Why no rule of thumb
Why a single figure rarely fits
Many rules of thumb along the lines of “one toilet per so many visitors” circulate on the internet. We deliberately do without them.
Such formulas sound practical but ignore decisive differences between events. A multi-day open-air festival with continuous drinks service has a different need from a two-hour corporate reception, even if both have the same number of visitors. A street festival with an audience that changes over the course of the day also differs considerably from an event where most guests stay in the same place for hours.
Instead of a figure that in a particular case provides too little or unnecessarily much capacity, we recommend working out the need from the actual conditions of your event, together with us or at least with the following guiding questions as a starting point.
The most important influencing factors
- Number of visitors and how many people are on site at the same time (not just the total over the day)
- Duration of the event and whether there are fixed programme items with breaks
- Food and drink on offer, especially alcohol
- Audience structure, for example families, sports fans or a professional audience
- Routing and whether the area has several zones with their own visitor flows
- Weather and season, as they can influence drinking behaviour
Routing and choice of location
Even with a sufficient total number of units, queues can form if all the toilets stand at a single point on the event site. It is often more sensible to spread several smaller locations across the area, guided by the visitor flows, for example near the stage, the catering area and the entrances and exits. Use is then spread more evenly and waiting times drop noticeably.
The right mix of products
Beyond the sheer number, it is worth looking at the composition: an accessible toilet cabin is usually part of the basic provision at public and semi-public events. Hand-wash stations raise the hygiene standard noticeably, especially in combination with catering. With very high visitor numbers, urinal stands relieve the cabins at peak times, for example right after a stage performance. Read more in the article “Toilet cabin or toilet trailer?”.
Plan with a reserve
As actual visitor numbers and length of stay can rarely be predicted exactly, we recommend not planning to the limit. A small reserve of capacity cushions fluctuations, for example when a programme item starts late or more guests arrive than registered. At larger events it can also make sense to add units at short notice if, during set-up, it becomes apparent that the area will be used more heavily than planned.
For larger projects
When a question turns into a sanitary concept
As soon as several locations, service windows and product types come together, joint planning pays off.
At major events with several thousand visitors, the question “how many toilets?” quickly becomes a question of the entire sanitary logistics: where do which clusters stand, when are they serviced and how does restocking work during the event? You will find details on our page for major events.
Frequently asked questions
Is there no simple rule of thumb such as one toilet per X guests?
We deliberately do without such formulas. Events differ too much in drinks service, length of stay, audience structure and area for a single figure to fit every case. A blanket figure would provide too little capacity at some events and unnecessarily much at others.
What influences the need most?
In our experience the number of visitors, the duration of the event, the food and drink on offer and the routing have the greatest effect. The audience itself plays a role too: families with children, sports fans or an after-work event all make different demands.
Should I always plan an accessible toilet cabin?
For public and semi-public events this is usually sensible and often part of the requirements of the event concept or the responsible authority. We recommend clarifying it early rather than booking it at the last minute before the event.
What happens if I plan too few units?
Too few toilets lead to queues that guests notice and that can quickly spoil the overall impression of an event. It therefore pays to plan with a little reserve and, if in doubt, to add units at short notice.
How do I best involve W&W in the planning?
The most efficient way is a short conversation with the key facts of your event: location, duration, approximate number of visitors, drinks service and special requirements. From that we work out with you a suitable combination of cabins, hand-wash stations and, where needed, urinal stands.