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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that buying a coffee doesn't entitle you to squat in a cafe all afternoon?

253 replies

MythicalKings · 15/02/2015 08:23

Inspired by the "reserving tables" thread.

No problem if it isn't crowded but some groups of people think it's ok to sit for a couple of hours or more in a busy café having only bought one drink each.

Last year in Cornwall I even saw one family sneakily get out a sandwich lunch which they ate furtively.

Last week Dsis and I popped into a cafe for a coffee before embarking on a shopping spree for her newly decorated living room. An hour and a half later we went back for lunch and saw the same group of people at the same table with the same empty coffee cups. It was really busy but they pretended not to notice the hovering people with food laden trays.

It is rude and inconsiderate, isn't it?

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 15/02/2015 10:20

hijk to me "custom" means continuing to buy something while you're sitting there, not continuing to sit with an empty cup because you gave nowhere to go and/or can't afford another drink.
I agree though that the owner needs to drive that expectation since it appears that many customers will take the piss if they don't.

DontDrinkandFacebook · 15/02/2015 10:24

I agree ilovesooty If I want to sit for an especially long time I'll buy a second drink even if I don't even really want it, because I think it's rude not to.

DontDrinkandFacebook · 15/02/2015 10:26

They usually kick you out of the free WIFI after an hour so if you have to go up to the till and ask for a new code there should be a proviso that you only get it with another purchase.

ilovesooty · 15/02/2015 10:30

Don'tDrink I agree.

hijk · 15/02/2015 10:30

In what way is it taking the piss. It is what cafes are for, and it is where much of their custom comes from.

expatinscotland · 15/02/2015 10:34

Up to owners to police.

SASASI · 15/02/2015 10:34

Upthechimney they have no need to take up that amount of space, I think it's really rude & self righteous.

If 2 people go into a restaurant they get a table for 2 not a booth for 8. I don't see why people can't apply this logic when selecting seats in cafés.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/02/2015 10:38

Yes hijk, coffee hoggers are preventing new customers from sitting down to consume their food/drink

hijk · 15/02/2015 10:39

well, I don't think I have ever been in a situation where someone has been waiting for a table, ever. Perhaps the cafes round here just aren't that busy, or I suppose I don't particularly go into busy ones.

hijk · 15/02/2015 10:41

Actually, I don't think there would be hardly anyone in the cafs at all if it wasn't for people reading, doing work, generally waiting and passing the time. If we didn't do this in cafes, they would most likely not have enough custom.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/02/2015 10:41

I find this thread really odd. Where I am there are so many cafes opening and closing/shutting down and you never see a soul in them.

Someone sitting there with a paper and a coffee may have incited me to go in. Nothing worse than an empty cafe.

I also think if someone is sat there, they are a potential customer too buy more.

Much easier to sell to customer sat in your cafe than one who is walking by.

If your whole cafe was clogged up by one cup drinkers every single day - i can see why you may have to put measures in place but one or two people in a corner?

hijk · 15/02/2015 10:43

and like I said, cafes can impose a minimum spend at busy times.

I think it is utterly bizarre to complain about people spending time in cafes, it is what cafes are for.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/02/2015 10:43

Agree hikik it is what cafes are for and people with children go to cafes because they don't want to go to pubs with small children. Cafes are NOT fast food joints.

Original poster
MythicalKings · 15/02/2015 10:48

I think it is utterly bizarre to complain about people spending time in cafes, it is what cafes are for.

Cafes are for eating and drinking. They are waiting rooms or community centres.

Children get bored after the food and drink have gone - take them somewhere more interesting.

OP posts:
Original poster
MythicalKings · 15/02/2015 10:48

They are *not

OP posts:
Redling · 15/02/2015 10:51

The reason people started offering wifi in cafes was surely to encourage people to stay longer, the whole american idea of people working all day in the cafe on laptops etc. You can't have that 'stay here it's comfy' vibe (wifi, newspapers, comfy seats) and still expect a 30 min turnover. Agree with PP, cafe owners can decide if they want a quick eating place or a lingering chill out place. In the US and some places here they have free coffee refills! So not every owner prefers sporadic lunch custom over long term regular users.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/02/2015 10:51

so cafes are now resturants.

they used to be places to sit and while a few hours. cafe culture.

cafes that have this problem and want to operate like this ne3ed clear signs telling their customers so.

Orangeisthenewbanana · 15/02/2015 10:53

In theory I agree with you about people sitting for hours only buying one coffee, especially if it's busy. However I have been one of the apparently inconsiderate mums, daring to want to get out of the house for a bit with my friends Confused We folded buggies where possible and always bought a couple of drinks and/or food for the hour or so we were there. Sorry that some of you find that so objectionable Hmm

hijk · 15/02/2015 10:55

I suspect a lot of people wingeing and complaining are people who don't find themselves regularly with a couple of hours to wait in town, or in a place they don't know, eg quite possibly people with cars who can go home and back rather than wait for a child to complete an activity or attend a party. It is actually far more environmentally responsible to sit and wait, rather than burn up fossil fuels and damage the environment.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 15/02/2015 10:59

orange we spent a fortune in cafes but they were garden center cafes, large places with a kids play area. A bloody fortune. while local independents are struggling Confused and closing.

Who is around town with ££ to spend in the week, you have pensioners and mums? Other people are at work until lunch time. They are not trade I would want to put off or treat with such contempt.

Places round here like Pizza express encourage mums to come in and have baby mornings, the pubs are cottoning on too.

week day trade is always slow unless your in super tourist place.

Only1scoop · 15/02/2015 10:59

Yanbu

And don't get me started on the Waitrose cafe where I've seen groups sit with only there free coffee for hours!!

PilchardPrincess · 15/02/2015 11:00

I think if the cafe owners find something is adversely affecting their business and they want it changed then they have the power to do so and should exercise that.

I don't think it's up to people who don't own businesses to dictate how their business plan should look.

Around here a lot of the caffs have older people who like to while away a morning and I can't see anything wrong with that really.

hijk · 15/02/2015 11:01

presumably waitrose are offering this as an incentive to use their store, and i am sure they are very happy with the result.

Only1scoop · 15/02/2015 11:02

Hijk

No quite the opposite

They are phasing it out Grin

PilchardPrincess · 15/02/2015 11:04

Oh just saw the last post.

The other place people go and sit is the library. It can get quite crowded and often no seats for newcombers Grin

This is all normal stuff isn't it? Lots of people are alone and like to get out and about and on the average high street / town centre there are a few things they can do. Go an sit in a cafe read a paper. Go and sit in the library read a bit look out the window.

I really can't get worked up about it.

If you see a cafe is crowded and you are going to want a seat go to a different cafe. Don't but your stuff and then stand around glaring at pensioners Grin

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