Name: Pinocchio's Restaurant
Website: http://www.pinpizza.com/
Type: Restaurant
Location: Media, PA
Occupancy: Single
Porcelain: One toilet
Pinocchio's is what we like to call a "hidden gem". The food is completely outstanding, there's never a ridiculous wait, and the beer list is gigantic. The only real downside is that parking can be hard to come by, but luckily the meters in Media don't matter after 6 pm. This joint also has the distinction of serving my favorite wings in the entire world. So then, how does the bathroom stack up against the rest of the place?
Cleanliness
I noticed two things when using this bathroom. First, the smell was actually somewhat pleasant, a rarity for vent-less single rooms. Second, the fly that was there last time had left or died. If I had started this site by that point, it would have been immediate grounds for disqualification. Luckily, the problem has been resolved.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Privacy
So, single rooms are always great. Add on to that the fact that the bathrooms are in a secluded hallway that can't be heard at the nearby tables (I have tested this on both ends), and you have an ideal situation.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Flushing
Standard and functional.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Dryers
Bad news: they have opted for air dryers. Also, they fall into the annoyingly-common conundrum of having a trash can but nothing to throw in it. What gives? They put the dryer over the sink, which DOES eliminate unsightly spills, but overall it is just unacceptable.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Mirrors
There is one small mirror over the sink. You might accept this given how small the room is, but I have seen much nicer mirror situations in similar rooms.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Music
WHY does no one have overhead music these days? Sheesh.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Reviewer Tilt
I give Pinocchio's a half-point of tilt for putting a good lock on the door. That may seem minor, but broken or weak locks can cause privacy invasion anxiety in several customers (or just me).
Result: .5 points
Score: 3.5 out of 7 (50.0%)
What This Means For You: I will go as far as to push a 50/100 score into "recommended" territory My qualms are mainly cosmetic, whereas the logistics of a clean and working bathroom are completely covered. Congratulations, Pinocchio's! You do not fail the toilet test.
Showing posts with label single. Show all posts
Showing posts with label single. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Fresco Pizza & Grill: Newtown Square, PA
Name: Fresco Pizza & Grill
Website: http://www.frescopizzagrill.com
Type: Restaurant
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Occupancy: Single
Porcelain: One toilet
Fresco is a nice, relatively new grille in Newtown Square. It's tucked away in a weird new shopping center by the intersection of West Chester Pike and 252. I particularly enjoyed their burger the last time I went there. But you can read that information elsewhere. Let's get to the bathroom.
Cleanliness
The bathroom here is quite clean. I didn't notice any "hourly cleaning checklist" that you sometimes see, but you can tell it's maintained on a regular basis. I saw no toilet paper or towels on the ground, nor were there spills of any kind on the ground.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Privacy
The room is single occupancy, which I tend to prefer. There is a Catch-22 with the location, though: the bathrooms are tucked in a very narrow hallway to the left of the kitchen. The upside is that you are secluded from the eating area, so that neither party (diners and bathroomers) will disturb each other. The downside is that the hallway is quite cramped, so you end up having to form a single line for the women's and men's rooms. This makes for several awkward glances and remarks. You also have to do the walk of shame past everybody once you're done your business. However, the overall hidden feeling and comfort that it brings overwhelms the discomfort of people waiting for you to wrap it up.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Flushing
The flush is a typical lever mechanism. It worked as expected, and the flush was substantial but not overpowering.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Dryers
Fresco uses a "wave your hand around like an idiot until the towels come out" device. Thankfully they use towels at all, instead of those awful air-powered pieces of junk. The trash can is small, but they make up for it with the overall frequent maintanence, so it doesn't overflow.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Mirrors
Being a single occupancy, there is only one mirror, expectedly positioned above the sink. My memory may be failing me, but I recall it being tilted downward. Still, it didn't give you many options for checking your entire head-to-toe appearance, which is unfortunate.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Music
If there was any music playing, it was bled-through from the main dining area. For shame, Fresco! This was made slightly better by the fact that no one could hear you anyway since you're in a little hallway, but anyone waiting their turn outside is sure to get some collateral noise.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Reviewer Tilt
The toilet paper is on this small, free-standing spinner that was quite classy. I didn't see any spare rolls around, but they seem to keep up the place on a regular basis, so I can't imagine it being a problem TOO often. Also, there was a handy Lysol spray bottle sitting next to the door, which I rarely see in public facilities. The decor was bright and high-class, making for an enjoyable atmosphere. I hate when you go to a nice restaurant and the bathroom makes you feel like you just pulled over from the highway in New Jersey. I can't give my highest marks, but it was still a nice upgrade from your average john.
