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?

Why is everything now an experience for normal everyday outings? You’re having a midday meal at a cafe not doing a skydive. 🤔🙄

Leas bothered by the people.

Agree with you on the prices though! My regular order at our local cafe used to be £6.90 at the start of Covid. Two years later it had jumped to £9.60. Just checked online and the same two things are now £12.90!!

I stopped going all together. It’s just not good value for a quick stop off once or twice a week.

How do you spot a keyboard warrior in a cafe?

I'm lucky enough to be near(ish) several lovely cafés, but where we differ OP is that I love seeing people's dogs, and if I can pet one it makes my day. I know not everyone agrees with that though, and I wonder if the time has come to have dog/no dog areas like there were for smoking years ago!

What's wrong with taking toddlers to a cafe? Would you not want to be able to do that if you were with a toddler?

It's perhaps harder now as people are watching the pennies and can't go to cafes as often, so you want it to be nice. I think where people are treating it like their office and having zoom calls that's awkward for everyone. I have also seen interviews in busy cafes, seems unfair, and again awkward. Dogs are fine except for massive ones when they lay on the floor taking up loads of room in small cafes, that seems unsociable. As does playing kids tv very loudly on tablets.

So it's just about being considerate of others really.

Isolate yourself and sit in a dark corner.

The cafes I visit are nothing like this; however, I live in an affluent area.

If noisy, sceaming and running toddlers and children are around at cafe or restaurant I walk past.
I have children at home. Don't wants the hassle of others kids having a cup of coffee. No thank you.

Unclean tables are a real issue in chains and independent cafes. In the old days you could hire a teenager to clear and wipe them for pocket money. That probably isn't allowed now.

I'm mid 60s and have never specifically noticed oldies with speaker phone full blast. However I see plenty of young, middle aged and older people doing exactly that. It's even worse on trains where there's no escape. What they have in common is not their age, it's that they're ignorant tossers, and yes you were being ageist.

Goodness, however did you cope?

There's a tea room near me , I haven't been in but my DD has for work lunches ( the6 don't have meetings there more a " who'd like to go out for a quick lunch that isn't Greggs or 'spoons?"
She said it's nice, lovely decor, decent menu ......but no toilet which I think would put people off ( and I didn't think that was allowed?)

I don't mind M&S , even the touch screens ( though everyone knows or should know they're manky)
.Black Sheep Coffee gets my "No" vote . Nasty , tepid, bloody £ and noisy .

So you never take your children to a cafe/restaurant?

I spoke to the manager. She said they were dog friendly and I said there was no sign to advise otherwise I wouldn't come in. She said it was on their website and I said it needs to be at the front of the cafe. Suffice to say never going back.

That's not the issue it's the parenting of toddlers that is, or lack of!

Cafe's aren't cafe's anymore. I don't recognise the food. What's wrong with a sandwich?
When did coffee morph into skinny oatmilk latte?

Can't be bothered.

Well, sometimes you don't know what fish option are on offer until you get to the supermarket you see. So you need to call your spouse when you get there and you are looking at the fish so you can relay the options to them and make a decision. Nothing worse than getting home armed with everything you need to make Dover sole Véronique with champagne sauce, Muscat grapes and pommes duchesse when all hubby wanted was a fish finger sandwich. Marriage ending stuff.

Nah, this lunch time my dd (19) had a lunch cafe date, we sat on a lovely comfy sofa, ate great food and sat in silence and both read our books, it was bliss.

We do, but they are not allowed to be noisy, run, scream or faff around.

Most people would consider us strict with the children in a café, but this is not a playground.

That's quite normal for toddlers to run around and scream. It's nothing to do with parenting.

And how about kids with ADHD who are hyperactive? Shall they never be taken to a cafe?

I was the same with my children when they were toddlers.

I wouldn't no if my children couldn't behave well unless it was the soft play cafe which is pure hell no matter you do.5

That's quite normal for toddlers to run around and scream. It's nothing to do with parenting.
And how about kids with ADHD who are hyperactive? Shall they never be taken to a cafe?

Can't decide if this is a wind up but, it might be normal in a playground but not in a cafe. The kids should be told to behave themselves.

Neros is the worse if you are one of the minority who have an aversion to dogs. My sense of smell is such that I can't be too near dogs as the smelll makes me wretch. So when me and DS went to Neros for breakfast and 2 turned up, one each side of us, I was not in a good way! It wasn't their faults..they were so well behaved!