My iconic memory from my first trip to Paris was not seeing the Eiffel Tower at night, or viewing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. No it was the wonder of the public pay toilet.

For less than a euro one could relieve themselves in relatively clean, and by public toilet standards, palatial splendor.

Coming from New York where there is virtually no such thing as a public pay toilet it really was akin to stepping into a brand new world.

So where does the New York tourist with a tiny bladder, or even the local resident go when they need to, well, go?

That is an artform unto itself because most restaurants require a purchase to use the restroom. The easiest way, then is to hit up a local fast food chain and purchase the cheapest thing on the menu to get the bathroom code. If you’re cheap and fast you can avoid purchasing an item altogether snagging an entree from an exiting user.

This technique works best in crowded establishments.

But if you move a little slowly or you simply don’t want to pay there are other alternatives. I’ve hi-lighted some of your best options below:

• Starbucks by virtue of its sheer ubiquitous is the best bathroom around if you don’t want to buy anything. Unfortunately, ever yone in the city knows this and their bathrooms (especially in Union Square) can sometimes seem as though everyone in the city has traipsed through. Heavily trafficked and occasionally lacking in toilet paper, it’s best only to hit in a pinch.
• The bookstore chains Border and Barnes and Nobles b oth have publicly accessible bathrooms.
• Whole Foods also have public restrooms and no way of requiring a purchase.
• The following subway stations: Times Square, Grand Central and Penn Station have reliably open bathrooms.