Restrooms and Facilities Available During MetLife Tailgates

It is the most unglamorous but vital question of any tailgate: Where do you go to the bathroom when you are standing in a parking lot for four hours? MetLife Stadium accommodates 80,000 fans, and managing restroom facilities in the lots is a massive logistical operation. Knowing where to find them—and when to use them—will save you immense frustration.

The Porta-John Infrastructure

The MetLife parking lots do not feature permanent, plumbing-equipped restroom buildings. Instead, the lots are serviced by hundreds of portable toilets (commonly called "Porta-Johns" or "Porta-Potties"). These are grouped in massive banks ("islands") located at the edges of the various parking sections and along the main pedestrian walkways. They are cleaned prior to the event, but they degrade in quality rapidly as kickoff approaches.

Survival Strategies

• Bring Your Own Supplies:

  By the second hour of the tailgate, toilet paper in the portable units becomes scarce. Always pack a roll of toilet paper and a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer in your vehicle or clear bag.

• Hand Washing Stations:

  There are usually free-standing hand washing stations with foot pumps located near the largest banks of portable toilets. However, the water frequently runs out, making personal hand sanitizer mandatory.

• The Stadium Gates Trick:

  Once the stadium gates open (usually two hours before kickoff), you can scan your ticket and use the pristine, air-conditioned restrooms inside the concourse. However, remember that MetLife has a strict "no re-entry" policy. Once you go in, you cannot return to the tailgate.

Plan your bathroom breaks strategically. The lines for the portable toilets peak approximately 45 minutes before kickoff as everyone tries to empty their bladders before heading to the gates.