Try walking 50 blocks looking for a place that will let you use the bathroom without buying something. Sound like fun? NY City. The concrete jungle. Ground zero. Home of the busiest, loudest, most indifferent people on earth. Of course, you can take a naked yoga class at 4am, which is a bonus.
I know what you mean. At least coffee doesn't cost that much and what a small price to pay at McDonald's. What I do is buy one and that pays for X amount of times for the use of their facilities.
travelstar... Hope you don't live in NY. If you do then you should move... That kinda attitude certainly doesn't do much to help all your complaints...
If all you have is complaints about NY then you're not hanging out in the right places... Or you're not the type of person who should be living here...