Bathroom Break

I recently resurrected another thread about Chickie's & Pete's last week which had been dormant for several years. I soon discovered my error in doing so since many of the new comments after mine went toward the old discussion rather than my new point. Mea culpa for the blunder, but it did generate some great discussion about pizza and coaxed an international lurker to sign up to PointBuzz and offer some comments on topic!

Below I have reproduced some of my comments about our recent Chickie's and Pete's experience, edited for some additional thoughts and details.

We were there once before a few years ago and it wasn't bad. We tried it again for lunch last Sunday. My daughter LOVED the bbq wings, which was great as she can be pretty picky. I had the cheese steak. It was a little bit dry, but I was able to wolf it down. The wait staff wasn't overly attentive, which was a shame because the place was not very busy when we were there, but we still left our server a tip.

But there was one thing that really left me (and a few others) shaking our heads. Our food was delivered and I wanted to go to the bathroom and wash my hands before eating since we had just recently ridden Maverick and MF. Those queue line railings and ride seats were likely germ infested and a sandwich and fries are 100% use-your-fingers food, so a hand wash was necessary. I forgot that C&P's bathrooms were single seaters, and the men's room door was locked when I got there. So I waited. Another guy walked over while I was waiting, and then a third! Meanwhile a woman came over and went into the ladies room while we had a line waiting to get into the men's room!

After a few more minutes we heard the electric hand dryer in the men's room blowing and the guy behind me shot me a glance and an eye roll as if to say "Finally!" We were all a little bit shocked when the door opened and two adult women walked out of the men's room to see us standing there waiting in a line. They both started laughing and one of them remarked that it had a shorter line than the ladies room when they went in. I wasn't all that amused. My food was getting cold and there was a line behind me, so I decided to just wash the paws and give up the room to the next guy in line.

So my question is this: Was it a fair/opportunistic move or their part to take advantage of the empty facility even though they were not men? Or was it foul to tie up the men's room when none of us knew it was women using the men's room while we all passed on the opportunity to use an empty women's room because it is specifically meant for girls and not for guys?

I understand just from the plumbing and process that facility breaks generally take longer for the fairer gender and I know that for the most part I don't have to suffer through bathroom lines as long as the ladies sometimes do. For that I am thankful. To be honest, if it wasn't for them thinking it was so funny when they came out laughing about it without offering any apology, I probably wouldn't have minded much.

Before I get jumped on by anyone, I'm not trying to whine (although I realize it may come across that way) - I'm just trying to get other perspectives on the scenario.

As for the hand washing, we always carry a small baggie with a few lysol\clorox wipes to satisfy my wife's germaphobia. We wipe our hands regularly during park visits. I know it isn't the same feel as soap and running water, but it gets the job done, and then can be used on the filthy dining table and chairs. (also the toilet seat)

I have no input on your possible use of the womens restroom as you did not state how you "identified" at the time.

LOL! I wasn't going to bring up that gender identity issue, but it was in the back of my mind that it would likely come up!

Your baggie idea is a good one though. I'll have to try to remember that one.

Sorry, that topic has the potential to take off here like the drone discussion did.

The wipes also came in handy when the gull took target practice on me one day.

Women using the men's restroom is very common, men using the womens not so much. I could see how it could have been aggravating to you, especially if you really had to go. I think it was oppurtunistic on their part, no men apparently were in line at the time, but untimely for you and the other guy.

I used the ladies room at Ladder 19 in Cincinnati because I had already waited 5 minutes for the men's room and didn't feel like waiting much longer. Both restrooms are identical with different signage on the door. I was in there for all of 45 seconds, so I didn't feel like I would be inconveniencing anyone. When you have single-room restrooms, it's a bit easier to excuse use of the "wrong" restroom.

45 seconds? These days it takes me ............. oh never mind, it's a personal issue.

If the rooms are labeled as one or the other I will only use the ladies room unless I'm having an absolute emergency and if that's the case I surely wouldn't be laughing on my way out. If the rooms are single person with full locking doors I don't really see the point in designating them though.

With two identical single bathrooms/toilets it seems a bit short sighted to designate one as "men's" and the other "women's" although most, not all, restaurants indeed follow this model.

As for women and their preference for... shared bathroom breaks, well I'm stumped. I see no reason why except to gossip about boyfriends whilst doing their makeup in the mirror. Maybe that's why they laughed when exiting, maybe they were discussing male bathroom etiquette?

Bad language in this clip!

jimmyburke said:
I have no input on your possible use of the womens restroom as you did not state how you "identified" at the time.

This may be an instance of Internet discussions having no context, only text on a screen, but my take away from "identified" is that you're suggesting it's a joke. Transitioning from one gender to another takes years, significant medical expenses, medical and psychological evaluations, and more.

My apologies if I've misinterpted your comment.

Noggin, I shouldn't have thrown that term out there in a flippant manner without giving it more consideration to whom it may affect. I do realize that there are many individuals who deal with a multitude of issues that are difficult for many of us to wrap our minds around and perhaps some empathy was due before posting. Please accept my apology if my words offended or hurt you or others.

Where I work there have been instances where individuals have used the "identified" word as a free pass to use the other restroom, particularly on days of Browns home games during tailgate party time.

We do have a restroom with the women/men signage, one stall, lock door behind you. Never an issue.

No worries. I appreciate that you understand it's a complex issue.

To the OP, I'm just grateful there are some usable bathrooms in C&P's now. Maybe the park can make both of the restrooms unisex, that would probably fix the problem a little? You should have seen when C&P's opened a few years back and there were NO bathrooms in the place that you could use, especially right after them being there for years with the former Game Day Grille. You literally had to trek it across the main midway, during your meal, if you or your kid had to use the john. There was a big uproar on these forums back then that got the park to finally change their stance.

Ah, good times and memories!

The first time I went to Tokyo, my then partner and I were having lunch at KFC*. I had to go and was a little aback to enter the restroom to find a woman freshening her makeup. But I adapted and did what I had to do. Unisex bathrooms are a pretty good idea.

*It's true, my first trip to Tokyo, my first meals were at an Italian restaurant, KFC, TGI Friday's, McDonalds and an Indian restaurant. We did get around to enjoying Japanese food.

Visionist said:

With two identical single bathrooms/toilets it seems a bit short sighted to designate one as "men's" and the other "women's" although most, not all, restaurants indeed follow this model.

This is a good idea. The new Kroger store in Sandusky has two single seat bathrooms and they have no gender designation - just a lock on the door.

Single occupant bathrooms shouldn't be gendered anyway, so I would probably use the other one if the "correct" one was occupied. I'm sorry you had a wait, though.