Families, Seattle Citizens Beware: Uptown Espresso Refuses Restroom to Paying Customers
Somebody check me on this: There's what's known as a bad business plan and then there's what they have going on at Uptown Espresso on Alaskan Way. They have what I think is an abominable, horrific, rude, short-sighted and dang near abusive business plan. Here's how it works: They sell customers an expensive diuretic and then refuse to let them use the restroom. Sound like a money maker?
Locals and visitors who enjoy Seattle's beautiful sculpture park and waterfront walkway need a fair warning: "Stopping In" at Uptown can "Stop You Up." Located beside artist Louise Bourgeois' fountain "Father and Son," the coffee shop has been a place I've enjoyed going with my boys after a day spent in the park. We buy treats for the boys and a much-needed latte for me and sit out at their sidewalk table to enjoy it all. But today they put an end to my business by refusing to allow me to use the restroom despite my status as a customer. The unbelievable exchange went like this:
Me: Hi! Can I get your restroom key?
Barista: I'm sorry, we don't have a restroom.
Me:...I'm sorry, you don't... ...you don't HAVE a restroom?
Barista: No. We don't.
Me (pointing at restroom door): But I've used the restroom here. It's right there.
Barista: Oh, well, see, we just don't allow people to use it.
Me (sounding admittedly slow-witted): You....just don't allow people to use the restroom?
Barista: See, we just have too many people stopping in just to use the bathroom.
Me: Oh, but no, I'm a paying customer!
Barista: Sorry.
Me: What?
Barista (pointing): I'm sorry. There's a bathroom up at the top of the sculpture garden about a block away, up there...
Me: What? You don't let paying customers use the bathroom in here?
Barista: We just can't do that anymore, there's too many people just stopping in to use the bathroom.
Me: But...I'm not...nevermind. Come on boys, I will never spend another dime here.
One customer followed me and my boys out, confused as I was, asking me where she might find the bathroom the barista pointed to. I pointed up the hill, then began the tedious, time-consuming task of reloading babies in jackets, strapping Bjorns, loading pack and stroller when another customer from the line came out and called to me from the open door, in ear shot of everyone: "Hi Miss! If you can wait just half a minute I'll take you upstairs where I have a bathroom." Good citizen though she was, I had already reloaded everyone and couldn't face unloading to climb stairs, find safe side-walk parking for the double stroller, etc. I thanked her and just beat it up the hill.
Some of you may wonder whether my children were the cause of our being refused. Let me put that theory to rest. Because cookies and muffins were at stake, they were angels. The placid baby was gurgling from the Bjorn, and the older ones flanked my sides, quietly kissing my hips every now and again just to keep me properly greased for treat buying. They never spoke a word.
Isn't that something? What would you have done if you were me? Do you even give a dang?
--Sweet B
Rebecca on February 19, 2010 at 11:51 AM
Seriously? That is slightly ridiculous. I did once have a similar thing at a nearby Starbucks-they wouldn't give me the key until I had ordered and paid for my drink, making me leave my hot drink on their counter while I went to the bathroom rendering it cold when I got out! But actually refusing to allow a paid customer to use it? I wonder if there is a law on the books, some sort of regulation regarding providing restroom facilities. Somebody call the inspector!
DrGaellon on February 19, 2010 at 12:05 PM
I'm with you, B. Nary a dime of mine would they receive. And I'd write to the owner and let him/her know. (I'd also have gotten the barista's name, and mentioned it in my letter, in case he/she was, in fact, NOT quoting policy, but just being bitchy.)
marco on February 19, 2010 at 04:42 PM
Same thing happened to me at Kress Supermarket.
I was there with my 3-year old on the weekend. He needed to pee and that usually doesn't give you a lot of time to find a bathroom.
The employee in the store claims they don't have a bathroom.
Next time I come back, I notice a customer asking for the bathroom and being led right to it! That was the last time I shopped there.
And the way I read this law, they would have had to let you use their bathroom:
http://consumerist.com/2009/05/washington-state-says-stores-have-to-let-you-use-the-bathroom.html
Larry Sheldon on February 20, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Thanks for the update.
I'm sorry to report that hat seems to in tune with much of the Northwest in my experience.
Phelps on February 20, 2010 at 11:45 PM
I'm not sure what the code is in Seattle, but in most places (and I know it is here in Texas) if you serve food and drinks (including coffee shops) you are required to have a bathroom, and keep it to standards of cleanliness. I would check and see if what they are doing is even legal.
Donna B. on February 21, 2010 at 01:05 AM
In Texas that would be a health code violation. It's also rude.
Mimi on February 22, 2010 at 11:02 AM
In Florida, where I live, the law requires all restaurants, grocery stores, ice cream parlors, coffee shops, bars, etc to have a restroom for use by customers. Non customers may not have status, but I've never seen people denied. If they did, I'd stop patronizing just on principal.
Having said this, I recognize that some people abuse commercial establishment bathrooms... steal paper, leave messes, engage in questionable conduct. They should be dealt with harshly... and we can help by reporting seriously egregious behavior to staff. I'm not talking about being potty police, but if someone is defacing or wrecking a bathroom or openly selling something they shouldn't... we all lose.
Sweet B on February 22, 2010 at 06:43 PM
Wow! I appreciate the support from all of you, who are now my peeps. I was especially excited to see marco's link. It's truly amazing that it was necessary to legislate bathroom use like that. Still, though, that particular Uptown Espresso is the size of a coat closet and I've only seen one employee working at a time. I'm not sure if I could claim it's the law that they have to let me use it, since that bill says for businesses with at least 3 employees working at the same time. Hmmm. I don't have a doctor's note for irritable bowel syndrome, but I have had three children...so I try never to sneeze. I really think I'm out of luck on this one, which means they are out my customer dollars and all the customer dollars of people who agree with me that they are idiotic mean morons. Are you with me peeps?!
HopeSew on February 22, 2010 at 08:44 PM
Why couldn't they just put a sign on the door saying "restroom for customers only" and have the customers ask for the key? People understand that way of doing things. And if the one employee can't keep track of who's a patron and who isn't, they don't need to be working retail.
Sweet B, unless the owners of this shop are totally unreasonable, you're probably not out of luck. Phone or write to them suggesting this type of compromise. They may not be required by law to provide anything, but any owner who's at all interested in customer service would take you seriously.
Kitchen Monki Dan on February 23, 2010 at 09:04 AM
That's really sad. I'm was a big fan of Uptown and had been going to the one on 4th ave for years and never had that happen to me before. I'm thinking that your experience was location specific and that the barista may have not gotten (or read correctly) the memo regarding washroom privileges. Regardless, totally inexcusable and feel bad that that happened to you. After reading your post, I'm exclusively a Top Pot guy now.