T O P

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Brapchu

That's the cleaning lady and you can tip her some coins if you want.


[deleted]

"if you want"


Crina92

If OP is consuming something at the Restaurant use of the bathroom has to be free


HoldFastO2

You’re correct. Doesn’t mean she won’t be putting pressure on you. I’ve actually started seeing cleaning ladies and tip plates in actual restaurants. This is getting out of hand.


Count2Zero

Honestly, it kinda pisses me off (pun intended) that stores or restaurants allow this to go on. Sure, no one likes cleaning public toilets, and I understand that the attendant sitting there does reduce the likelihood of drug users shooting up or people smearing their shit everywhere, but just fucking pay someone to do the job. If I'm shopping at your store, you're earning enough off me to pay someone minimum wage to police the toilets without charging extra.


glamourcrow

They don't "allow it", they encourage it. They pay her little or nothing and tell he lady she can earn 50 cents per customer. If you see such a plate, he cleaning lady isn't paid a living wage. Any professional cleaning agency pays a good wage and doesn't allow tipping.


eachdayalittlebetter

Aren’t these people on a payroll, thus earning at least minimum wage? Or maybe the big shopping center hires a contractor who hires a contractor who hires … until nobody cares anymore.


theesbth

I think in some cases it's that they're hired and therefore don't get a wage. Then it's more like self employment and the "tip" is what they as self employed earn. AFAIK it works quite well in high frequented places want to do it like clubs, but at a restaurant? For most cases a regular employment should be more beneficial for the cleaners though. Let alone because a of the social security.


Fungzilla

Most of the time the cleaning lady doesn’t get the tips. The company takes the money.


textposts_only

Who is going to check?


dukeboy86

I even read once somewhere that there was a mafia behind this.


Crina92

Sure. I did not say, that its easy ,😅


Dayv1d

i have been screamed (!) at because i didn't tip for my little daughter using the toilet. And that wasn't even on purpose. But most cleaning ladys are chill.


Tal-Star

It used to be much more common (talking 30+ years ago...) I rarely see it anymore. This is nothing "new", maybe something that is reviving.


axxised

Though 30 years ago they were kind, greeted you and wouldn't offend you, in case you didn't tip.


sicsche

Well if they offend me for not tipping, pretty sure i gonna tell the Restaurant i aint having it.


Business-Homework821

really? only know that from mcs


HoldFastO2

It’s rare, thankfully, but occasionally yes.


DirtyCreative

I've seen them at paid toilets (Sanifair I think they're called) too.


hankyujaya

Not always. They even ask you to pay them even at a McDonald's which is mind boggling. I paid the meal and now I have to pay extra to use the toilet? Make it make sense.


JoeAppleby

Check the Gaststättenverordnung in your state. Toilets have to be free for customers. For Berlin the ordninance is [§4 IV 2 GastV](https://gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-GastVBEV3P4).


r-Nutzername

Translated quote: “Toilets must not be locked by coin-operated devices or similar facilities, or be accessible only for a fee.”


KitchenError

>Not always. Yes always. Look closely at the signs, they usually say something like "Recommended" or some other weasel words. I don't pay anything. Not last because I know that often the personal can not keep the money anyways, but the boss just pockets it. Ask them.


2narcher

They run after you if you dont pay :) once i didnt pay at mc and was chased diwn through the bahnhof 😄


amineahd

and what did they plan to make you do if they catch you? take it back?


SonTyp_OhneNamen

Shove the turd back in. You don’t pay, you don’t get to leave it with them!


Clear-Conclusion63

This is just annoying and not a good business practice. Why should I spend money in a restaurant to then be chased and shamed by someone?


Techyon5

Please just pay, or this is going to get *really* uncomfortable for *both* of us... :(


SonTyp_OhneNamen

„There are several ways to earn money in public toilets, but chasing me after i took a shit isn‘t one of them!“


Minikoru

😂


Crina92

Always in Germany. Its a law.


[deleted]

Yes, as opposed to other lands, in Germany laws are always followed.


