Recently, numerous malls have sprouted like mushrooms! More than a decade ago, I was happy enough spending my rare after school stop over to Glorietta, Greenbelt and Landmark. No, we don't reside within Makat City, it's just that my mom used to work there. It was a habit informing my mom that I had a project, which must be submitted the next day. This trick paved way to my mall hopping activity. College got me acquainted with North Edsa's lone mall (for it is the nearest mall from UP Diliman). And, everything else is history.
Living atop a mountain made mall strolling a tedious hobby. I've never really became a mall rat. Thus, going to malls and watching movies made me very particular with almost every detail you could imagine.
I was astounded by the beauty of Gateway Mall when it was newly-built. I so like the varieties of restaurants, cafes, shops and boutiques in the mall. I preferred watching movie there than in any other malls. Conversely, my preference changed due to a major washroom issue of Gateway Mall.
Months ago, I noticed something is wrong. Oh, let me correct myself - very wrong! I don't know if consumers and movie goers ever complained about this. The Washroom. At first, the idea of having people pay for every visit to the washroom makes sense (for the first and second level). It could be due to "washroom -overuse"; by whom... uhm… It would be better to ask the Gateway Mall management. On the third level, same rule applies for every visit to the restroom - how much is it again? Php 5.00 (unsure)? I may be a budget scathed person, but I think this also makes sense since unnumbered passerby from the train stations may take advantage of the mall’s necessarium.
My very concern is the washroom on the cinema – level 5. The theaters are nice, the screens – yes, digital. Nonetheless, just the thought of you needing to walk more than 10 meters from the theater to the “common washroom” is simply annoying and honestly ridiculous!
Why on earth did Gateway Mall (Management, Owner, whoever!) ever think of having just a single washroom for all 9 cinemas? Can you imagine just how frustrating it is to feel the necessity to urinate and at the same time avoiding missing any indispensable part of the movie you’re watching?
Just this night, we watched Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. This is a movie, which any element I just couldn’t miss! Suddenly, here comes the inevitable call of nature! Geeze! First, I must gear myself up for more than 10-meter run to the washroom. Second, I must ensure it only takes me less than 3 minutes or else I might miss some essential parts of the movie. Third, as I leaped off my seat, my fingers were also crossed, hoping there’s no long queue of women waiting for an available cubicle. Finally, I reached the washroom. And, ka-boom! A lengthy queue, crowded and piss-smelling washroom welcomed my arrival.
A mall like no other mall... Agree - the only one I know of that doesn't have it's own washroom in each cinema! Beat that!
If there were restrooms in every cinema, there shouldn’t be any long queue on the floor’s one and only washroom (oh, make that 2 – the other one’s for male)! Better yet, there wouldn’t be any need of having an extra washroom outside cinemas since each has its own. I know Time Zone Arcade shares the floor with the rest of the theaters. But then again, wouldn’t Gateway Mall extend its service by simply having one in each theater? (Oh, goodness! I’m repeating myself! I hate being redundant; but with the way I see things going, redundancy is nothing compared to Gateway Cinema’s inexcusable disservice!
Gateway Mall Management, don’t you ever comprehend what I’m trying to point out here??? Didn’t you even consider these things from the very moment the mall was constructed – the very day the planning started?
Come on! We paid a bit more watching here compared to other cinemas; can’t Gateway Mall even provide us a little comfort by having a male and female washroom in each and every theater?! Is that too much to ask? You are one BUDGET-SCATHED establishment! Superficial beauty, a façade of superb facility – wouldn’t an inch of common sense with regard to the mall’s necessarium ever count?
Does Gateway Mall Management even internalize the inadequacy of their services?
3 Comments:
I feel for you, Zaideh! I don't watch movies in Gateway, but after reading this entry I don't think I ever will!
It's sucky customer service to NOT have restrooms in a cinema. It's one place that induces urination: it's cold, a movie can be long, people tend to drink beverages while watching.
I like watching in Greenbelt and Galleria because they even have speakers in their cinema restrooms. While you can't see the visuals, you can still hear what's going on in the movie...while answering the call of nature. Now THAT'S customer service!
Gateway, you SUCK BIG TIME. And pee-stinky restrooms? Ewwwwness!
You're agreeable up to the bone, AJness! I have just read a blog about how "CLASSY" Gateway Mall is... Oh, come on! After reading, I posted a comment about the cinemas... That blog was actually composed 2006... after 3 years, Gateway Mall had tarnished its beauty and had failed consumers' expectations.
BTW, the blog is of Ateneo English Block (hihihi) ;p
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