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Original poster

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

356 replies

Treatedlikeamaid · 20/10/2020 15:23

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!

OP posts:
goisey · 20/10/2020 18:10

I ask if I can catch someone's eye - or just queue up.
I don't think I've ever been made to buy something.
I love Macdonalds - their lips are always accessible and often you can park too.
I always make sure I buy something - but not necessarily at the same time, my bladder isn't very strong due to a difficult pregnancy/birth.
I think I've used the loos in Macdonalds in most continents!
I would be happy to pay, or make a charity donation to use their loos.

Hangingover · 20/10/2020 18:12

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

All the ones near me have this and in my nearest Pret they hustle you out after more than a few minutes even if you have the code (I used the loo and got changed into my gym gear at the same time and they came knocking on the door) but it's because people use them to shoot up which is fair enough.

StarUtopia · 20/10/2020 18:12

I don't get this at all. What does it matter WHO uses the toilet?! It still needs cleaning at the end of the day (and maybe inbetween too checks etc)

I agree with the OP. If you need to go, just go. Next time don't even ask.

pinkksugarmouse · 20/10/2020 18:13

@IcedPurple

What an assumption to think everyone is both able and happy to piss outside. It's only irrelevant to you but for a lot of people access to a toilet is a big part of life. When you have health conditions, disabilities being able to use a toilet is a big factor.

But frankly, that's your problem. Private businesses aren't obliged to cater to you. If you need a toilet so desperately, you could always buy a cup of tea for £2. Problem solved.

I am lucky in that's not personally my problem but I am aware that for a lot of people it is. £2 for a cup of tea might not seem a lot to you but imagine that you need to go three or four times an hour. It adds up. Should people just not go out or be willing to spend money to do what you take for granted. Can you afford £8 an hour for two hours out just so you don't poo or wet yourself? Or end up having to empty your stoma in dirty conditions which could land you in hospital. Lucky you because poverty and disability go hand in hand so a lot of people couldn't.

Ignorance is a big factor in disability discrimination. You might feel a bit differently if this was you or someone you cared about. 😔

I have my position clear. So have you. I think we might as well finish here.

QuestionableMouse · 20/10/2020 18:14

@Witchend

You know working somewhere with toilets which are seen to be public it's actually really irritating how entitled people think they are to be able to use them whenever they want.

Due to covid our building is now access only to people who are booked in advance. You'd be amazed at the number of people who will still ring the doorbell and ask to use the toilet and get angry when told we're not open, despite a big sign on the door telling them that.
They always want to "just nip" and "only being a minute".
We're had people try and push past the person at the door, we've had people that refuse to go and stay there keeping on ringing the doorbell.
We let a family one day in June come in because they had a child in tears. Next day we had four families ring the doorbell saying "we were told we could use the toilet if we asked..."

And you know the real irony:
There are genuine public toilets open for all to use around 15m away from our door
But they want to use ours because they're "nicer".

The number of times I've directed someone to those who is apparently "desperate", and they've walked off in the opposite direction. Obviously not that desperate then.

Yep. I've had people lie to my face, shove past me, swear at me and even get violent all because I'm following the policy laid out by head office. I have no say in that, because if I don't follow it correctly I get told off by the managers. I was bitched at recently by a manager for letting a lady with a tiny baby go straight through to the baby change. Both were covered in poo and she didn't have a hand free to scan the code.
Justwingingmotherhood · 20/10/2020 18:15

Their coffee taste like shit anyways hun xx

Pellewsmate · 20/10/2020 18:16

Staggered by the number of people saying just buy something and then use the loo. You obviously have never been desperate. Just use the loo and then buy something. They take so long to serve you in Costa that if they made me wait other customers would need waders.

emilyfrost · 20/10/2020 18:19

@Pellewsmate

Staggered by the number of people saying just buy something and then use the loo. You obviously have never been desperate. Just use the loo and then buy something. They take so long to serve you in Costa that if they made me wait other customers would need waders.
Did you not read the OP? She said it was empty.
pinkksugarmouse · 20/10/2020 18:19

HELPFUL CARDS - bbuk is a good site to use to get a card to show in shops if you have health reasons to need to access a toilet. There are others from Mcmillian Cancer and loads of other charities. They are usually free or just cost a bit for p&p.

lockeddownandcrazy · 20/10/2020 18:20

Use the toilet and buy a coffee, easy. Otherwise they will have to covid sanitise for a non customer

VeryQuaintIrene · 20/10/2020 18:21

I thought that legally in the UK, if someone asks to use your loo you have to let them? Have I been wrong all these years?!

