🏙 Reading the Economy in the City No. 107 - Convenience Store Restrooms
I only intended to borrow the restroom.
But,
before I knew it, I was buying tea at the register.
I wasn't even that thirsty.
Even so,
I felt a bit guilty about just leaving like that.
🚻 A Grateful Presence
When walking around town,
there are times I am saved by a convenience store restroom.
In the middle of a walk.
In the middle of a drive.
A sudden stomachache.
At times like that,
the sign that says
"Please feel free to use it" is truly a grateful presence.
🍵 Why I end up buying something
What's strange is
what happens after I'm done.
Of course,
there is no problem with leaving without buying anything.
But,
people end up picking up a drink or some gum.
It's not that I particularly wanted it.
It's just that
I feel a bit
guilty about leaving without giving anything back.
🌱 Things that used to be natural
I think that in the past,
there were quite a few people who felt that way.
When I borrow a restroom,
I buy a bottle of tea.
I buy a pack of gum.
It's not that anyone taught me to do so.
It's just that,
I think the feeling of,
'I should give a little back because they helped me out,' naturally kicked in.
🚧 Restrooms are disappearing
However, lately,
'Restroom use suspended'
'Restroom unavailable at night'
I've been seeing signs like these more often.
There isn't just one reason.
Labor shortages.
The burden of cleaning.
Security issues.
There must be various circumstances involved.
However, it also seems that a system maintained solely by goodwill is becoming difficult to sustain little by little.
💰 Transactions without price tags
Convenience stores let you use their restrooms.
People who use them
sometimes buy something on their way out.
This is not a contract.
It is not an obligation either.
However,
there are many such
"transactions without price tags"
in the city.
🏙 What convenience store restrooms teach us
When you think of the economy,
you might think of stock prices or interest rates.
But,
the city does not run on money alone.
Human goodwill.
A little bit of consideration.
A sense of mutual support.
Such invisible things
are also important resources that support the city.
If convenience store restrooms are decreasing,
it may not be a matter of facilities,
but a sign that our society
has changed a little.
[Short Column: A 150-yen 'Thank You Note']
Even though no one would blame you if you left the store right after using the restroom, you somehow find yourself picking up a bottle of tea and heading to the register.
That 150-yen tea might not be for quenching your thirst, but rather a small 'thank you note' to the store, saying, 'Thank you for your help.'
Every time I see the 'Restroom Closed' signs that have been increasing lately, I feel a little lonely, perhaps because I feel like one more person to whom I can give such a thank you note has disappeared from the city landscape.
📝 In Conclusion
This article is an attempt to decipher the mechanisms of the economy from the city landscape.
Even in convenience store restrooms, small amounts of trust and consideration that cannot be measured by money were hidden.
I hope you enjoyed this perspective.
Everything is summarized here👇
#EconomicsReadInTheCity
#ConvenienceStore
#BehavioralEconomics
#ReciprocityPrinciple
#ConsumerBehavior
#Sociology
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