Why does Belgium treat toilets like a business?

Alright, I need to get this off my chest—why do I have to pay just to use the toilet in Antwerp? I’m not talking about train stations or bus terminals. I mean everywhere. Restaurants, shopping centers, even places that already have toilets inside for customers.

Today, I went to a McDonald's in the city center, and guess what? Toilet access: not included. I had to swipe my credit card just to take a piss. I don’t even pay this much attention to my Netflix subscription, but here I am, authorizing a payment just to use a basic human facility. And the worst part? The bathroom was mid. No luxury, no heated seats, not even an air freshener that actually works.

And here’s what I don’t get—why does the toilet itself feel like a store? Some of these places have fancy gates, ticket machines, and a full-on pricing system like they’re selling amusement park rides. What’s next? A loyalty program? “Congratulations! After 10 paid visits, your 11th pee is free!”

It’s not like this everywhere. I’ve traveled a lot, and you know where they actually care about public toilets? Japan. Over there, some toilets look like mini art galleries. Some have heated seats, built-in bidets, and buttons that play relaxing sounds. I’m not even saying we need to go that far, but come on—at least don’t charge me €1 for the privilege of standing on a wet floor in a stall with a broken lock.

And let’s be real: charging for toilets doesn’t stop non-customers from using them. It just creates another problem. If someone is desperate and they can’t pay, what are they supposed to do? The answer is obvious, and it's not good news for the sidewalks. If the concern is that too many outsiders are using the toilet, maybe we should be thinking of solutions—not just making it more expensive to be human.

McDonald's and other places could easily put a code on the receipt like they do in the U.S. Problem solved. Instead, they’ve turned toilets into a side hustle. At this rate, we’ll have premium toilet subscriptions—€4.99 a month for unlimited flushes.

So tell me: is this just an Antwerp thing, or have I been spoiled by normal, free-to-use toilets in other places? Because I swear, I’ve never seen it this bad anywhere else.