‘Use the restroom without ordering, 2,000 won.’ ‘Restroom use’ has appeared on a cafe menu, not coffee or dessert.

Recently, the kiosk menu of a cafe was shared on a domestic online community and drew attention. A menu option for using only the restroom without ordering, a ‘restroom pass,’ was posted. Although this is a case from some stores, it plainly shows a change emerging in today’s small business sector.

Until now, restrooms were close to ‘free infrastructure.’ They could be used at cafes and restaurants without particular restrictions. However, the situation is changing quickly. Recently, most cafes have installed door locks on restrooms and print the passwords on receipts. In effect, they are drawing a clear line that they are ‘for paying customers only.’ Turning it into a ‘2,000 won paid menu item’ is an extreme case, but conflicts over restroom use are not unfamiliar.

Behind this change lies the issue of cost. This is why the debate over free restroom use cannot simply be seen as a matter of generosity. Restrooms require ongoing maintenance costs for water, electricity, cleaning staff, and consumables. On top of that, unauthorized use and prolonged occupancy by some people have combined to make it an area that small business owners feel they must control.

A similar trend is seen overseas. One of the customs that most startles Korean travelers first is ‘paid restrooms.’ In Europe, including Germany, France, and Italy, it is common to pay 0.5~2 euros (about 700~3,000 won) to use public restrooms. At train stations and tourist sites, turnstile-style restrooms that require coins are common, and some cafes also restrict use by non-customers.

However, the European cases are not simply about whether they are ‘paid or free.’ As tourist numbers increase, the costs of everyday infrastructurerestrooms, waste disposal, cleaning, and safetyrise as well, and the focus is on who should bear them.

Venice, Italy imposes an ‘access contribution’ on day-trippers, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands collects a tourist tax from overnight guests and cruise visitors. These funds are used for city maintenance and repairs, public services, and tourism infrastructure management. Restroom management is likewise included as part of this public infrastructure. Operating models vary. Brussels, Belgium runs free ‘welcome restrooms’ in partnership with private businesses, and some regions in Germany reimburse cleaning and management costs when businesses open their restrooms to the public. In Paris, France, restrooms in public transportation are sometimes open only to those with tickets. It is a structure that mixes conditional access with public support, rather than being completely free or entirely pay-to-use.

Analysts say Korea, too, has entered a phase of ‘paid use discussion’ around restrooms. Experts say it is difficult to see this phenomenon merely as a cultural shift of ‘disappearing warmth.’ Heo Jun, a professor at Dongduk Women’s University, noted, “The costs of tourism infrastructure that residents and small business owners have silently shouldered are now coming to the surface.” Although the increase in tourists has raised costs for restrooms, waste, cleaning, and safety, the burden has been concentrated on the private sector.

Professor Heo particularly emphasized, “The core issue is not whether to charge, but who bears the costs and where the funds go.” Because restrooms are basic sanitary infrastructure, at least minimal free access should be guaranteed in the public domain; however, if use becomes excessively concentrated on specific private facilities, charging a preannounced fee can be entirely reasonable. He explained, “It is desirable for local governments to secure basic public restrooms, have non-resident visitors share costs in the form of a tourist tax or environmental contribution, and use those funds to reimburse cleaning, consumables, and management costs for open restrooms in cafes and shopping areas.”

Policy is in fact moving in this direction as well. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety distinguishes and manages public restrooms, open restrooms, and paid restrooms, among others. As of 2024, there are around 78,000 public restrooms nationwide, of which about 27,000 are open restrooms. This shows that restroom use is no longer an area that relies only on ‘pure goodwill,’ but has entered an institutional realm where public management and cost sharing operate together.

More important than the debate over whether a 2,000 won restroom fee is appropriate is the structure of who bears the costs. The issue is how much tourists and users should share the costs of everyday infrastructure, and how those funds should be allocated. Professor Heo advised, “The debate over charging for restrooms in the private sector is a kind of signal appearing as Korean destinations move toward becoming advanced tourist destinations,” adding, “The central government and local governments should use this signal to consider ways for society and tourism to develop sustainably together.”