A gym member paying $200 a month for a fitness studio was left frustrated after being denied access to the restroom because she was not taking a class that day.
The woman, who shared her experience on Reddit under the username CrazyFrogFan2000, explained that she had rushed through heavy traffic to attend a workout class, only to realize she had mistaken the day.
The class she intended to take was scheduled for Thursday, not Wednesday. However, a similar session was available later that day.
Access Denied
Since she had already arranged for a ride home and no longer planned to take a class, she simply asked to use the restroom before heading out. But the gym’s policy prevented her from doing so, as access to the facilities was restricted to those actively participating in a session that day.
“Mind you, I pay TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS a month for a membership to this place. And I can’t use the restroom,” she wrote in the post.
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Frustration Over Gym Policies
The post soon drew attention from other gym-goers and social media users, many of whom were baffled by the policy. Some argued that, given the high membership fees, restroom access should not be contingent on class participation.
As one Reddit user put it: “I’d probably have just gone to use the restroom anyway. And then canceled my membership on my way out.”
Another shared their own experience, stating: “Just that alone would make me cancel my membership.
“I used to have a gym membership to Planet Fitness when I lived near them and I would randomly pop into ones on my travels between school, work and home just to use the bathroom if needed. Heck, I’ve even popped in after a night out.”
While policies like these may seem extreme, they are not entirely uncommon. Many fitness centers implement strict rules regarding facility use, often buried in the fine print of membership agreements.
Customer Service and Membership Contracts
According to a report by Surveypal, poor customer service experiences can have long-term impacts on a business, with 60% of consumers stating they would leave a brand after just one bad experience.
Policies that feel unnecessarily rigid—such as denying restroom access to paying members—could potentially push customers toward more flexible competitors.
Additionally, canceling a gym membership can be notoriously difficult due to restrictive contract terms. As Men’s Journal explains, many fitness centers make it difficult for members to exit their contracts without facing penalties or lengthy cancellation processes.
Some require written notices or in-person visits, adding extra barriers for dissatisfied customers looking to leave.
The OP remarked in the thread that she frequents the fitness studio and hadn’t had any issues until that day.
“It’s just kinda the way the conversation flowed and the layout of the studio it made sense to ask about the bathroom,” she continued.
“I never would have thought the answer would be no.”
Newsweek has contacted CrazyFrogFan2000 comment via Reddit.
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