Thelittleweasel · 20/10/2020 18:24

For the future you can get cards on the internet which you show in a cafe for instance that show that "you need to go". You can also get "RADAR" keys which give you access to disabled toilets which are not locked out but may not get cleaned.

You do not have to have any condition to buy them

@Treatedlikeamaid

IcedPurple · 20/10/2020 18:31

£2 for a cup of tea might not seem a lot to you but imagine that you need to go three or four times an hour. It adds up. Should people just not go out or be willing to spend money to do what you take for granted.

But I don't take for granted that I can use a facility in a cafe where I'm not a customer. And while thankfully I don't have a chronic medical condition of this nature, I have in the past had kidney problems which meant I needed to use the bathroom every 10 minutes. I didn't expect various branches of Costa to accommodate me in this.

There is certainly a case for more public toilets, perhaps with a token admission fee. But private businesses aren't obliged to fill that gap.

emilyfrost · 20/10/2020 18:32

@VeryQuaintIrene

I thought that legally in the UK, if someone asks to use your loo you have to let them? Have I been wrong all these years?!
Yes, you’ve been wrong all this time. Why would anyone have to allow access? Confused

And people can buy these “have to go” cards but nowhere is obligated to let you go even with them.

vanillandhoney · 20/10/2020 18:34

@VeryQuaintIrene

I thought that legally in the UK, if someone asks to use your loo you have to let them? Have I been wrong all these years?!
I can't find anything online that says that's the case.

There was a proposed bill to make it law in 2011 but I don't think it went anywhere. Private businesses don't have to allow you in at all, let alone allow you in to use their facilities free of charge.

Choccylips · 20/10/2020 18:34

You should have opened your legs wide and let it go. I remember once at a train station not having the change I jumped over the barriers and went in and no one dared to say boo.

MilerVino · 20/10/2020 18:36

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

My home is not equivalent to Costa though, is it? I'd be pretty bloody annoyed if someone walked into my living room and asked for an Americano, but that is kind of the point of Costa.

The problem is that there are not enough public toilets and that does restrict access for many people. Listen to Professor Clara Greed on this

Eckhart · 20/10/2020 18:37

There is certainly a case for more public toilets, perhaps with a token admission fee. But private businesses aren't obliged to fill that gap

This. For those saying that Costa should let people in 'for an emergency', I'n curious to know how people would cope if the Costa was closed for refurbishment or something.

Sweettruelies · 20/10/2020 18:37

Perhaps if you’d gone to your local independent cafe instead of spending 1000s at Costa you might have had a different experience....

Sweettruelies · 20/10/2020 18:37

And their coffee is rank

RegularHumanBartender · 20/10/2020 18:38

Wow. 8 pages of people blathering on about entitlement and keypads and buying biscuits 🤔

OP, walk in, use the loo, walk out. What are they going to do? Fuck all.

PhilSwagielka · 20/10/2020 18:38

@Pellewsmate

Staggered by the number of people saying just buy something and then use the loo. You obviously have never been desperate. Just use the loo and then buy something. They take so long to serve you in Costa that if they made me wait other customers would need waders.
I have.
Maryann1975 · 20/10/2020 18:39

I always use the loo first before ordering a coffee. Because the alternative would be that I juggle taking my coffee into the loo with me, or else leave my coffee unattended on an empty table where it may get cleared away or something
I was thinking this, all the people suggesting buying something first then using the loo, where are they putting their coffee while they are in the toilet? The loo in our local costa isn’t generally known for being clean enough for me to want to put my cup down anywhere.

I’d definitely go for the loo first, then buy whatever I was buying.

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 20/10/2020 18:40

Can’t find a current petition, could someone lazier than me have a look/start one?

We can harness the great power on MN!

ImEatingVeryHealthilyOhYes · 20/10/2020 18:40

Less lazy! You’d be hard pressed to be lazier Grin