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'Serious' is a strong word but I have this problem all the time. 2 of my favorite coffee shops (Filter and Peregrine in DC) are really small and constantly ful
by showerst 13y ago
'Serious' is a strong word but I have this problem all the time.
2 of my favorite coffee shops (Filter and Peregrine in DC) are really small and constantly full of people working on laptops. I love the coffee but don't take guests or coworkers there because there are never open tables to sit and chat. I know other people who avoid them entirely because having sitting space is more important to them than the coffee itself.
People who stay for more than, say, an hour or two hurt turnover which is critical for smaller coffee shops that also serve food or snacks, whereas places like SBux make most of their money on people getting a quick morning fix, and can also afford bigger spaces.
I'd prefer if things bifurcated, big national chains that can afford the room offer wifi, smaller local places kill it to keep turnover up. I can see how it's a lose-lose for coffee shops having to choose one group or another. Some places turn it off after, say, 3pm which is a nice compromise.
- jseliger 13y agoOne interesting tech solution I've seen at Argo Tea in NYC is the deployment of Wi-Fi codes on receipts: each code lasts for about half an hour or an hour.
- thejosh 13y agoThat's actually a good solution. Giving them codes that relate to the total cost of their receipt, so for example 1 coffee = 30 minutes, 2 = 60 so that way when you have a group you each get 30 minutes or something. Now there is a good startup idea... ;-)
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- reledi 13y agoThat's an interesting idea but not foolproof. If you have a data plan you can just tether your phone to your laptop.
- redblacktree 13y agoIt doesn't need to be foolproof to work. Even an unenforced sign that said "wifi access limited to 60 minutes" would set expectations and deter most folks.
- personlurking 13y agoThis happens at a highly-frequented SBux in Lisbon's Rossio train terminal. There's a code on the receipt for 45 min of usage but, the one and only time I went there, I used the net for hours and it didn't turn off. I think it's just to deter people.
- JPKab 13y agoYep, I've had the same issue at those shops. Greenberry's in Arlington had the same issue. We tend to forget that, while, yes, most of us on rare occasions camp out on a table with a laptop, there are people who, day after day, do this for hours straight at the same coffee shops. Those of us who pop in and grab a coffee to go at these shops? You guys see it too: the same mooching assholes, day after day, taking up 4 person tables with their bag and their laptop. I can't even count the number of times I went into a shop wanting to actually buy food (high margin item) and coffee and sit down for 40 minutes, but couldn't while one of the regular moochers took up a table with an empty for 3 hours coffee cup that he spent 2 bucks on.
- pyre 13y ago| there are people who, day after day, do this for | hours straight at the same coffee shops I remember reading on article about Wil Shipley a while back where he said that his 'office' was a particular coffee shop.
- bdcravens 13y agoNot only do they tend to take up a table, it's usually a table marked as handicapped. Not that there's an obligation to honor that designation, but if you automatically go there when your Macbook Air could easily fit on a tiny little round table, you're a prick.
- jk4930 13y agoAsk friendly whether the whole table is booked and sit down. If they don't respond, just move their bag a bit and sit down. Keep looking friendly and relaxed, signal that you're not a threat and everything's usually fine. It's not that difficult. (Escalated version: If they start complaining in an unfriendly way, mix your coffee with their laptop. Accidents happen in crowded coffee shops.)
- reeses 13y agoDC seems to be one of the worst cities for this. I suspect it's the general demographic in many of the areas (lots of students, recent ex-students, interns, short-term residents with minimal social circles) coupled with miserable weather. I haven't seen it be as great a problem in SF or Manhattan, but that could be due to the relative distance of universities from the "interesting" parts of these cities. Berkeley does have this problem near Cal but that's to be expected.
- BWStearns 13y agoGo to Chinatown Coffee :)