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Cambridge pizzeria charges non-customers $3 to use its bathroom
A Cambridge pizzeria is facing criticism after a photo of its sign advertising a $3 bathroom fee for non-customers circulated online. Owner Daniel Roughan says the charge was introduced to manage queues and help restaurant customers access the facilities, not to target homeless people.
Roughan said queues grew when young concertgoers waited for all-ages shows at a nearby venue and used the restaurant’s bathroom. The policy has been in place for two years; staff collect the fee at the host stand, and the roughly $200 raised so far has gone to Y2Y, a youth-led homeless shelter in Cambridge.
In short
- Source charges non-customers $3 to use its bathroom.
- The policy was introduced to ease queues during concert days.
- The fee has raised about $200 for a youth homeless shelter.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A small restaurant has limited facilities, and queues caused by people attending nearby concerts can make it harder for paying diners to use the bathroom. A modest fee for non-customers may help manage demand, while donating the proceeds to a youth shelter gives the policy a community benefit.
The case against
Charging for bathroom access can burden people who need a toilet but cannot afford the fee, and may be especially difficult for people experiencing homelessness or other hardship. Even with charitable proceeds, a public-facing charge can make access to a basic facility depend on ability to pay.
Explained simply
Cambridge is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Restaurants generally provide toilets for their customers, while access for people who are not buying anything can depend on the business.
The pizzeria is near a venue that holds concerts open to people of all ages. Its owner says concertgoers waiting in queues used the restaurant’s bathroom, making it harder for diners to get access.
The bathroom fee also raises questions about who can use public facilities and how businesses manage them. The owner says money collected has been donated to Y2Y, a youth-led homeless shelter in Cambridge.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Outrage as Massachusetts pizzeria charges $3 for people to use their bathroom if they don’t buy a slice”.