I’ve been at a home desk for some time now, but there’s no forgetting all of the weird behavior I witnessed while working almost 20 years in the hospitality and restaurant industries. When people do their business (of all kinds) outside of their houses, well, one tends to do a lot of head shaking.
SnootyGlutie
One phenomena I witnessed during years of waitering was the increase in gluten-free diners. This trend made for a lot of awkward moments. Though probably changing, not all restaurants are prepared to serve these folk. And non gluten-free souls (chefs in particular) often hold a grudge against the gluten-free – thinking they’re out to ruin dinner for others or holding to a tricky diet that they don’t really need.
I had the good fortune to meet some wonderful people with Celiac disease that helped me overcome such general grumpiness. I hope they become familiar with SnootyGlutie. This resource helps diners find the best gluten-free dining and share information. It’s a “guide to help you plan for a glutie (gluten-free eater), without forgetting the snooty (non gluten-free eater)!”
I love how the clever and amusing name SnootyGlutie makes light of differing diets and suggests that the wheat divide doesn’t have to separate dinners with unlike diets. This could be a wonderful tool for businesses to advertise that they can accommodate gluten-free diets. SnootyGlutie also spares everyone the trouble of wondering where to eat, or showing up somewhere and wondering if there’s even anything possible to eat.
Cheers for someone tackling this thorny matter. Dining should be fun for everyone! Follow SnootyGlutie’s progress on Facebook and Twitter.
Restroom Rater
For a catchphrase that best embodies company philosophy, it’s gonna be tough to beat “We take our crap seriously” by Restroom Rater.
This app allows users to search and quickly find nearby restrooms, which are also rated based on factors such as “cleanliness, location, cost, accessibility, noise level, sink quality, atmosphere, smell and all other desired restroom qualities.” Basically, it’s a Yelp for public restrooms.
I’ll admit when I first read about the concept (after laughing at the catchphrase) I had a Do we really need this? reaction. Then I imagined thankful parents using Restroom Rater to find a clean changing station for their children. I pictured someone in a wheelchair spared the added discomfort of struggling to enter and use facilities, and was quickly won over.
We’ve all had revolting restroom encounters and can appreciate well-maintained bathrooms. Even in those moments when we don’t have the luxury of time to search for restrooms or choose where to pit stop – when we’re left at the mercy of the nearest restroom’s conditions – we might all benefit indirectly from Restroom Rater thanks to the social pressure reviews puts on establishments to keep clean facilities.
Cheers for helping us to avoid accidents unintentional and unattended. Visit getrestroomrater.com to join in the beta building. Restroom Rater is made by the team of Kyle Barber, Cameron Dearsley, and James Billingham, who previously built MVP Tracker, a “Tumblr for the world of sports.”
Healthy, safe, and sanitary – no better way to keep our public and private spaces!
