I saw a “Seinfeld” episode in which “George” needs to use a (stationary public) “pay phone”…when’s the last time you used a pay phone (and why)?

[Anonymous]

Picture from a scene in a “Seinfeld” episode

Note: per the following link…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payphone

“A payphone (alternative spelling: pay phone) is typically a coin-operated public telephone, often located in a telephone booth or in high-traffic outdoor areas…”

A - I have NEVER EVEN SEEN A PAY PHONE anywhere In Real Life

B - I’ve seen a pay phone In Real Life, but I have NEVER USED A PAY PHONE

C - I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN I last used a pay phone

D - It was OVER 10 years ago — I know because I recall the occasion/reason (on a vacation, at the airport, etc.) for which I last used a pay phone

E - It was UNDER 10 years ago — I know because I recall the occasion/reason (on a vacation, at the airport, etc.) for which I last used a pay phone

Updates

1 y

For those who provide/have provided an opinion, please also cast a vote in this question’s poll

[MrOracle]

I'm not positive, but I suspect it was '94 or '95, when I was delivering pizza and before cell phones were common enough for most people to have. If we couldn't find an address, we had to find a pay phone and call the customer for directions. I bought my first - analog - cell phone in September of 1996 when I was working in IT, but I might have used a pay phone at an airport while traveling sometime after that, because my cell phone only had a California (or maybe just Bay Area?) coverage plan.

I've ran into a few working pay phones here and there around the Bay Area, but I haven't had a need to use one in forever. Most of the old booths and stands are gone, but occasionally you'll still see a stand or even a phone body someplace that's been out of service for decades - usually missing the receiver.

Pay phones were common and all over the place for decades, but around 2000, most people had a cell phone (almost always some kind of flip phone), and pay phones started going out of service. Mostly they weren't removed right away - rather they stopped working and were never repaired, but sat around for a decade or more before they were finally removed.

[Asker]

Thanks for the detail you provided.
Makes sense how you had to handle the “can’t find the address” problem back then.

How did you vote in the poll to this question—D?

[MrOracle]

I voted D - It was definitely over a decade ago. And, yeah, not only did we rely on pay phones, but our "GPS" was a Thomas Guide map book - and because the towns were still being built out, you had to buy a new one every year.

[Asker]

Ok.
Cool on the map book thing…yes, that’s what we had to use before GPS & smart phones.

[Likes2drive]

21 years ago I think, I was calling my ex wife when I was in queens when 911 happened

[Asker]

Wow. So your call went through…because of the call volume going through the roof after that terrible event, did that call drop off?

[Likes2drive]

No it was more reliable than a cellphone since one of the towers had a big antenna that came down with the towers

[Asker]

Oh ok. I thought the landlines were swamped and became unusable after a while too.

[Likes2drive]

I had a work cell phone but that wasn’t very reliable at the time because of everybody calling somebody at the same time

[Likes2drive]

I still see some pay phones inside of buildings but I don’t know if they even work anymore and I got a couple of old pay-phones myself in storage

[Asker]

I see.
You have owned pay phone machines? (why?)

[Likes2drive]

Just as a show peace and it only receives

[Asker]

Oh ok

[Aerissa_Jade]

They are still around here, usually in shitty condition... but mainly cause cell service is spotty. Not too common though, I used on a few years ago in area with no coverage.

[Asker]

Ok. Where was it at—maybe at a restaurant, gas station, or rest stop?

[Aerissa_Jade]

Truck stop and rest area.

[Asker]

Ok, how often is cell service out/very poor where you are?

[Aerissa_Jade]

I can't even get it at home and places I can, 1 to 3 bars. Lots of mountains, but usually a 20 min drive and I have service. Cell phone companies don't want to put towers for only a hand full of customers, same reason we have crappy internet. No one wants to run expensive fiber out for only a few dozen homes.

[DubiousIntentions]

I haven't seen a pay phone in ages - to be fair I haven't looked for one either.

[Asker]

Cool old ad.
How did you vote in the poll to this question?

[DubiousIntentions]

I voted A

[Asker]

Hmm…
”A” means you have NEVER SEEN a play phone, but “I haven't seen a pay phone in ages” means you HAVE SEEN a pay phone but that was a long time ago.

[NamerOfStars]

I haven't USED one in probably twenty years, maybe more. I saw one just last year outside of a pizza place, with a sticker that said "Yes, this is a pay phone; yes, it still works". I didn't have anyone to call at the time, though, so I just took a picture.