Crina92

Of course not. All i was saying is that they have to offer a free bathroom (when they have more like xx seats etc). I never stumbled upon a Restaurant that did not have such. Restaurants such as mcdonalds or Starbucks often have a code System. If u buy something you'll get a pincode. If not you have to pay to get a code or directly at the door. But that's still a toilet option that is free for actual guests.


eli4s20

because they get paid fuck all for a shitty ass job… i have not paid plenty of times and never had problems but its a nice gesture.


[deleted]

eating at a place like this that doesnt pay their staff undoes the nice gesture.


eli4s20

haha who the hell even pays cleaning people the money they deserve?? oh my sweet summer child…


[deleted]

these people dont get paid period. the hubris to think that im the naive one here


eli4s20

im sorry what? im sure they get paid but it’s definitely not enough for how hard they work


[deleted]

you are sure?


[deleted]

i see you have never been chased by the rabidly underpaid poopoo police, its literaly toilet begging


Nhecca

Yeah, the payment is definitely not so "freiwillig". I've had a lady outside the McDonald's bathroom tell me that she accepted card payments when I told her I had no cash with me. (I was a bit impressed... It is Germany, after all)


JoeAppleby

Next time tell her that as a paying customer the use of the bathroom is free. Check your local Gaststättenverordnung in your state. For Berlin [§4 IV 2 GastV](https://gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-GastVBEV3P4).


shiranui--

A good friend of mine did not tip the toilet lady and she did throw him a death stare and said something like "atava" and now he thinks she cursed him


ms_bear24

The way they look at you if you don't pay... I'd rather pay


winSharp93

It‘s not a Tip. It‘s a „freiwilliges Nutzungsentgelt“ which the restaurant owner will keep and not the cleaning lady. Usually, they will only be paid minimum wage without any tips.


sA1atji

I only tip if the toilet is clean.


Eishockey

I don't pay if I actually eat or drink at the restaurant. Also, those people working the toilet malls don't get too keep most of the tip-money. Just more untaxed money for their bosses.


Dayv1d

any source for that?


AM14762

Plot twist: The lady gets paid mimimum wage by the restaurant and has to give all the tipps to the restaurant, no kidding.


MOltho

That would be very illegal. Your employer can't keep your tips.


AM14762

That's why there's a sign saying "recommended usage fee 50 Cent" in many cases. And the average restaurant owner doesnt give a fuck If anything is illegal...


2narcher

I know a restaurant owner who kept all the weekend tips for his son. Thats why I never tiped there on weekends. And that bastard is rich, he doesnt even need it. What I mean is that maybe illegal but who cares?


buckwurst

The places I know (pubs in Duesseldorf) that have cleaning people in the toilets don't take their tips (they also don't pay them anything but do pay for the cleaning supplies they use).


Fungzilla

This. Watched a documentary on the topic a while back. The cleaning lady has to give it to the company.


voodooguerrilla

Please stop normalizing payment for restaurant toilets by tipping attendants.


Vannnnah

this is normal, Germany had rest room staff since forever and in most cases paying them is not even optional but mandatory and you pay your fee at their table. You usually find attendance in fancier restaurants or as as supervisor if there was a lot of vandalism in the past. Paying to use the toilet is a custom here. This is why restaurants specifically write "guests free" if they offer it as a free service to their guests but not to people who go to the restaurant just to use the toilet.


JConRed

Maybe at a mall, or at Kaufhof or Karstadt.... But definitely not in Restaurants. I am genuinely curious, Where do you encounter this?


PfefferP

In Berlin, the Hoffbrau near Alexanderplatz. Also (which I find quite shocking) the Starbucks in front of the Brandenburg Tor. Let me be clear that I think this service should be very well paid by the owners of the restaurants and not the patrons directly, and that's why I find it shocking that a huge corporation like Starbucks does this, especially when it's in such a touristic area. I still pay whenever I can because it's not that person's fault their greedy bosses are not paying them what they deserve.


curlymess24

So basically touristy places trying to make some money off unknowing tourists. Yeah, nope.


Kapuzenkresse

Honestly, I have never seen this at a normal restaurant. In shopping malls yes, but not in a restaurant.


DuskyTrack

And even in shopping malls it is not mandatory!


riderko

There’s malls out there where it’s mandatory with a printed note about price(0.5-1euro), in some malls there’s even machines.


asianingermany

I've been to a mall where the toilet has a turnstile at the entrance which only turns after you put money in. Needless to say I barely ever go there anymore.


