The bathroom attendant
 

So, what is the protocol for using any of the products that a bathroom attendant provides? Recently found myself in one where the guy had a selection of gum, cigarettes, floss, mouthwash, cologne, etc...

I usually prefer to that there be ~no~ bathroom attendant, but this time I caught myself staring at the counter.

Assuming a left a tip, would I be entitled to get a spritz of cologne? Would I just do it myself? And does the amount of the tip play a part in what I can partake of?

Thanks.

(and the usual apologies if this has been covered before...I did try a search)

The best thing about these attendants are the range of "freshen up" related songs/rhymes they know - most perhaps too crude for the forums.

I don't normally use any of their products because I am capable of putting the soap on my own hands without needing to sponsor some bathroom lurker to do it for me, but on the times I have been caught, I thought 50p was a fair donation.

I must admit I bridle a bit at the presence of these people, who are providing a service that I don't want and then (seemingly) being paid for having provided it. I don't therefore usually use their services if I can avoid it, since I am more than capable of, for example, putting the soap on my own hands, turning on a tap, and extracting a towel from wherever the towels are stored. (Indeed, I would prefer to do so.) I don't avail myself of the "offerings" like cologne either. But I suppose if I did I'd feel obliged to leave a gratuity, even though I presume that money would go the attendant whereas the cologne etc is presumably supplied by the company that employs the attendant.

I generally agree. I'll tip $1 or so over the course of an evening, but I definitely don't tip each time I use the facilities.

+1

If anything, I'll avoid them so I don't have to pay them at all.....

I avoid them, don't use any thing they have & no tip.

I avoid them as well. I feel uncomfortable and guilty whenever they give me paper towels to dry my hands because I feel like I have to tip them. I can get them myself. :)

I don't use their services and I don't tip them. I will actually walk around them standing next to me holding a paper towel to grab one from the dispenser. If they've emptied all the towels from the dispenser, I'll use theirs and not tip them.

Some things are worth tipping for; this isn't one of them.

I appreciate all the input and agree with everyone so far. I don't tip the bathroom attendants and don't use there services if I can help it (but the recent guy actually turned on the water and held the soap dispenser in his hand...not much I could do to avoid that).

But I'm interested in hearing from people who do use the "services" provided. Is okay to pick up the cologne and spritz yourself? Do I just grab a stick of gum?

Thanks.

I kind of like it, it makes me feel far richer and more successful (if only for a moment) than I actually am :D Plus, being able to throw on a little extra cologne never hurts. When I'm traveling, I'm expecting to tip a lot so I'm ok with dropping in a buck or two over the course of the evening.

Mmmmmm, bathroom gum.

I generally assume that BAs are there out of economic necessity; not because they see the position as a wise career move. Honest work but not the most pleasant surroundings. As such, I will always tip. Paradoxically, perhaps, I will tip relatively more in poorer countries than in "developed" ones.

It's my understanding that, at least in Chicago, most of these attendants are self-employed and, aside from the paper towels, purchase the items available in the rest room.

That's why I hate attendants. I'm capable of getting the soap and water myself. I don't tip them and sorta feel guilty for not doing so, but it's just getting ridiculous. It's bad enough they're standing there watching you take a leak.

Now, if the bathroom attendant is a good looking female, and she wants to hold it for me, I'll tip her a few bucks ;)

I hate the idea of bathroom attendants. Unless they are there to clean the toilets, then I will tip them well to keep a sparkling clean bathroom.
But no way I tip them because I do not want encourage an intrusion into my bathroom visits. If you take a dump, I am sure they are monitoring you to get an idea when to be ready to come out and wash your hands so they can get a tip. I find that really annoying to have that kind of presence watching over you even if there is nothing creepy from their side. It is just a presence that should not be there in the restroom.

The theory for bathroom attendants in some circles is supposedly to discourage drug use or some other hanky panky in the bathrooms.

Ok, I must be living the wrong lifestyle. Where exactly are these B.A's? Last time I saw one was in Las Vegas...don't seen much of them around my neck of the woods, and my most common travel destination is is Japan, so even if they existed there a tip would be out of the question.