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In Italy they have a MacDonald's on the street going to the Vatican. You should have seen all the Americans making a beeline to it. Not only food we are accustomed to but FREE RESTROOMS. Long line of course, but free. One could not tell if people were buying food or just using the restroom---too many people.
Lots of people in there, not just Americans. Order food at the kiosk, pick food up at the counter. Try to find a seat, good luck.
Well, San Fran is sort of heading in the right direction by putting in more public bathrooms. One thing for sure, if and when I'm ever going up to the city (San Fran) I make sure I've already have gone to the bathroom or plan on going directly to a destination that has a bathroom I can use. I can't count how many times I've driven up there over the past 20+ years and have to use the can so bad but can't find a restroom. So to the people living on the streets up there, it's got to be terrible having to go but not being able to find a legit restroom to use. And that's primarily the issue with Starbucks and their restrooms. There's virtually a Starbucks with a bathroom on nearly every other block up there and it's hard for someone that needs to go and knowing there's one there, not to be able to use it. To put it into perspective, I know of about 5 McDonald locations throughout San Francisco. But I also know about 20 Starbuck's locations throughout San Francisco. At one time, McDonalds had the most locations of any chain restaurant. Starbucks holds that title now, ten fold too.
Well then if MacDonald's can do it, Starbucks can do it.
We took the quick tour of San Fran but the tour guide told us where the toilet----she was from England---was at our stops. We didn't need to worry about that.
Starbucks created their own problem by letting their stores be a meeting place for people who wanted to stay and do work on their laptops. MacDonald's never created that atmosphere. They have playgrounds for kids---impossible to get work done and kids tire out soon and want to leave.
Well, San Fran is sort of heading in the right direction by putting in more public bathrooms. One thing for sure, if and when I'm ever going up to the city (San Fran) I make sure I've already have gone to the bathroom or plan on going directly to a destination that has a bathroom I can use. I can't count how many times I've driven up there over the past 20+ years and have to use the can so bad but can't find a restroom. So to the people living on the streets up there, it's got to be terrible having to go but not being able to find a legit restroom to use. And that's primarily the issue with Starbucks and their restrooms. There's virtually a Starbucks with a bathroom on nearly every other block up there and it's hard for someone that needs to go and knowing there's one there, not to be able to use it. To put it into perspective, I know of about 5 McDonald locations throughout San Francisco. But I also know about 20 Starbuck's locations throughout San Francisco. At one time, McDonalds had the most locations of any chain restaurant. Starbucks holds that title now, ten fold too.
Agreed. Very few people *want* to resort to defecating on the sidewalk, but it sure beats soiling themselves.
Well then if MacDonald's can do it, Starbucks can do it.
We took the quick tour of San Fran but the tour guide told us where the toilet----she was from England---was at our stops. We didn't need to worry about that.
Starbucks created their own problem by letting their stores be a meeting place for people who wanted to stay and do work on their laptops. MacDonald's never created that atmosphere. They have playgrounds for kids---impossible to get work done and kids tire out soon and want to leave.
In McDonalds throughout the San Fran Bay Area, they are just like Starbucks in the sense that they offer free wifi and in turn there are lots of people just hanging out for hours with laptops and such all the time.
I tried to study once in Starbucks like the gazillian other people do. I couldn't do it, too much noise, store music and activities going on around me.
It's the caffeine in the coffee----addicting. Yesterday I saw cars wrapped around Starbucks and it was 3 in the afternoon. People had to get their caffeine to stay awake for the afternoon work they had to do.
It was Frappy hour. The drinks are cheaper from 2-5 some days. They were drinking smart.
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In McDonalds throughout the San Fran Bay Area, they are just like Starbucks in the sense that they offer free wifi and in turn there are lots of people just hanging out for hours with laptops and such all the time.
I tried to study once in Starbucks like the gazillian other people do. I couldn't do it, too much noise, store music and activities going on around me.
When I was in Italy one could not even sit in a chair on the sidewalk cafes. You had to order something first or move along. The toilets---as they call them---were paid ones under the streets. No money? Too bad. You could not go into the restaurants if you were just going to use the facilities. One time we just bought an ice cream cone to use the toilet. The owner yelled at us when we were making a beeline to the toilet. We said---"we are gong to buy something."
We were in a tour group. We had to lean on buildings or sit on the ground and we aren't spring chickens either. I didn't see anyone protesting. Americans are spoiled. Go to Europe to learn real life.
Paid toilets would be a step up from having nothing at all, which is the issue with San Francisco.
A euro to use a dedicated public toilet is a lot cheaper than $2.95 (before tax) to buy a bottle of water at a coffee shop, which is usually the absolute cheapest thing available.
Plus, if they went near a public toilet, there would be passersby who would gladly insert a dollar into the public toilet for them, even if they'd normally not want to give cash to the homeless under normal circumstances.
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