Result: .5 points
Score: 4.5 out of 7 (64.2%)
What This Means For You: I would definitely recommend the bathrooms at Fresco. The warm atmosphere made up for the annoyance of the small hallway. No one was waiting for me when I was done, but I could hear the guy before me and I didn't like it. If they added a bigger mirror and some overhead music, this bathroom would get the highest of honors. For now, it is simply above average.
Website: http://www.frescopizzagrill.com
Type: Restaurant
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Occupancy: Single
Porcelain: One toilet
Fresco is a nice, relatively new grille in Newtown Square. It's tucked away in a weird new shopping center by the intersection of West Chester Pike and 252. I particularly enjoyed their burger the last time I went there. But you can read that information elsewhere. Let's get to the bathroom.
Cleanliness
The bathroom here is quite clean. I didn't notice any "hourly cleaning checklist" that you sometimes see, but you can tell it's maintained on a regular basis. I saw no toilet paper or towels on the ground, nor were there spills of any kind on the ground.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Privacy
The room is single occupancy, which I tend to prefer. There is a Catch-22 with the location, though: the bathrooms are tucked in a very narrow hallway to the left of the kitchen. The upside is that you are secluded from the eating area, so that neither party (diners and bathroomers) will disturb each other. The downside is that the hallway is quite cramped, so you end up having to form a single line for the women's and men's rooms. This makes for several awkward glances and remarks. You also have to do the walk of shame past everybody once you're done your business. However, the overall hidden feeling and comfort that it brings overwhelms the discomfort of people waiting for you to wrap it up.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Flushing
The flush is a typical lever mechanism. It worked as expected, and the flush was substantial but not overpowering.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Dryers
Fresco uses a "wave your hand around like an idiot until the towels come out" device. Thankfully they use towels at all, instead of those awful air-powered pieces of junk. The trash can is small, but they make up for it with the overall frequent maintanence, so it doesn't overflow.
Result: PASS (1 point)
Mirrors
Being a single occupancy, there is only one mirror, expectedly positioned above the sink. My memory may be failing me, but I recall it being tilted downward. Still, it didn't give you many options for checking your entire head-to-toe appearance, which is unfortunate.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Music
If there was any music playing, it was bled-through from the main dining area. For shame, Fresco! This was made slightly better by the fact that no one could hear you anyway since you're in a little hallway, but anyone waiting their turn outside is sure to get some collateral noise.
Result: FAIL (no points)
Reviewer Tilt
The toilet paper is on this small, free-standing spinner that was quite classy. I didn't see any spare rolls around, but they seem to keep up the place on a regular basis, so I can't imagine it being a problem TOO often. Also, there was a handy Lysol spray bottle sitting next to the door, which I rarely see in public facilities. The decor was bright and high-class, making for an enjoyable atmosphere. I hate when you go to a nice restaurant and the bathroom makes you feel like you just pulled over from the highway in New Jersey. I can't give my highest marks, but it was still a nice upgrade from your average john.
Result: .5 points
Score: 4.5 out of 7 (64.2%)
What This Means For You: I would definitely recommend the bathrooms at Fresco. The warm atmosphere made up for the annoyance of the small hallway. No one was waiting for me when I was done, but I could hear the guy before me and I didn't like it. If they added a bigger mirror and some overhead music, this bathroom would get the highest of honors. For now, it is simply above average.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
