I wanted to nominate the Red Top Restaurant management for a Nobel prize. Unfortunately, there is no nomination category for their contribution. Maybe I could nominate them for the Order of Canada. Nah, there’s nothing there either.
I guess management will have to settle for me tipping my hat and buying them a cup of coffee for their efforts.
The Red Top restaurant has seen some renovations over the last while. The same diner motif is present. There is a red vinyl upgrade to the booth seats and some spiffy new carpet. A number of booths have been replaced with tables and chairs. Now a group of people larger than four, can join tables and sit together.
The staff are always friendly and welcoming. The food is great. The fish and chips are my staple. This Newfie always welcomes the quintal (I exaggerate the portion) serving of fish they put on a plate. It is not those fish cheek size chunks that some places offer as a serving of fish.
Why the award endeavour for Red Top management you ask? It is for the great contribution to humanity that they have made in their bathrooms. The door stop doubles as a door opener.
Before you click away from this story because you feel you have wasted your time, suspend judgment for a moment. You don’t have to use your hands to open the bathroom door when you exit. They have door stoppers that can be used to pull open the door with your foot and not your hand.
As a result, there is no more having to put your hands on the door handle, no more having to find a place to throw the paper towel you used to grip the door handle or using your coat sleeve to grasp the door handle in an attempt to keep those clean hands clean.
Don’t get me wrong, the Red Top is above reproach on being clean. I have witnessed in my dining travels, that a number of males and kids avoid the sinks after visiting the loo. It’s the reason I avoid touching public washroom door handles. At the Red Top there is no need to touch the petri dish door handle because the double function door stopper lets my foot pull open the door with ease.
Hey maybe this scribble might make it up on the new wall of fame at the restaurant. The back wall of the restaurant between the washrooms is where they have moved the autographed pictures of celebrities that have visited. I am willing to provide a gilded frame.
An award for installing a device to open bathroom doors is a bit much. The renovations sure did spruce-up the palace. It seems management was focused on improvements for their customers.
This article originally appeared in the Lance Community Newspaper.