[Asker]

Ok, very interesting, thanks for responding.

[Chazmatazz269]

It’s been years since i’ve used a coin operated pay phone. I don’t remember how long it’s been with any specificity. It’s been years since i’ve even seen one, actually. They’re still quite practical for users, just not for phone companies. They don’t bring in enough money to offset the repairs and replacement due to abuse, vandalism and theft. In short, if people weren’t complete trash, pay phones would still be more prevalent. Ell oh ell!

[Asker]

I agree. So did you vote C?

[ArrowheadSW]

I remember that Seinfeld episode! LOL...

About ten years ago, my friend from college and I met up at a Homecoming at the University that we went to. We took a tour of the old dorm. The resident giving us the tour asked us what these old closet-like features were. We said that was where the payphones used to be! He looked confused... LOL

[Asker]

That’s too funny!…how did you vote in the poll to this question?

[ArrowheadSW]

Letter D...

[Asker]

Did you actually use a pay phone then, or did you just see “where the payphones used to be” at the university you went to?

[ArrowheadSW]

The payphones were there, when I was there. However I don't recall specifically how I made phonecalls back home. It was before the days when cellphones were prevalent. I remember after my first year sharing a phone with a roommate and tallying up the bill every month. It is interesting to look back to those years regarding telecommunications.

[Asker]

Ok. Yeah, it’s crazy to think how much we used to spend per month on phone bills, when compared to today’s “unlimited minutes-included” cheaper cell phone bills.

[ArrowheadSW]

Oh yeah definitely. Back then it really wasn't thought of that you could one day, make free long distance calls!

Not sure how I called home my first semester. I do recall writing letters though.

[Asker]

Ok.
What’s really cool to me is that you can nowadays see the “speed of light in action” when sending text messages almost-instantaneously around the world. Also interesting that before there were pagers & cell phones, kids were basically mostly off on their own and unreachable to family & friends.

[ArrowheadSW]

Oh yeah for sure. You couldn't just "call anyone" no matter where they were, like you can today.

[Asker]

Yeah, and it was harder back then for parents to keep tabs on their kids (and/or parents didn’t feel like they needed to so much).

[Guy13]

2005 there was a phone booth receiving coins and making calls. It was at a central location in Downtown in what we call First Neighborhood.

It became the spot all drug calls were made from. Then, it was removed and probably in some museum somewhere,

[Asker]

What were you using that pay phone for, and why do you remember it was 2005 when you used it?

And can you vote D in the poll?

[Guy13]

I never used it but I remember it. I lived in the Historic District where it was. Civil War graves homes up to 1875 Neighborhood.

[Asker]

Oh, so maybe your vote should have been B then

[Guy13]

Happy now 😎

[Asker]

How did you vote in the poll?

[flautistnaturist]

The last working pay phone used by me was almost ten years ago in Indianapolis by the street corner side of a parking lot for a convenient store or something, for a quarter (an unheard of value at that time).

[flautistnaturist]

At the time, it was to make contact with family. There is curiosity with me if the pay phone is still there, if it's now in service, and what the going rate is now to use it.

[Asker]

You didn’t have a cell phone to use in like 2013?

[flautistnaturist]

at times yes, at times no. cell phones are practically big brother spy machine, tracking dog collars. if we get to where we presume presence of a person = presence of a cell phone, as a way of life, we're through. survivors of the coming overconfidence in mankind's use of tech will almost certainly be back to basics oriented

[WindAtMyBack]

The last time I used a pay phone was approximately 2005-2008. I locked my keys in the car and called someone to help me get in. The last time I saw a pay phone was probably within a year or two after that.

[Asker]

Where were you at and why were you there/what were you doing when you locked your keys in the car?

[WindAtMyBack]

It was at the grocery store.

[Asker]

Ok. So how did you get the keys out?…did your wife bring the spare key to open the door?

[WindAtMyBack]

Lol. I was being stupid. I called my sister. But then realized the car had the push-button code on the door. I didn't think I had the code written anywhere but checked in my wallet and it was written down. So I got myself out and my sister didn't have to drive ten miles to bring another set of keys. I called her back and got lucky that she hadn't left yet.

Just out of curiosity I looked up when the last pay phones were removed. The last one in NYC was removed just this year. I couldn't find anything current, but as of 2019 there were an estimated 100K pay phones in the US. They are probably mostly in remote areas where it doesn't make sense to have install cells.

