# Is anyone really pleased when a bathroom comes with an attendant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015 "2005-11-08T05:33:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/21 "2005-11-08T19:25:04Z")
I tend to dislike the concept, but support the individual. If I am out spending money on overpriced drinks, then $1 on my first bathroom visit is hardly an expense that hurts, and likely helps out someone else who is resigned or willing to spend countless hours breathing stanky male byproduct. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/22 "2005-11-08T21:16:43Z")
I can’t stand when they have someone attending the bathroom. The whole time I’m thinking about how I have to tip the guy and if not how he’s going to get upset. Last thing I need when trying to take a dump. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/23 "2005-11-08T21:23:21Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > Last thing I need when trying to take a dump. Having an attendant there would bother me if I was taking a dump, but I’ll be damned if you’ll ever catch me taking a dump in a club or bar. Fuck that. I make sure I take care of anything like that before I head out or I hold it or I leave. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/24 "2005-11-08T21:38:15Z")
I’m pleased when a bathroom has an attendant. This is generally because the only places I’ve encountered them were nice theatres and restaurants or high-traffic places like a festival or expo. In my experience, the date-worthy theatres and such that have a snooty attendant have all the trimmings, hand lotion, aspirin, hairspray, mints and on one memorable occasion a much needed safety pin. The first time I encountered it was like a giant lightbulb going off, so _that’s_ how those fashionable little eveningwear purses work, extra stuff’s in the bathroom! The busier non-date type places aren’t so much the hand-you-a-towel-expect-tip types, but janitorial and I’m always happy to see a clean facility in crowded circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/25 "2005-11-08T21:46:23Z")
For those of you who mentioned CCTV as an alternative. It simply wouldn’t work. CCTV would more often than not only be of use after the vandalism already occured, and attendant discourages and usually prevents it entirely. You’d catch the guy who did it, eject him, and still eat the cost of the damage and have to clean it up. Also as mention it’d do nothing to prevent the illicit activities in stalls where CCTV wouldn’t cover. The attendants are a necessary evil in many establishments. They suck, and there probably are better ways to go about implementing them than they do usually, but to simply call them a hinderance or panhandlers misses the bigger picture. **Yogurts** assessment is spot on. They are there for the bar/club, not for the patrons. The sad truth however is that many businesses have forgotten this fact, and indeed have been confused into thinking it’s a luxury. Sometimes you’ll see these guys in upscale restaraunts where vandalism and drug use is almost a total non-factor. Thats just dumb. This practice is _really_ pervasive in Chicago. And while there are many bars and clubs who need this, it should be used only out of necessaity and not as a SOP. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/26 "2005-11-08T23:52:21Z")
Only once have I seen a bathroom attendant and it startled me. One of the clubs in the city has a lady who hangs out in there, selling packs of gum, mints, pins, various glowing baubles etc. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/27 "2005-11-09T01:00:08Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > I don’t go to clubs, or to actual nice restaurants. I do go to those places and I still hate them. I think it’s a total scam to give some guy a dollar for handing me a paper towel. I didn’t consider the security thing though. That makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/28 "2005-11-09T01:28:44Z")
I just don’t give them money. It’s not a service I want or ask for. Just like I don’t give money to random people who try to wash the windows of my car at a stoplight. I am polite and say “thank you”, and if that’s not enough, well, tough for them. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/29 "2005-11-09T01:45:46Z")
Who really starts out in life, and aspires to be a bathroom attendant? That’s a question for the ages. True story, and I am laughing again as I type this. I am in a mid town (N.Y.C.) steak joint with my brother, and after the meal, I go to the mens room, which is down a flight of stairs. There is a guy with a sport jacket and tie leaning against the wall. I nod to him as I step up to the urinal, and he says…Want a blow Job? I shut down mid stream, zip up, and head for the stairs. Mr. Blow job calls me a dickhead. I am laughing when I get back to my table, and I ask my brother if he’s sure he doesn’t need to use the restroom before we leave. He doesn’t, and we head for the cashier. Deciding to mention this to some one in authority, I ask the cashier to call the manager. The cashier says…and I kid you not…the manager will be right up…he went to the restroom. 😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015/30 "2005-11-09T02:28:21Z")
> [@CartesianDaemon](#): > > What do they _do_? Well, since you asked, if you are in Laos or Thailand, they might give you a hot towel and a massage (either before or during urination). > **[Truckin](http://mcgtruckin.blogspot.com/2002_07_01_mcgtruckin_archive.html)** > > Short Stories, Sagas and Tales from the Road > [@](#): > > Hell yeah! I’d like a beer and a lady! Too funny! I never experienced hospitality to a fault, until that night that is. After a few beers and a few ladies, nature called and off to the men’s room I went. The club was a bit of a dive so I was surprised to find a bathroom attendant. “Whatever,” I thought as I headed for the urinal to take care of business. The next thing I know the attendant tapped me on my shoulder and hands me a hot towel. A little pre-mature but a nice gesture none-the-less. I brought the towel to my forehead and all of a sudden I feel two hands on my shoulders! The attendant began giving me a massage while I’m taking a piss! Now this was getting a little carried away! Is this guy gay, living his dream job? Or are the Laotian people just this friendly? In broken Laotian I told him no thank you and was able to finish my piss in peace. What do you tip a guy for this service? I gave him a buck and he seemed happy. Later that night, I saw the attendant leave with a beautiful girl on each arm. I was relieved to discover that I was not his “love interest”. He was just doing his job! [http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-24189.html](http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-24189.html) > [@](#): > > After a couple drinks I hit the men’s room…… which was the typical small size for Thailand. And so I head to the urinal to do my thing. All of a sudden I feel this warm, wet cloth on my neck and I turn around to find this small Thai man behind me smiling… after a moment he says “You can pee now”… “But I can’t pee now like this” I said. He left for a couple moments so I could in fact pee. > > I head to the sink and begin to wash my hands and all the sudden I feel this guys hands on my back giving me a Thai massage. What??!! It actually felt really good so I kinda just smiled and kept washing. Ok, So I’m thinking this is the bathroom attendant. Got it… Very nice… usually in the states they give you a mint of something. > > He hands me another towel to dry my hands, and before I can put it down he begins a chiropractic manipulation on me. Picture this… this 5 foot Thai man is grabbing me around the chest and picking me up to crack my back, then shoulders, then neck. The adjustment was suprisingly good. At this point i’m holding back my laughter… I stumbled to find some money to tip him. I returned to my friends and laughed out loud for a couple minutes. > > Thai taxi drivers play checkers at the bus station in between tripsgood. At this point i’m holding back my laughter… I stumbled to find some money to tip him. I returned to my friends and laughed out loud for a couple minutes. They said this is normal for men’s (but not women’s) bathrooms in nice places!!! Ha ha. Only in Thailand. And no cite, but I recently saw a travelogue TV show called Sin Cities (I think it was called that, but I’m not certain) which showed its host experiencing this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-really-pleased-when-a-bathroom-comes-with-an-attendant/330015.md?page=1)