It's a pizza potty! Two Cities Pizza Co. in Mason is in the running to have America's Best Restroom.
Hosted by locally headquartered Cintas Corporation, the 20th-annual best bathroom contest "celebrates innovative and hygienic public restrooms across the country," per a release.
The top 10 finalists were selected based on qualities including cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design. Pretty potties in the running with our local toilet titan include a French Country-inspired port-a-potty in Santa Rosa, California; a private restroom in New York's JFK Airport’s Terminal 4; and Core24 GVL's gym bathroom in Greenville, South Carolina.
“We’ve got a diverse list of facilities from across the county vying for the title of America’s Best Restroom,” says Sean Mulcahey, marketing manager of Cintas. “The public is expecting a higher hygiene standard in public restrooms, and we’re proud to spotlight these unique restrooms that are well-maintained without sacrificing aesthetic quality.”
Now, that same public must vote for a winner. The contest runs through Aug. 20. The winner will be selected by public vote and receive $2,500 in "facility services or restroom cleaning from Cintas."
Two Cities Pizza Co., located in Mason's former Art Deco city hall, pays tribute to two dueling pizza metropolises: New York and Chicago. The menu offers the wide slices and oh-so-specific cheese New York 'za is known for, as well as satisfying Chicago deep dish. And its bathroom is modeled after a New York City subway station.
Here's how the Cintas write-up describes it:
Walking into Two Cities Pizza Company is nothing short of an experience. Two of America’s most iconic cities, New York and Chicago, live loudly in the decor and atmosphere of this concept restaurant. Taxis surround the building, steel girders line the ceiling, Wrigley Field is paid tribute to with an ivy wall and 400-foot marker, but the most talked about element of this brand aside from the pizza itself, is the New York City subway station. The restroom is fully outfitted with a subway platform, train car, station stops playing over the speaker, authentic subway handles above the sinks, and even graffiti on the walls. A properly taken selfie sent to a friend in New York is good enough to convince them you made a surprise visit to the Big Apple. Just make sure you get off at the right stop before your pizza gets cold.
For their part, Two Cities posted on social media that they hope to take home the win.
Past bathroom winners are listed in the Hall of Fame at bestrestroom.com/hall-of-fame. Last year's best lavatory was Bancroft Park's self-cleaning public restrooms in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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