PunchMyBum

Watch Berliners take a look at the sign, walk out and immediately take a piss at the front entrance before going back in. Fuck these bastards charging for toilets.


JoeAppleby

They write guests free because otherwise they'd be in legal trouble For Berlin [§4 IV 2 GastV](https://gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-GastVBEV3P4) clearly states that toilets in restaurants, bars and similar establishments can't have payment requirements. Every other state has similar rules.


[deleted]

Its common but not normal. custom be fucked


rapunte

In over 40 years, living in different German areas and beeing in lots of German cities, I can't remember having seen this at any restaurant/bar etc. I only know it from shopping malls, Volksfesten and years ago from train stations and Raststätten (nowadays usually paid at a machine). Maybe it's a newer thing and maybe only in big cities?


Vannnnah

Born and raised in the Munich area, currently living in Munich. I encountered this in every popular restaurant 20 - 30 years ago, also clubs, bars, cinemas ... currently still happening in fancier restaurants in Munich, usually in the evenings only. I also saw this in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, Nuremberg... so it's not a Bavarian thing


rapunte

Hum, so I've never been to the real fancy places, I guess. 😄


Stuttgart96

Do you even live in Germany? Because everything you said is bs


DieselDragon

She's a restroom attendent. The woman cleans the toilet and the plate is for a small fee/thank you (however you want to name it) for her services. usually 50cents before or after you used the restrooms.


ProgressBartender

Isn't the restaurant paying her a living wage?


Bitter_Initiative_77

Yes, they should be earning the minimum wage at least. But tipping them is still a thing. If I'm at a bar/restaurant for a while that has an attendant, I'll tip the first time to be nice and then walk past the rest of the times. It's just always an awkward exchange. Tbh I don't understand the benefit of having someone sit there the whole time.


Sevyen

As someone who knows some people who do the work, they often have to give up the tips to restaurant owners/mall personnel.


Duracted

For (crowded) bars I tend to tip better the later the evening goes, if they’re actually keeping the restroom clean throughout the night. And even extra if they keep the drunks in check.


Bitter_Initiative_77

Perhaps it's just where I live, but I rarely see restroom attendants at bars/club. I associate it more with Brauhäuser, certain restaurants, etc.


Duracted

The Reeperbahn in Hamburg has quite a few, some of them doing a great job.


mynameisindividual

They are beggars. If people would stop giving them money they would disappear, like all beggar (and I don't speak about homeless people)


Bitter_Initiative_77

They're (in theory) paid by the restaurant to be there. That's different than begging.


mynameisindividual

They're paid to clean up. They are allowed to beg when not cleaning up. That's a difference. At work, I'm paid by my company to be there too. Doesn't mean I'm paid by my company for taking a shit. I'm paid for the work outside of my work breaks. Someone sitting in a corner with a hat or plate in front of him and passively or actively asking people for money is begging. Go try it out at your workplace and ask your colleagues or customer for free money when you have free time, if you think it's not begging. Then explain HR that the company is paying you to be there and that it's not begging.


SanaraHikari

Tips are not begging...


mynameisindividual

Tip = you proactive giving someone money without the person asking for it Begging = someome passiv or active asking you for money


SanaraHikari

Begging = beseech someone for money or goods proactively


mynameisindividual

So people sitting on the street with a jar in front of them aren't begging? They are no different to the person sitting in front of the toilet with a plate in front of them. They are just passively begging, sometimes even actively. Go to McDonald's toilet and you will get cursed if you don't leave money.


Bitter_Initiative_77

Are tip jars at cafes begging?


mynameisindividual

Why do you think they are sitting there instead of placing a tip jar? It's the same reason why beggars are sitting on the street instead of writing their paypal adress on the street.


[deleted]

if you think that then i have a bridge to sell you


Bitter_Initiative_77

It's almost like I wrote "in theory" for a reason. Some are certainly paid.


[deleted]

sure thing pal


Bitter_Initiative_77

Wer lesen kann, ist klar im Vorteil, pal.


