My general approach is to buy a coffee or snack every once in a while, and more frequently when I notice that I'm occupying 'valuable' space. This might be the

My general approach is to buy a coffee or snack every once in a while, and more frequently when I notice that I'm occupying 'valuable' space. This might be the case even when there are plenty of empty seats, but they share a table with occupied seats. At lunch or dinner time, when it gets busy, I usually leave so the cafe doesn't lose on customers ordering something substantial, or I order something bigger myself. When I frequent the same place often I also try to make sure to get to know the staff, and help them out a bit by at the very least bringing my dirty stuff to the counter if I'm one of the few customers there. They seem to really like the occasional chat when it's quiet, and it has all kinds of perks (including just the interpersonal quality). I don't really understand why so many people don't employ a similar approach. I mean, it's not that it surprises me: here in the West at least people seem to really relish the 'consumer/employee' approach where somehow a 'transaction' replaces any human connection. But I still don't understand it, as part of the fun of being outside of the house, and life in general, is interacting with other humans, rather than roles (cashiers, waiters, etc.). I often go to the slightly pricier Turkish supermarket in my neighbourhood instead of the supermarket precisely because I get to have a nice chat with a guy I sort of know, and observe a slice of life in this colorful immigrant/poor neighbourhood.