

Could you not afford a coffee?

I never ask. Just walk confidently to the loo. Use it. Come out. Leave. Always worked for me. What they gonna do?

Just buy a biscuit. Then use toilet

Totally unreasonable of them OP. I have a particularly hatred of cafes that use access to toilets as a sort of weapon. Access to a toilet is a medical need, one that is even more pressing if you have a disability or are menstruating.

I particularly hate boys refusing access to women. How dare they.

(same goes for male teachers refusing access to the toilets to teenage girls)

I can never understand the people who think this is ok. Have you never been desperate for the loo? Can you not empathise with people who have to plan everything to the nth degree before they go out?

That said, OP, why did you ask? I just go in and use (or were they locked?) I've never once been challenged.

@flaviaritt

Could you not afford a coffee?

Then she'd need the loo again!

Totally unreasonable of them, but I’d just have bought something, the cheapest thing they had!

Why didn’t you just order a drink or buy a packet of crisp/cookie etc and use the loo

It wouldn't have hurt them to let you use their loo.

My local costa has a key pad on the door to stop people going in to use the loo. You have to ask at the till for the code