Handwashing Sinks in Restaurant Dining Areas - Government Subsidy?

runtoparadise on 08/04/2020 - 12:53
Last edited 08/04/2020 - 13:42 by 1 other user

In many parts of Asia there will be a handwashing sink in the dining area of even McDonalds.

I don't understand why here we have to touch multiple doors to get to a sink, not to mention the high percentage of people who don't wash their hands after going to the toilet then touching all the handles I have to touch to get out. To me it kind of defeats the purpose of going in to wash your hands.

As we slowly adjust to a new normal and when businesses start reopening I wonder if installing handwashing sinks in these dining areas with perhaps compulsory handwashing prior to being seated would help foster consumer confidence and help the restaurant sector recover faster. Not to mention the public health benefit.

So I pose the question:

With all this stimulus money should the govt subsidise retrofitting handwashing sinks inside restaurant dining areas?
(EDIT: by compulsory I mean the provision of an accessible handwashing station in the main dining area not the physical act of washing hands)

Poll Options

• 1
  Yes and make it *compulsory*
• 2
  Yes and make it a recommended code of practice
• 1
  No but still make it *compulsory*
• 27
  No but make it a recommended code of practice
• 18
  Just no

• 

  Archi on 08/04/2020 - 13:21

  hand sink in the restaurant dining area with soap and towels. you cant trust people not to make a mess and get water all over the floor. just look at normal public bathrooms whether that be a shopping mall, office building or public park. people seem not to care. the onus is on you to keep your own hygiene.

  • 

    SnoozeAndLose on 08/04/2020 - 15:08

    some Nando store has this and i dont see at any time people are making a mess, make be the restaurant has people cleaning.

• 

  GG57 on 08/04/2020 - 13:25

  A much better solution would be for the availability of hot / damp cloths for customers, provided by a waiter when the customers are seated.
  I don't think I have seen anyone refuse one, when offered on flights etc.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 08/04/2020 - 18:17

    +1

    Those won't kill germs and viruses. They are pretty much useless.

• 

  SBOB on 08/04/2020 - 13:45

  +1

  accessible handwashing station in the main dining area

  For a takeaway/fast food place? sure, whatever..

  For an actual restaurant? thats going to kind of ruin the dining experience ;)

  • 

    mskeggs on 08/04/2020 - 14:07

    +4

    How about if we place a urinal beside so it was more convenient?

    • 

      Seraphin7 on 08/04/2020 - 15:06

      You mean you haven't rigged up a funnel with a bit of tubing that runs down the inside of your trouser leg yet?

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 08/04/2020 - 18:19

        A diy version of this?

        • 

          Seraphin7 on 10/04/2020 - 10:25

          @[Deactivated]: Yep, but with the tube running straight down the leg and out at the bottom. Just pull up at a gutter and you're sweet as.

• 

  JimmyF on 08/04/2020 - 13:49

  +1

  In many parts of Asia there will be a handwashing sink in the dining area of even McDonalds.

  Yes they do and yes they are amazing and should be everywhere

• 

  Emerald Owl on 08/04/2020 - 13:55

  +3

  I don’t understand why doors to enter toilets haven’t been made automatic yet, they are the exact doors which should be.

• 

  Chandler on 08/04/2020 - 14:11

  +1

  I don't see why all public/customer toilets can't be one of:

  1. accessed via a kinked walk-through (C-, L-, U-shaped) instead of doors; as you see regularly at shopping centres and cinemas

  2. have sinks/basins in the common area outside the male/female toilet access doors (if you don't just go for option # 1). I have seen this layout in some pubs/restaurants.

  No need for sinks/basins in the restaurant area, hot towels, or automatic doors.

  With option two, there's no need for more space for the toilets either, more a different layout as you're moving the sinks/basins out of the male/female toilets and into the common area. If anything you could see a reduction in required space as you could potentially provide less sinks basins (3 in total instead of 2 in male and 2 in female)

• 

  qwerty on 08/04/2020 - 15:16

  +1

  Hand santizer at entrances or on a table will work just as well and not need additional plumbing

• 

  try2bhelpful on 08/04/2020 - 15:48

  Ya know, I really can’t see any of the high end restaurants including a sink in their dining areas; kills the ambience a tad. If you are concerned about handling things then take the sanitiser with you.

  The advantage of being female is that we tend to get the “washing your hands after going to the loo” thing. I can’t remember seeing too many women go straight from the cubicle to the door.

  What I would like is for toilet hand washing areas to have hooks so I’ve got somewhere to hang my bags whilst I wash my hands.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 08/04/2020 - 18:09

    What I would like is for toilet hand washing areas to have hooks so I’ve got somewhere to hang my bags whilst I wash my hands.

    I've noticed that my wife and daughter tend to favour smaller, crossbody bags. It's more hands-free than some of the other types of bags I've seen.

    • 

      try2bhelpful on 08/04/2020 - 19:45

      I favour those as well but they can still slide around when washing and if I’m carrying shopping bags the only place is the ground.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 08/04/2020 - 20:23

        This is when having kids comes in handy. They look after the shopping bags while I quickly dash to the loo.Cats are cuter though.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 08/04/2020 - 17:47

  I would like my office to have a few more sinks.

  Can I vacate my office, start a restaurant business, get the subsidy, declare bankruptcy and revert to an office?

  Or better still, shouldn't I be able to get the subsidy since my requirements for a sink is pretty much the same as a restaurants? Ie. Hand hygiene is just as important.

• 

  pegaxs on 08/04/2020 - 20:35

  +2

  Been to Asia, seen these in restaurants. No, just no. I think these have to opposite of their intended purpose. I never saw a clean one anywhere. And Australians are pigs who cant even use a closed bathroom sink, so something like his has zero hope of staying neat, let alone clean.

  As for being mandatory… I think I threw up in my mouth a little…

• 

  Ughhh on 08/04/2020 - 20:44

  If people aren't gonna wash their hands after going to the toilets, what makes you think they suddenly will with sinks there. A lot of full grown adults need to be treated like a 5yo to maKe things happen, even then they'll say the policy is harsh and find loopholes.