The Problem: People Using Restaurant Toilet Facilities Without Visiting the Restaurant
It happens in all large cities, usually in the vicinity of large transportation hubs and other highly frequented places. Some people might be tempted to use toilets of highly frequented restaurants in the area not just for their original purpose but also as a shelter from the rain and cold. They might use the sinks to wash themselves and their clothes, some might even sleep there, or use the premises to generally hang out. In worst-case scenarios, some use the toilets for activities bordering on criminal.
Toilet facilities in fast food chains are often subjected to such treatment. With a large number of visitors, the staff is busy behind the counter, unable to monitor toilet users and take action when something is off.
A paid access solution has proved itself a very effective remedy against letting the restaurant toilet facilities become a refuge for the homeless.
The general feedback we get from our Italian distributor is along these lines:
- the number of unwanted visitors shrank to nothing,
- restaurant visitors are not deterred by the toilet facilities,
- maintenance of the toilets requires less time, cleaning supplies, and ultimately — costs are saved,
- on top of that, the solution generates a pleasant income for the restaurant.
Problem Resolution: Paid Access Solution
The EasyGate SPA speed gates (as well as our other paid access solutions) guard access to the toilets while providing an intuitive and smooth payment option.
The EasyGate line provides the highest level of security. All speed gates are equipped with high-precision optical sensors which detect all attempts at unauthorised access; setting off an alarm whenever they spot anyone who tries to tailgate, climb over, or crawl under the gates.
Apart from securing their designated space, our clients appreciate the durability, longevity, and reliability of the EasyGate line. The speed gates have 25 mil. MCFB (Mean Cycles Before Failure) Magnetic Motor Drives, very long-lasting and low-maintenance. They operate quietly and smoothly, and we put great emphasis on users’ safety (the glass wings open quickly and close only when the user has safely and thoroughly passed through).
Smooth user experience is a quality that could also be assigned to the actual payment. Our solution offers many payment options which can be combined if the client wishes so:
- coin validator with cashback,
- contactless card payment,
- token validator,
- QR code scanner (for voucher redemption).
In many facilities, clients like to combine the payment solution with a thermal printer to provide coupons for visitors to be used at the counter as partial payment.
The Installation
The first EasyGate SPA for this particular fast food chain was installed in Florence. Its installation had to overcome a few challenges — namely, narrow space. Our Italian distributor succeeded in finding a way to fit the speed gates’ cabinets in a very small space. (At the time of the installation, the EasyGate SPA was the only available option; later on, more space-efficient paid access solutions were added to our portfolio.)
“Options of paid access solutions have become wider now, which is very good for us. There’s even the wall paybox option which takes up literally no space at all,” appreciates our Italian partner — CODARINI.
They are talking about Door SPA solution, a paybox on a wall that works as a paid access solution. Upon paying the toilet fee (in cash or by card), users get a printed receipt with a QR code which then opens the speed gate/turnstile/door to the restrooms when scanned by the EasyScan reader.
Use Cases
Our paid access solutions have been popular mostly for train and bus stations, gas stations and shopping centres by far. This case study shows that their range is much wider in fact. Apart from fast food chains, we see great potential in self-serviced all-you-can-eat restaurantsand bistros — where users pay a lump sum at the entrance, upon which the speed gate/turnstile lets them in the restaurant where they can, as the name suggests, eat all they can.
Customers who want to take their paid access solution to the next level get our Pay2Go application. Available from any device connected to the facility’s network, the app enables its users to:
- monitor the traffic flow,
- manage the settings (the fee, times of operation, etc.),
- get reports, including the total of the collected fee.
Does a paid access solution actually pay off? Here’s a detailed article on How Paid Access Solutions Generate Income. >>
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