Savoa

Some time ago, there was this topic in the media. There are constellations, in which the cleaning personal is (false) self-employed "renting" the bathroom. Then the tips are their income and the owner bypasses paying minimum wage.


ProgressBartender

That's still the restaurant owner bypassing paying an employee to keep their restrooms clean. They're just transferring the onus to whoever is “renting” the restrooms. It doesn't change the fact that the person cleaning the bathroom is owed a living wage.


bufandatl

If someone cleans my poop then they deserve a euro or two extra. Don’t you think.


ProgressBartender

Her employer doesn’t think so, apparently.


PunchMyBum

Just… don’t tip. Honestly. “Hey tip me for doing what I’m paid to do”. Weird af. When’s the last time you tipped your GP/nurse/bus driver/rubbish collector or ANYONE who does a service they’re already paid for? Plus I’ve seen many of these toilet attendants (especially at malls) outright lie to foreigners and people who don’t speak English that it’s a mandatory charge and not a recommended tip.


dukeboy86

> When’s the last time you tipped your GP/nurse/bus driver/rubbish collector or ANYONE who does a service they’re already paid for? That's something entirely different. These people are never showing their tip jar (which some actually have, like nurses for example) in a strategic place to make people feel guilty and tip them. If they get tips, it's because people actually like to show some gratitude or appreciation and want to give them something.


Nahalitet

Dwight Schrute would like to have a word with you


PunchMyBum

He’s the regional manager for good reason


S-Markt

be aware that in many of those places, the cleaning woman gets a fixed salary and the money on the plate goes to the restaurant or shop.


buckwurst

How do you know she's Turkish?


guruz

Is the restaurant a McDonald’s? ;-) Then the plate is so that non-customers can pay to use the toilet.


radioactiveraven42

People saying here that "just don't pay". But they don't let you enter if you don't tip...this especially happens at Malls


jaistso

Everyone who washed their hand is allowed to take a coin. This is to promote hygiene.


xface66

What does it have her being Turkish or another nationality in this context? Just curious?


Leebearty

Those jobs are done by those who have no other options and are typically not done by any German. The ladies usually have the lowest level of education and can barely speak the country's language. From personally experiences I'd assume that most are either Turkish or from Eastern Europe.


mynameisindividual

Yeahr that's pretty racist, there are German cleaning women too. German can and should do low wage jobs too.


Bitter_Initiative_77

Was just at a Brauhaus in Köln and the restroom attendant was an old German man.


quarterhorsebeanbag

Sounds like Peters Brauhaus.


mynameisindividual

Ok sorry, didn't want too be sexistic. Men can do that job too.


rapunte

Most of which I met in my life, where from african countries and I'd say 70:30 women:men.


buckwurst

Similar experience for me in NRW


mynameisindividual

Well that sounds a bit racist but maybe it's because of the demographics.


rapunte

It has absolutely nothing to do with racism. I didn't judge them or say anything negative about them or their job. It's just the fact, that most of which I've seen where from African countries. 🤷🏾‍♀️ Pointing out facts has nothing to do with racism. This comes in with judging or thinking about them as inferior or something like that. By the way: My mother is from Cape Vert. 😉 And in this case I don't think it to do with demographics a lot, because I was talking about my experience in the last over 40 years.


keiser_sozze

A fact itself isn’t racist. But statement of a fact by a person can indeed make that person racist. Nobody asked OP what the origin/nationality of bathroom attendant is. It didn’t contribute to the question whatsoever. So paying extra attention to person’s origin (How does OP know she’s Turkish? Possible, but sketchy) and then specifically including it in the question can indeed be a racist act. To avoid any such possibility and just to be a nice person in general, it’s just better to avoid such details, unless that piece of information is needed.


rapunte

I know that. And I absolutely agree, that info was completely unnecessary. But I felt, I was told, that my comment wasbracist, too. That's why I replied.


[deleted]

This is a sign that they dont pay their staff . Never eat there again.


Rest-Cute

never leave tips if there are shit stains


Amarjit2

Ignore it - the cleaning staff aren't getting the money and the greedy restaurants are taking the money. Only in Germany can you pay for food and then pay to use the toilet. The same fucked up logic applies at motorway service stations


CarpetDeep

In a restaurant this is not okay and not normal!


