Convenience stores have different policies on allowing customers to use their toilets. Some don't mind, while other say no because, among other reasons, customers might use the toilet to hide shoplifted items in their clothing. What's your view?

while other say no because, among other reasons, customers might use the toilet to hide shoplifted items in their clothing

So, among other reasons, no toilet equals no shoplifting or, to be more precise, no toilet equals no hiding shoplifted items in own clothing? Oh, come on! Like it would stop anyone. That's feathering in your own nest. The only thing that any restriction would do is cause a person to buy the cheapest thing the store offers and then use the toilet, or in the absence of a toilet go elsewhere and maybe not buy anything at all in the store.

Why does anyone ever come up with such useless and stupid excuses?

Honestly outside Tokyo or Osaka I have never seen a convenience store that didn't let people use the toilet.

Even in Tokyo the only placed I have seen not permit using the toilet are in places like around Shibuya station and other major high traffic areas, wear it is less about shoplifting and more about the staff not being able to keep up with a probable heavy flow of people and maintain a clean facility.

In less crowded areas usually it is only the stores closest to the main station that restrict access, walk a little away from the main station or shotengai and you have no problem.

Again this is more to do with high volume of users and trying to keep the toilet clean.

I have worked in convenience stores and whether it is a franchise or company owned, any complaints about dirty toilets can get the franchise owner or staff in big trouble as each chain have strict rules regarding the toilets and how they are to be maintained.

I worked for 2 different chains and secret random inspections are common.

To close the toilet to the public must be approved by the main corporate office.

wait till you get home.

Yeah, wait until you get to a certain age.

Then tell yourself to wait until you get home.

Oh to be young again.

Depends on how badly I need the toilet at the time

What’s my view on convenience store policies allowing use of their toilets?!

Are they right to allow customers to use them? Yeah, I suppose so. It’s a convenient facility to offer.

Are they right to fear shoplifting? Yeah, I guess it’s going to happen.

I guess the biggest consideration for the stores is the annoyance of keeping them clean.

I saw an oldish man steal an energy drink from a 7-11 once.

He didn't bother going to the toilet - he just went behind a shelf, casually popped it into his shoulder bag, lingered a little, then made his escape.

Based on the toilet logic, that's almost reason for convenience stores to consider policy to remove shelving!

There are 5 near this one intersection by my workplace. Two have stopped allowing customers to use their bathrooms when the virus broke out and they're still closed off to customers. I use the three that allow their customers to use the bathroom thus getting a lot more of my money.

If i leave an omiyage, I make sure I buy something.

To be honest, when I travel abroad and cannot find a toilet i realize how thankful I am for all of the conbini in Japan.

Let customers use them.

.If not,find a public toilet or wait till you get home.

Sometimes sadly, that doesn’t always work....

I saw an oldish man steal an energy drink from a 7-11 once.

He didn't bother going to the toilet - he just went behind a shelf, casually popped it into his shoulder bag, lingered a little, then made his escape.

I never ask. I use it.

I don't know about you but I haven't reached the age where doing that doesn't get me stopped.

My older friends get away with doing that but not me at least not yet.

I just go, never ask. No ones ever stopped me.

Its called a convenience Store for a reason !

The water used to flush the toilets as well as the paper towels (if any) etc. aren't free.

Have the courtesy to ask first and make sure to buy something on your way out.

In 25 years in Japan, I have only ever needed to use a conbini restroom once.

On that occasion, there wasn't time to ask permission.

It was a photo finish. If I'd been wearing a belt it would have been catastrophic.

Your lucky here in Japan as many convenience stores have toilets. In the USA if you try to use a toilet at 7//11 they will flat out deny you and even when I was in seatle washington i had to take a number 2 so bad i could not find the nearest toilet so i rushed into starbucks and was told I need to buy a drink first before I can use there toilets.

The only convineces store i know that deny customers toilets in Tokyo are in Shinjuku kabukicho redlight gangster city which makes sense but the average convenient store I have been around always welcomed customers to freely use toilets and if every convenient store were to ban customer use then people will begin urinating in public which was a common thing here in Tokyo as far as i have been living here I know.

The lights in a shop aren't free. If you walk into a shop at night, you should be charged for it. People wanting something for nothing isn't cool.

Thats their problem if they want to run a business they they need to pay for electricity..... you want customers?? Window shopping leads to maybe ill buy something.

The toilet are part of the facilities that make people visit the place, it is part of what is offered in the "convenience" so people are right into assuming they can use it. (else there would be in the part of the store where only employees can access).

Still, there is no obligation from the store to do it, so if they choose not to allow clients in the bathroom its their right to do it that way. One of the things a friend recommended to do when looking for a place to live is to see if the nearest store lets clients use the toilet, if this is not the case it may be assumed the neighborhood has enough shoplifters around to make the store stop offering this "service" and it may be better to choose another place.

There's a reason why you are asked not to take any unpurchased items into the toilets.

Or are these stores allowing customers to take shopping baskets into the toilets?

reckless:

I go in to pay and ask to use the toilet and the guy said it is out of order. That is it! You know once you get back in traffic it may take an hour to find another place to stop.

I'm intrigued. What happened next?

The water used to flush the toilets as well as the paper towels (if any) etc. aren't free.

Have the courtesy to ask first and make sure to buy something on your way out.

The electricity used in a shop for lights, refrigerators, etc. aren't free. If you enter a shop, have the courtesy to ask first, and make sure you always buy something. From every shop you walk into, and any shop with a window you look into at night lit by electric lighting.

It's private property.Water isn't free when flushing.If anything,charge for usage.People wanting something for nothing isn't cool.

The lights in a shop aren't free. If you walk into a shop at night, you should be charged for it. People wanting something for nothing isn't cool.