Cafes are no longer pleasant experiences

My favourite independent cafe/coffee shop is great. The staff are lovely and make you feel very welcome. The only drawback is that in the summer it is unbearably hot. Luckily, it's situated right beside a castle with lovely gardens. I honestly don't know how the staff have survived this summer.

Can't see the point of going to a cafe with someone anyway if you're both glued to your phones instead of actually having a conversation which is what most people seem to do anyway.
I was on a bus full of elderly people the other day and none of them wer on their phones, they were just looking out of the window. It was so refreshing.

To be honest OP, I think what actually bothers you is the continued escalation of the lack of care and consideration towards others. I became a wheelchair user a couple of years ago after being diagnosed with a life changing lifelong condition, and nothing exposes people’s inability to look past their own needs like being sat in a wheelchair!

It’s everywhere though, not just cafes, and I mainly blame social media (ironically) as the downfall of humanity, as it seems to be slowly leeching our actual humanity from us. Occasionally I have a wonderful interaction with my fellow human beings where someone kindly holds a door for me instead of letting it slam on my feet, or offers to help in the supermarket, and it gives me glimmers of hope and a lovely warm fuzzy feeling.

I do agree re cafes though, there often seems to be a concentration of anti social behaviour which just isn’t necessary. You can enjoy life to the full without impacting negatively on others with just a little thought and consideration. Unfortunately as the majority of people don’t seem to bother I just go out less, and choose dog free cafes.

I do exactly that. Takeaway Greggs latte and a smoke. in peace.
For a couple of quid

I was in an M&S cafe the other day. It (and the toilets) was spotless, the coffee was lovely the scone delicious. No laptops, no loudspeakers, just people chatting normally to each other. It was lovely.

Also
Being led to the table next to the toilets/cutlery supply thingy/ entrance door .
Wouldn't sit somewhere crappie at home. So why pay for that?
And yes I do turn round and leave

There's always one! Just pop off if you can't offer any constructive advice 🤫

My bugbear is having to get up after you've sat down with your tray.
Example yesterday
No teaspoons
No sugar
Grubby wobbly tables
Faulty flash light
Much prefer a cuppa outside with my chickens

I love all tea and cake in a cafe. Since becoming a mum it's a nice treat to take my book and have some peace and quiet for a couple of hours. I do take my toddlers to cafes but usually the park ones

Get yourself a takeaway coffee or whatever you prefer home bargains have lovely drinks nice food at great prices .
Its reall nice and clean to sit in just dont go at busy times ( lunchtimes school holidays)
Or take your drink find somewhere quiet in a park somewhere and enjoy it that way take away to somewhere more peaceful.

It very much depends on which cafes and where they are. Somewhere like Pret, Starbucks or Costa tend to be hellish, chaotic furniture layouts, obnoxiously loud customers, feral children, filthy facilities and tables and dirty walls. Some independent cafes can be great especially when staff are super friendly and the product is high quality and with equally high standards.

Chains really do rely on a mix of good staff and decent customers, get that wrong and it all falls apart quickly.

I'm pleasantly surprised to read this tbh. I used to be a dog person, was brought up with dogs, preferred them to actual people like most dog people do. Growing up I had dogs as friends and not other kids. Something has radically changed in me since my childhood. I'm not sure if it's the fact that dogs are so bloody expensive to buy and keep alive. The vets bills terrify me!
But dogs in cafes when I was growing up just wasn't a thing. They are treated like people now and people are forgetting they're not human, they're wild animals which have been domesticated but can still be dangerous. My DS is wary, if not scared, of them generally since he put out his hand to touch one and nearly got his finger bitten off.
I find it sad when I look back at my childhood and compare it to his. He hates the idea of owning a dog, but for me it was my whole life.

We have a coffee shop near us that doesn’t allow electronic devices, it is bliss

Where I live there are no other type of cafes.
The human demographic of the area predicts whether the atmosphere & quality of the cafe.
You are lucky you have a choice of being able to sit in a cafe that has nice customers, nice staff & well mannered users.

I think your missing the point alittle bit. You have described your idea of what a cafe should be like. However, for others it's being in a nice place to work whilst being around other people, great place to stop on a dog walk, lovely pit stop to take your toddler out and see the world. Cafes are not designed for just your enjoyment.

Actually many employers won’t allow employees to work in public places such as cafes, due to the sensitivity of the work.

I work for the civil service. Not allowed to use a public WiFi. Plus as use several systems, it’s easier to use 2 screens. My job is hybrid and when WFH, use a monitor and laptop screen. On office days, the desks are set up so just plug in your laptop into the cable and have two monitors.

I think there should be child free cafes. Or child free days. It’s not discriminatory as get child free hotels etc. As if I had to pinpoint reasons why visiting a cafe and restaurant was ruined. 95% of the time it was due to child(ren). Either due to them screaming, playing or watching stuff on tablets with volume on full volume and them running about.

Parents - please give your DC headphones or reduce the volume. We don’t need to hear your DC’s games

Also I believe that one of the main reasons why kids run around in eating places is because they don’t sit up to a table at home to eat. It’s an alien concept to them. Only take your DC if they can sit up to a table and only leave to use the toilet or if the place is buffet, visit the buffet with an adult.

They take up a lot of space and usually buy one drink that lasts 4 hours. Tight wads. Cafe owners provide a free office space effectively. I have often seen families looking for a large table and these morons rarely move. So it affects businesses and customers alike. WFH and make your own drink.

I avoid the chains like the plague.

I go to independents or ones that only have a few dotted in a town or county. One of the places I use, it’s a local chain of 5 cafes in two district council areas.

I have noticed that the coffee in independents tastes nicer.

I agree. I've got to the point where the prices seem way too high for coffee and cake, so I don't go. Plus in most cases I make better cakes and slices, so am mostly disappointed.

Had breakfast recently while filling in time before hairdresser appointment. Mum, dad, 4 yo(?) came in. Kid was whiny. In the kid play area he settled well till the mother went and stirred him up. Happened multiple times. He'd carry on when she was there but amuse himself when left alone. Father cracked the shits, downed his coffee and made them go home. Felt sorry for her as her coffee was left on the table - he didn't even ask for it to be put into a takeaway cup, which I thought was pretty rude. I couldn't understand why she didn't leave the kid playing quietly- everyone would have been happy with that...

The sound of constant typing cannot be compared to the act of drinking .
there is an etiquette of considerate use of devices in common areas,

Oh no - a dog? How terrible. 🙄

I was wondering the same....!

They absolutely should be. It’s shit parents who should be banned.