Cafes are no longer pleasant experiences

[GeorgeA12]

Just that really. I used to look forward to having a drink and a bite to eat in cafes, it was nice and relaxing. But no longer, some examples and you always get at least one or two now.

The expense, its getting crazy.
People on mobile phones making noise
Elderly on mobile phones with the speaker on so you can hear the other person.
Dogs
Toddlers
Keyboard warriors
Staff attitudes
Small portions / cheap ingredients
Wobbly and dirty tables
Poor toilet hygiene
Advertising screens (yes there was one in M & S today which really bright)

Anyone else the same?

I know of two good cafes in my nearest city. Both are independents. They have coffee to die for and cakes likewise.

Avoid the chain coffee shops and you'll avoid most of the problems you're complaining about - except the prices are likely to be a bit higher because if you want quality, you pay for it.

"Keyboard warriors"

pointedly stares at you

Take a book and stop being a nosy-rosy when it comes to other people. You are unsociable and those issues are a -you- problem and yours to solve. The rest of the cafe were enjoying themselves and getting on with it. You were the only one not doing so.

I love cafes! I am very choosy though. I go to independents, mostly vegan, relaxed vibe.
I love them!

Not true of my local independent though it's very baby/toddler friendly, has a ball pit and books etc.

Though I got diagnosed with coeliac disease a few months ago and it's really taken the joy out of cafes especially, I used to love going to them.

Brilliant 😂

I agree with you OP about the ever increasing cost and the annoying people who seem to think coffee shops are their personal office and make loud phone calls.

I must say I also have enough of the pushchairs everywhere and the noisy toddlers and parents who treat the place like a playground for their kids.

I avoid the chains (Starbucks, Nero) and only go to independent places.

But I must say I don't go as often as I used to because of the cost and because it is not always a pleasant experience.

On my train, last week, granted not a cafe, two young men screaming into their phone. Seems people think we all want to hear their mindless ramblings. I don't even answer a phone in a restaurant or cafe, I go outside or ring back later. Inconsiderate people are from all generations sadly.

I would say more people are in agreement with me than not reading through the thread. It really should not be like this.

Oh, GAWD, not the elderly ruining it, too!!! 😱
What has happened to decency??? 🙄

@GeorgeA12 - a keyboard warrior is someone who attacks people online - from behind their keyboard, hence keyboard warriors - not loud typers.

I don’t often go to cafes now - I need a wheelchair and need to be driven there, so it isn’t practical - but I would find all the things you mentioned in your OP irritating.

Most places are terribly understaffed now which is why we have dirty tables, poor service etc. They say businesses can't afford it but they can, they just want to cut costs to keep profits up. Same reason for the poor quality ingredients which in my experience luckily isn't as common.

@YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME I was on the train last week and the guy in front of me was negotiating a sky deal. After ten minutes or so I had had enough and asked if he could use the vestibule area to make his call. I was expecting a backlash and instead he apologised and said that he was being rather loud and didn't expect the call to take so long.

So maybe we've got to just start pointing out inconsiderate behaviour instead of just sucking it up.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius Thanks for the correction. I meant keyboard basher then if there is such a term!

Lovely person having a zoom meeting in a busy cafe no headphones im talking to dd the cafe is FULL clearly im an easy target lots of frowns thrown my way a loud comment about needing to find a new place soon because this one is getting too loud I start commenting about how strange it feels like ive randomly walked into an office and made myself a coffee the staff (that I knew) were quietly cheering me on because apparently this guy made a coffee last 8 hours just so he could sit there and use their electricity and WiFi

Not a good time at all

We have a new bakery/cafe just opened in the next village along. I was really looking forward to visiting as it had really been promoted as the Next Big Thing.

Like a pp's mother, I was shaking and crying! Paper cups when we sat in and the cake was served in a cake box instead of a plate!!

However Glastonbury is a super place for cafes... Finca is my favourite for people watching, Heaphy's is ok, and there is even a totally gluten free cafe in the Gauntlet!

There's another new cafe in a different village nearby and they are doing everything right, they have cups, mugs and plates too.
😉☺️

Bloody elderly. They should be shot at birth.

I am in complete agreement OP - the only cafe worth going to us Betty's. No banging/steaming/squealing bloody coffee machine and no bloody phones.xx

They’re mostly just depressing these days. Especially the ones that try to be trendy and have teenage girls queuing outside just to pay $9 for a matcha latte for the sake of posting a photo of it on Instagram.

I walk away from most dining out experiences completely dissatisfied. Or if it was satisfying we’ve paid an obscene amount for it (e.g. dinner at a michelin star restaurant).

I may be depressed more generally, but I increasingly just want to watch films from the 1990s and 2000s with DH, in bed, with some sweet potato fries he’s air-fried for us as a snack. I don’t want to sit in a cafe.

Some cafes are very depressing! Chain cafes and the ones in shops are especially so. There are some nice ones though.

you need to open your ageist eyes a bit wider then

I actually quite like your new meaning of keyboard warrior!

If people can mangle staycation, then...

I had two cups of coffee today to get away from my teenagers at home.
I spent an hour and a half at a local cafe today.
It was nice, calm and relaxing. I read the newpaper provided and a book from my bag.

I like the busyness of a lot of cafes! I don't want to sit in a quiet cafe with just a few people whispering politely to each other. I agree they are noisy and busy these days though. I don't mind it, I have plenty of time to sit in, and going out is nice.

I do have a friend who is excessively loud and frank, though, and I am cringing when she tells me all about her problems with her husband, very explicitly, or the time she had a summer fling. We have entertained many a table of old people in our time.

The dogs, the sticky tables and dirty toilets are common in a lot of places. You are not being unreasonable. I’ve never understood why cafes allow dogs inside. They really put me off, hair everywhere, the smell and just unhygienic in an eating establishment. Problem is, everyone seems to take their dogs everywhere these days, so if the said no to dogs, they’d be afraid they’d loose custom!

excellent