[elecengin]

Many coffee shops in downtown NYC have the code/key situation.

There are similar regulations in NYC (and I think most of the US, although it is at a local level) that mandate customer bathrooms although they do not sound as strict. For example, small coffee shops (less than ~15 seats) frequently have no customer bathrooms.

[nefitty]

Wow, that would be one of the first places I'd expect a restroom. Here in Vegas I continually find myself asking for a public restroom at convenience stores. It's usually hit or miss. Most do have seats for gamblers, so it's not the seats, most have hot prepared foods, so it's not that either. I've always thought that places that provide public facilities on their own initiative should maybe get some kind of subsidy for upkeep from the county or city government.

[paganel]

> For example, small coffee shops (less than ~15 seats) frequently have no customer bathrooms.

That sucks. As a person with a mild case of "what's-the-closest-toilet?"-angst I would feel quite awkward drinking a coffee and probably eating a cookie on the side knowing that there's no toilet close-by. As a matter of fact that would make me avoid those coffee shops entirely.

Bonus link, here's this Seinfeld clip where George speaks for all the people like me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYVBRQ7t46g

[kevin_thibedeau]

Bathrooms are only mandatory in NYC with 20+ seats. Some places will have "staff only" bathrooms you can use if you're not obviously a junkie.