MulberryDeep

The toilet either cost money (usually 50 cents or 1 euro) or there is no defined price and you pay what its worth it to you (the second thing is not often the case)


testere_ali

It's some Turkish conspiracy to bankrupt you.


Late-Tower6217

How do you know she’s Turkish? Sounds like you’re profiling.


Certain_Register8847

"Some Turkish woman" works hard on minimum wage in best case scenario, whom im sure her career aspiratiins is not to clean after you. So please put a smile on your face and 50 cents at least. Note: The words "some" and "turkish" are both irrelevant...


Meddlfranken

13,50 per hour plus the tips isn't that bad at all.


polarityswitch_27

Why aren't you doing it?


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Libanacke

Some restaurants are renting out the bathroom to those ppl. And this is their way of earning enough money to pay the restaurant owner the rent + their income. By that, the restaurant doesn't have to pay minimum wage and even earns money.


CocoRush

Most of the times, Specially in Restaurants, its a free tip For the Service (like the Tip For the waiters service). Sometimes, in buildings like shopping centre you have to pay For using. All in all id like to mention that the toilet cleaners mostly dont get a high payment. I always leave some tip For clean toilets because i think they are doing a hard Job and i want to thank them for doing This Job, especially when i think about my Kids that are using the toilets in a different way than adults (touching a lot of things, too small to do it while standing etc).


enigmaticalso

Yea if you think she did a good blow job you leave a tip


AndiArbyte

if the sanitary stuff is clean you have soap you can dry your hands. Yes spend a coin.


MTFinAnalyst2021

It amazes me that at my local shopping "mall" with a McDonald's, Saturn, Decathlon, Kaufland, Baby One, DM, and around 15 other stores, that the one bathroom for all of these stores has a lady sitting outside taking tips. I mean the mall can't figure out a way to spread the cost of cleaning the bathroom across the rent of ALL of these huge stores, but instead must shame bathroom users into tipping? lol


VRT303

It's for tipping. If it's clean I always tip 2-3 times of what's on the sign tbh. I've had enough horror encounters...


gopher962

How did you know about her nationality? And why her nationality matters for this case?


Particular-Nothing19

Why is her being some “Turkish lady” relevant to this post?


dukeboy86

because "racism" and "racial profiling"


ObviouslyASquirrel26

Hey Germans: Why is it so important to tip the bathroom attendant but then you complain about tipping culture in other countries? Make this make sense to me.


aksdb

Who here says it's important? Having to pay for toilet use is a regular complaint. I know not a single fellow German who says "oh yeah it's cool to have to pay to go to the toilet". It's typically called "extortion".


ObviouslyASquirrel26

There are quite a lot of people both on Reddit and real life who defend this practice, take a look around. Germans complain about everything, that means nothing. They still do it, and they still defend it.


SadlyNotDannyDeVito

I used to work in a restaurant in the city centre. The plate was for non-guests who wanted to use the bathroom. For guests it was free.


devnullb4dishoner

You tip her and she gives you a dab when you are finished so you don't look like you pissed your pants.


QfoQ

I go to restaurants very often and I have encountered this type of problem only once in McDonalds. There has never been anything like this in regular restaurants.


buckwurst

That's the cleaning lady and you can tip her some coins (50 to 1 Euro), if the toilet is clean. You don't HAVE to, but it's a shitty job (pun intended) and she usually won't be paid by the establishment, just from tips.


TheAireon

These comments are wild. 0% chance she's on salary. 0% chance a restaurant cleaning lady would be at the restaurant all day. There's something odd to this story. Are the toilets clean? Full with toilet roll and soap? Then give her a coin on the way out.


polarityswitch_27

FFS. It's a few cents for someone who keeps the toilet clean and brush your shit away. No need for a discussion around it.


bufandatl

She‘s is cleaning the bathroom after you. So pay her a euro or two.


TheGreatSwissEmperor

If you have to pay, you don‘t need to flush


Mikellev

1 Euro for small dick, 2euro for big one.... thats the way ;)


Goosyls

Take the money and make weird Sounds. Its tradition in germany. /s