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

[MythicalKings]

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?

hiddenhome Sun 15-Feb-15 22:05:05 There's a cafe in Durham city where the students don't even bother buying anything. They just sit at the tables outside on their laptops. Not a cup or mug in sight quite often

?ou see, when I read this I don't thi?k... Selfish, inconsiderate students. I think either the owner likes having a bit of a buzz outside his cafe or, if the owner is not happy with the situation, then why don't they say anything to them??

Beside the point,but I read an article about more bacteria being found on those sofas than on lavatory seats.
Just saying...

Enjoying, yes, me too.

There's a cafe in Durham city where the students don't even bother buying anything. They just sit at the tables outside on their laptops. Not a cup or mug in sight quite often

Well more fool the café owner then.

I've been known to go up to people that look as though they are finished eating/drinking and ask if they are about to leave. I'm not going to stand and eat while some numpty thinks it is acceptable to hog a seat when they are finished.

why not go to a fast food place then angelos, they are there for that very purpose, eat quickly and go

No Slithylove read my earlier posts - I guess by unreasonable I mean selfish.

Only lovers - I totally know what you are saying, I don't think everyone would be rude but I can't be arsed with that possibility of that hassle so I just go elsewhere.

I've been known to go up to people that look as though they are finished eating/drinking and ask if they are about to leave.

I've been the person who someone else has decided looks as though they've finished, and said a polite but firm 'No' to them.

If that makes me a seat-hogging numpty, then give me the numpty T-shirt.

On the other hand, if someone wants to share my table/sofa I will always say yes of course and move any of my stuff that's crept across the table/chair so they can sit comfortably.

Knitted it is nothing to do with the speed at which you eat or drink. It is simple - if the café is busy, don't hog the seat and leave when you are finished. Stop putting other potential customers off and thus losing the owner money.

Stop putting other potential customers off and thus losing the owner money. I think this thread is doing an admiral job of this ^ not the paying customers lingering over a drink.

Yes it is very much about speed your wanting a fast food place, not a cafe. What your describing is either proper restaurant or fast food behaviors.

Exactly OnlyLovers

What I really dislike is the way people in couples or groups think they have more right to a table/space/sofa than I do.

I regularly see two people (I mean not the same 2 people) each sat on facing sofas ie 2 people "taking up" the space of 2 sofas so they can face each other across the coffee table. So it's the equivalent of me sitting by myself on one sofa. But that's OK apparently, according to some posters.

And having had my handbag stolen in a cafe once, I'm now careful to keep my bag by my side, but I suppose that equals 'sprawling' across the space to some posters.

I and a group of colleagues doing the same line of work meet up occasionally in a London café much used by students at nearby college. There they are sitting with their single cup of coffee bought a couple of hours previously happily surfing the net when .... a bunch of middle aged ladies come in. A lot of them decide to move on at that point.
NB this café is on a main street in Central London with a lot of people wanting somewhere for lunch between 1-2.

A lot of them decide to move on at that point. Good...that is what is supposed to happen.

(I thought I posted this yesterday but it seems to have disappeared.)

As others have said before: it is for the owners to 'police'.
To put a spin on it: this is why I prefer chains to small independent cafes. I did a good part of one of my degrees in McDo because there no one bothers you if you stay all day with just one coffee (and use the loo, the free wifi with no time limit; and even eat the food you've brought with you). If cafe owners act against the one-coffee clientele, they will move to places like McDo.

I thought coffee shops were coming down on this as noticed people would be barely inhaling the vapour off their coffee while using the wifi.

what I find arrogant are nosy parkers who police how long other people are spending in a cafe! I have no problem with a cafe imposing a maximum time per coffee bought (either all the time or at busy times) and having signs saying so. But if the cafe owners don't choose to do that I don't understand what business it is of anyone else what others do in the cafe! As others have said, clearly the American model of having people use cafes as places to hang out and spend as long as they like in is working for starbucks etc, so I wouldn't worry about cafe owners starving.

I think it depends on the time of day and how busy it is.

E.G.
Last summer I was in the Courtyard Cafe, Frome (pre moving into next door, and having more table space). It's a small place that opens all day. I get in there about 11.30am for an early lunch. The only space left was to share a tale for 4 with 2 young ladies. They both had their laptops out and each had half a cup of coffee and remains of a cake. And yup, I had to ask them to shift their stuff to make room for me.

I order and wait for my food. Food comes about 15mins later, I eat and have cake after. I was probably in there about 45/50mins. When I left, the girls were still nursing their (cold) half cups of coffee. It must be like a place marker.

Also, the table opposite me (table of 4) were finishing up as I arrived. The waitress had cleared their table and others were stood there waiting for the table. The group stayed put and the waiting group left. Owner came out and asked them to leave as there were people waiting. They took their sweet time to go. This is during the lunch period.

Both sets of people I think we're unbelievably selfish.

The group stayed put and the waiting group left. Owner came out and asked them to leave as there were people waiting. They took their sweet time to go. This is during the lunch period.

I often wonder in life, do some people genuinely not know what is going on around them or do they in fact know and just think 'fuck em'?

what I find arrogant are nosy parkers who police how long other people are spending in a cafe!

Its astonishing isn't it.

I find it odd that in a cafe people will get their food and THEN look for somewhere to sit. If I am going somewhere for lunch I look for a seat first. If there are no free seats I go elsewhere. I don't start glaring at the people with seats or telling them to move on. The only time I'll get my food first is if I'm eating something like a sandwich on the move.
On the continent you sit at your table and then order food, why do some people in the UK do things differently?
If there is just me and I don't have a coat or something to stick on a chair and it's counter service then I'd only queue up for food if I could be sure of getting a seat. If it's somewhere busy like a ski resort then I just sit on any empty seat, if no empty seats I stand but this is restaurant not cafe. Cafes are for lingering over drinks.

Apropos of nothing, MrsLH and I usually have a Costa - 2 drinks and a cake/roll each - most Sundays. Costs £10-£11

Yesterday we had 2 large breakfasts, plus tea plus free-refill coffee at Wetherspoons. £11.10

So it's not just the coffee you pay for at Costa ...

Another poster posted a similar link up thread...I wonder how many more of these we will see? This opened in Manchester recently and there is one from the same chain in Shoreditch which opened last year.

Refreshments are free and a 5p per minute flat rate for the space you occupy.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/manchesters-first-pay-as-you-stay-coffee-hangout-8563322

If there are no free seats I go elsewhere. I don't start glaring at the people with seats or telling them to move on

Bizzare I agree unless your up Mount Everest and there is ONE shelter d place selling food, move on.

As a patent, I would love no children cafés. Flame me I don't care.

*parent

Bizzare I agree unless your up Mount Everest and there is ONE shelter d place selling food, move on.
Try doing that in Central London (or any town) between 1-2 pm when the workers are out having lunch and some may wish to meet up with friends and can't get seats because they are occupied by the empty cup surfers.