[Asker]

Oh ok, I’ve seen cars w the door code openers.

Just this year, and 100 k still in the USA, huh? Wow…But yeah, there are some people on this question who have mentioned having/needing pay phone out in the country areas where they live.

[WindAtMyBack]

The 100K was in 2019. This year was the last one in NYC. I can't find anything on how many pay phones are around today.

In the cities the number is decreasing fast. In remote areas it will be years, decades or maybe never before they have cell coverage. A lot of places didn't have land lines either, and maybe still don't. Before cell phones, I lived somewhere myself that had land line phones, but didn't have TV, Radio or cable coverage. You need a certain population density for that stuff to be viable.

[Asker]

Oh ok.
No tv? How did you get by each day? Lol

[WindAtMyBack]

You have to get used to that lifestyle. Nobody is going to entertain you. You're completely on your own. You keep busy working, or going to town every now and then, or going back in the hills to hike, fish, pan for gold, or whatever. Or we'd just sat around shooting the shit. It's not a lifestyle for someone who needs to be constantly distracted.

Almost the entire history of humanity was like that. Some places still are.

We could also rent movies and watch them, but we didn't do a lot of that. Some rich people had satellite TV, but back then it was very expensive. I think it cost something like $25-30K just to install it, plus a monthly fee (adjusted for inflation).

There were no police either. There was, but they might be a half hour or more away.

[Asker]

Sounds very rustic…turn of the (20th) century-like.
No distractions…you had beer, right?

[WindAtMyBack]

Lol. Yes we had beer, and wine and whiskey. This was also in an area known for growing large amounts of weed in the surrounding valleys, or in grow bags indoors. The area had a lot of 60s dropouts who collected welfare and sat around doing nothing but drink beer and smoke weed all day.

There was a small commune nearby. One time they had a reggae band play there. It was free so a few of us went to see them. The air inside was so thick with smoke you could cut it with a knife. There was some serious smoking going on.

These guys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myg-nL9jwNU

[Anonymous]

Uh it had to be like the early mid 90's. I went to my sister's College campus to help her move her stuff for the summer and I didn't know exactly where her dorm was so I had to call back home to find out. I had to call collect to because I didn't have and money.

[Asker]

Where was the pay phone that you used to make the call—a gas station?

[Opinion Owner]

Ironically yes.

[Asker]

Why is you calling her from there “ironical”?

[Opinion Owner]

It's just ironic that you guessed it.

[Asker]

Oh ok. Just a good guess.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

E.

I was in Wyoming nearly 10 years ago and my cellular service wasn't reliable.

Fortunately, the restaurant had a working pay phone outside.

[Asker]

What kind of call did you have to make?…maybe a call to home to let someone know where you were?

[DeeDeeDeVour]

I picked up my grandpa in Idaho and took him on a bonding road trip to Mount Rushmore. During lunch in a diner along the way, he insisted that I call the campgrounds we were heading to in order to confirm our reservations again. My cellular service wasn't reliable at that moment. Yet, old-fashioned grandpa still insisted. So, I had to use the payphone outside. The call wasn't necessary since I confirmed our campsite earlier in the morning. Plus, my cell service improved when we resumed our drive.

[Asker]

Oh wow, cool trip—nice that you did that plus allayed your grandpa’s worries by making that pay phone call.

[petitedollbabee]

Probably 2 years ago and it was to call a taxi, but it was a free phone and not a pay phone. We don’t have pay phones in my town, they were all removed years ago as no one uses them.

[Asker]

Free public phones?…what country are you in?
And was that phone at a hotel, or at a public place like an airport, gas station, or rest stop?

[Asker]

* or rest stop

[petitedollbabee]

It was a free phone for taxis only. Im in New Zealand. The phone was right outside of the local mall.

[Asker]

Ok. You are only 21, have you seen and used a real “pay phone”?

[petitedollbabee]

I’ve never seen or used a real pay phone, as they were removed from my town when I was a kid.

[Asker]

Ok. Very weird for me to hear that…
Tell me something please: have you ever seen a music record, 8-track tape, or cassette-tape?

[petitedollbabee]

Yep, music records are still sold regularly here, and I still have old cassettes from when I was a kid. I haven’t seen a 8-track tape before though.

[Asker]

Ok, cool. Thanks for answering my questions!

