Public Toilets
For a world-class city with over eight million people, New York has a shocking lack of public toilets. If you plan to walk around for a few hours, you might want some helpful strategies before you set off:
Most restaurants and bars allow customers only to use their facilities. If you ask politely, some restaurants might allow you to use their bathroom, but do not automatically expect you will be warmly greeted and welcomed. Obviously if you have a health problem, you might want to plead your case as it will probably be persuasive!
Starbucks, McDonalds and other fast-food restaurants in Manhattan generally have clean bathrooms that are easy to find and not problematic to use. Museums, public libraries and some parks have toilets, but nearly all subway stations do not.
Many tourists wonder about the lack of public toilets, and New Yorkers do as well. For 15 years the City Council and mayor have made alternating proposals and counterproposals. But as yet, only a handful of public toilets, operated by JCDecaux, have been built, due to apparently endless complications.