restroom dilemma

We went to a nice place for brunch yesterday. The had one small restroom per person. The ladies room was out of toilet paper, but had a spare roll sitting on top of the toilet. There were no towels in the machine, but I found the roll sitting on the counter across the way. The garbage can was full and overflowing.

Here's my dilemma...this was around 11:15 before the big lunch rush hit. Should I have said something to anyone? (such as....your restroom needs attention?) If there had been an accident in there, I would have. I thought this reflected poorly on the place, but I didn't know if I should have said anything. What is your opinion?

[Robin Garr]

What is your opinion?

Interesting, issue, Linda. Bottom line, I think any good restaurateur would want to be informed about a service problem, and certainly a nicely phrased "I'm not complaining, but thought you would want to know" should be received well.

The problem, of course, is that some people don't like receiving anything perceived as criticism, and as the old saying goes, sometimes "No good deed goes un-punished."

I think I'd be more likely to mention it at a place where I was a regular or where it was obvious to me that service is important to them, and slightly less likely to mention it at a chain or a dive. But it's a judgment call, and bottom line, it's certainly a well-intended impulse.

What is your opinion?

I definitely think something should be said, probably worded much in the way Robin suggested " I'm not complaining, but . . ." If every one who sees the situation ignores it, it will never come to management's attention and be corrected. If the person ahead of you had mentioned it, it would've been corrected by the time you entered (or at least should have been).

Let them know...A lot of times they are not even aware of it because they usually have ther own rest rooms in the back....