[Looksnicholas]

I have no idea, maybe a few years ago, maybe 5 years go, but see them Payphones semi-regularly. There are less though in today's day.

[Asker]

So did you vote C (or E) in the poll to this question?

And do you recall the reason/s why you made the pay phone call/s which you mentioned?

[Looksnicholas]

I voted C and I think I was out of phone credit so I needed to make a call with the coins I had

[Asker]

Ok.
Oh I see no— you were using a mobile phone/phone system-payment plan where there were prepaid credits that got deducted as you used the phone (like people often have/use in Europe), instead of being billed for your phone usage at the end of the month.

[Asker]

…Either that, or you knew you had no (or didn’t want to cut into your low amount of) “minutes remaining” on your currently monthly phone calling plan.

[Asker]

* on your current monthly phone calling plan

[humanearth]

Last night, when I was in the city and I needed to call home. I don't own a cellphone and cellphones don't work in the country.

We have a landmine telephone and still use payphones

[Asker]

How far away from where there’s cell phone coverage (which I’m guessing is at least that city) do you live?

[humanearth]

Let me put it this way

I takes me a hr to drive to the nearest Walmart

[exitseven]

I know that in 2008 I was in Nova Scotia and there was a payphone there. I rememebr thinking then that it had been years since I last used a pay phone.

[Asker]

How did you vote in the poll to this question?

[exitseven]

sorry- I voted C/

[Asker]

Np, ok thanks.

[hypojoe]

The only thing I used them for was drugs this was back before cell phones we would recieve a page then use pay phone to do our thing

[Asker]

You had a pager…So you voted D, and this was like 20-25 years ago?

[hypojoe]

Have not sceen a pay phone for at least 25 years this was back when you could dial 10-10-220 to make a collect call long distance

[Asker]

I vaguely remember using access numbers to connect a call you were making with your calling card account, so I looked up 10-10-220, and I found the following — where it says (under “Service Availability”)…

http://www.1010220.com/faq.html

“Q. Can I use 10-10-220 from any phone?
A. 10-10-220 can be used from your home telephone, some small business telephones and fax machines. Unfortunately, it is not available from pay phones, cell phones, CLEC phones, VoIP phones, hotel rooms, dormitories, military bases or most businesses.”

*** Note: above it says 10-10-220 “is not available from pay phones…” but I guess that changed and was made available (?)

[AviatorTom]

It was about 20 years ago, at an airport. I called home to tell my wife my flight was delayed.

[Asker]

I haven’t flown in a while, so they still have lay phones in airports?

[Asker]

* do they

[Asker]

* pay phones

[AviatorTom]

@Gagname I haven't looked for one, and there are no obvious pay phones, so I don't really know.

[Asker]

Oh ok

[ArtemisSilver]

Uh like 7 years ago. Didn't have a phone and was going to be late to a job interview. Went to a hotel lobby and called myself a taxi and got the job. Job was pretty shit but oh well LoL

[Asker]

So it was like 2015 / you were 22 and you still didn’t have a mobile phone then?

And was it a coin-operated pay phone (and NOT a hotel “courtesy [non-payment] phone”) that you used?

[ArtemisSilver]

The prices were unreasonably high for mobile phones back then. I was just using an iPod touch

[Asker]

Oh I see. Thanks for responding to this question.

[Aletheia223]

They are still commonly used in my state. Personally, I miss the landline days

[Asker]

What do you miss about “the landline days”?

And which answer-option letter did you select in the poll?

[katiesmuff]

I sure remember them but I don't recall ever having to use one.

[Asker]

Hmm…so “back in the day” like 23 years ago when you were 16 you never used a pay phone at a place like a mall or outside a convenience store/gas station or while at your high school to contact parents or a friend?

[desperatelyhungry]

I’ve never used but but I’ve seen one a time or two

[Asker]

Haven’t you ever wanted to make a pay phone call, just to have done it once?

[desperatelyhungry]

Yeah, but I hardly come across them and if I do they don’t work

[TroyDT2]

I've never used one. I remember seeing spots where they'd been removed, but do not recall actually seeing one.

[Asker]

Ok, interesting…So did you already place a B vote, or will you be voting A?

[art84]

At my high school cause I had miss the bus. We had them in the hall way in the entrance of the school.

[Asker]

Sounds like a good reason why they made pay phones available in schools back then—so students could contact parents.

What happened to make you miss the bus?

[art84]

I think I was late getting out of class.

[Asker]

Oh ok.