She just wanted to go to the bathroom.

As someone else stated, I wish I knew what the name of the restaurant was. If their restrooms are for customers only, that needs to be stated in an obvious place so everyone knows. Maybe next time she should look for a gas station with public restrooms.

OMG that is crazy. First of all to charge to use the bathroom. Give me a break. I wish the article had stated the name of the restaurant. I bet alot of people would stop going there. Like the lady said when you have to go you have to go. I also totally disagree with what the sheriff did in running her plates for the owner. That is just wrong especially for five bucks. What is going on in this world. Its all falling apart before our eyes.

Well, there are two sides to every story. I think the sheriff violited his power by running the license plate of this lady's car. This is shocking and he should be punished for doing that. I read the article, thanks for the link. The manager said in an interview that the lady came in, studied the menue, said she would just wash her hands. Apparently she stayed in the bathroom which has a sign that it is for customers only for a long time and when she emerged she just left. This pretending annoyed the restaurant manager. In the interview it was also mentioned that the restaurant only recently posted the sign that there would be a $ 5.00 charge for non customers after the toilet in a convenience store across the street broke and was not fixed. All of a sudden 12 to 15 people a day came across to use the washroom which then could not be kept clean for the customers of the restaurant. I have a solution for this. Lock the washrooms, keep a key at the order desk. If a customer asks for the key, take their order first, then give them the key. If they skip out press charges legally, then the license plates can be checked legally.

This is beyond dumb. To spend the man hours to track down a potential customer for using the bathroom is crazy. Maybe the restaurant manager should place a jar on the counter asking for donations before using the bathroom. All I can do is sit here and scratch my head on this one.

I get that there are some people that take advantage of businesses and abuse privileges, such as using the restroom. If that happens, especially on a regular basis, then I think those individuals should be dealt with accordingly rather than punishing everyone for the actions of a few. I do try to buy things at businesses when I need to stop and use their restroom, but there have been a few times when it was not possible to purchase something at every single stop, such as when we got sick on the way home from vacation, and yet we definitely needed to use the restroom right away or else. At those times, I would think that letting someone use the restroom would be preferable to cleaning up the mess if they were not allowed to go.

$5? That must be some 5-star bathroom. It is sad how business treat non-customers. Don't they hope non-customers become customers some day? Now even customers will think twice or thrice about going to the restaurant, if they knew which it was. Is the local sheriff a shareholder of the restaurant? Or just very helpful?

I just read the article, still i can't imagine how this happened, though they explained both sides, but there is something lacking on statement of each other, there is note in the bathroom that " non customer will pay 5$" but still this situation occur, will in fact this can be solve right away after the lady used the bathroom. Don't tell me that they lady after using the bathroom run through door and gone? I can't say nothing in this story. But this serves as a lesson, we should read careful and understand the notes that being posted on every establishment.

This does sound to be a bit absurb. What would be the point in billing someone to use the bathroom. What kind of customer service is that for a business. Just the word of mouth of this incident would take away from the reputation of this business. Having the sheriff involved just makes a more profound statement.

I have seen and read also many time the way police person behave god knows what they thinks themselves.

What kind of stupid thing was that? Charging people for using a bathroom? Is it now a crime to use a bathroom? And what was the violation?

Is going or using bathroom a violation??How cruel this is.So bad thing.I don't think that is a crime to punish her as sending a bill.How is it possible??Every one will be against of that hotel.As in the above portion, one of the friends said that you should say the name of that hotel.That will give a publicity for that hotel.Thank you..

wow. what will they do next?

Thanks for sharing the link and for opening this discussion. I've read the story and it's disgusting to know that a local restaurant in Tennessee charges $5 for non-customers in using the bathroom. But the worst thing was, her private information was shared with others. I do not like what they did to the woman.

now a days everything has becoming commercial, and nothing can be unexpected if something may happens like that.this is what world is changing in different ways, if it continues for everything, so one day the situation cannot be expected to live.

I believe the woman who used the restroom over the owner. If she had actually been in there "20 minutes" like the owner said - why didn't the owner or another employee knock on the restroom door to see if she was okay? Or to mention others need to use it, too - or tell her on her way out that there is a 5 dollar fee? Nope - instead, the woman probably ran in to make a "pit stop" - owner got mad because no purchase was made - and is trying to justify the license snooping and fee by lying. Many places in my area keep their restrooms locked - and you have to get the key, which is on a long, long stick of a keychain - from an employee. While irritating, it keeps down on people abusing the restrooms, and stealing toilet paper or flooding toilets. It's enough to discourage that behavior. For those who really have to go, they don't mind asking for the key.

well I think it was wrong to send a bill to her if they wished her not to use the restroom then they should have not allowed her to do so I know places say that the restrooms are for customers only and it has to be able to bee seen with out having to look for it