McDonald's: You must make a purchase first before using the restroom

I know that when we went to Copenhagen you had to get a chip for the toilet in McDonalds when you bought your food

That stinks! I know when I stop at fast food and need to use the restroom before eating that I always feel like I'm stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. LoL That would have really made me mad though what happened to you. Number 1 - it's embarrassing. Number 2 - what are you gonna do with your food if you're alone while you are in the bathroom?... leave it sitting on a table? Stupid rules!!!

Oh this is interesting and kinda irritating as well. But in our place one could use McDonald's bathroom whenever they have to with or without buying anything from them. Actually all fastfoods here in our country are like that, but sometime, you time will come when you'd feel a bit embarrassment if you just take advantage of their services such as the comfort rooms without availing any of their products. Good thing the service crew here in our area would still gladly point the restroom for you if you asked them. :)

I think it is just they have been letting people to use the restroom without restriction long enough that we got the impression that is the way it should be. But instead, in my places, many local restaurants do not allow outsiders to use their restroom (no matter they are high class 5 start restaurants or just fast food restaurants). Of course, I prefer them to open their restroom for free but that's their decision to make then.

Although i personally dislike the fact that restaurants are starting to do this, i do have to give them some credit for doing it. By making you purchase something before being able to use the bbathhroom, their sales will go up, because there are a lot of people out there who just go into places to use the restrooms and nothing else.

I don't know, it does not seem like good customer care to me. I think they might even loose customers like this. If I was them, I would reconsider this practice. It never happened to me though, so I don't know if they also do it at McDonalds in my country...

I haven't been to McDonald's in awhile so I'm not sure, but I don't think they do that here. I remember when public restrooms used to be run by the city and you could find them easily, like you used to be able to find pay phones. Times have changed and the "almighty" dollar rules, it seems.

Herro benhilo I haven't been to McDonald's lately so I don't know what the procedure is here. I would argue the point that I buy my food first, then take my food into the restroom. Not even. It sounds that they are trying to make more sales. I will have to check my McDonald's and see what their procedure is. Prosperous mylotting

I think it's depend on the location, most McDonald here in my local area allows everyone to use the restroom. I have tried it for so many time;)

hi there. wow, that is a bummer. well, i guess they have the right to control the people who utilize their facilities. let's face it, they spend for maintenance of the restrooms, and if they just open them to the public, that's gonna be a downside for them. also, the facilities are for the customers to use. there were instances when i had to badly use a restroom. i would tug my friend with me to a fast food chain and let ask her to order anything so that i can use the restroom. this is honest. ;-) probably the only restrooms that i feel comfy using for free are the ones at the malls.

Some restaurants like MacDonald and Tim Hortons locked their bathrooms so that you had to ask permission to use their washrooms. But lately I see that locally at least they have opened them up again. I think they had too many complaints. Sometimes it's hard to find a washroom. Where are you supposed to go?

In my country we have to insert a coin if we want to use the restroom at McDonald's. Anyone can use the restroom if you are willing to pay about 30 cents, it doesn't matter if you buy anything or not. Some time ago I visited Finland and I went to a big mall in Helsinki. My clothes were soaking wet and I wanted to change my clothes in the restroom, but I couldn't open the door. I asked one of the shop assistents how to open the door and she told me that I needed a special token. "And where do I get that token?" I asked "You have to buy something to get it" the shop assistent answered. I ended up buying some things that I didn't really need just to get the token. I don't like the way that they force you to buy something in order to use the restroom. I was planning on spending money anyway, but I wanted change my clothes before I started looking for presents etc.

Its justifiable if there are lots of people in there that only consider mcdonald's as their restroom. If not then I don't think they should do that. I think they are earning more and what's with their restroom? Is it super luxurious that the maintenance cost is really high? What if some customers will really buy something but needs to use the restroom ASAP? They will lose customer by doing that.

Hm, that's weird that they actually stopped you. That's awkward. I've heard that that's policies with a lot of food places, but I've never heard of someone actually enforcing it. I guess that place much have a problem with that? I mean, if the bathroom is at an area where they can't get to you before you go in...What do they do? Try to stop you while you're peeing? Haha, geeze. I mean, I understand the policies, but at the same time it's a little messed up.

That must be something new that McDonald's is trying to do to make more money. Here in my home town you can still use their restrooms without making a purchase. You could always go to the McDonald's website and make a complaint and see if they are suppose to be doing that. I would.