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What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

nytimes.com

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Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#291

Post by JoeAltmaier »

thaeli wrote: post #254
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to find the space that's compatible with your needs. Don't blame the no-laptop space for being what it is, any more than the laptop-friendly one. Perhaps its not just about spending money. A coffee shop is (by some people's ideas) a place for folks to socialize. Those other 'offenders' are socializing, so are compatible with those spaces. Sitting in silence at a machine makes for a boring space, which drives…

I don't blame them, but it's reasonable for me to share my experience as a customer on review sites. So they shouldn't blame me for the one-star Yelp review they're getting, either.

Its unreasonable. You walk into a place with "no laptops please" posted with a laptop and settle in for the afternoon, get asked to finish up, and somehow that's their fault? You want to tank a coffee shop for enforcing rules of etiquette? Sounds spiteful and childish to me.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#292

Post by andrewshadura »

carlmr wrote: post #94
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Your $3 coffee doesn't entitle you to sit there for an hour though Read up on the history of cafes. This is what they historically were—places for people to be, not grab and go. If a coffee shop owner wants grab and go customers, they’re a glorified vending machine. (The article notes a conversation-versus-quiet dynamic that I can better empathise with.)

In Europe they still are places to sit down. But people that chat with one another still tend to order much more, because they're more aware of their surroundings, in touch with the smells of the freshly baked croissants. The laptop pulls you into a void where you might even forget to drink.

Oh, when I'm working at a café, I tend to drink much more than I otherwise would.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#293

Post by miranda_rights »

reycharles wrote: post #118
Leynos wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A place near me limits WiFi to 45 minutes at peak times, which I think is best. AC outlets on the other hand are for more than laptops. If I'm going somewhere for a coffee, it's good to be able to charge my phone too.

> If I'm going somewhere for a coffee, it's good to be able to charge my phone too. Here it's more common you leave the phone at the bar to be recharged if charging your phone is what you want.

Interesting. Do baristas check your identity or anything when giving your phone back? I'd worry about them turning their back and someone reaching over and grabbing it. There's a lot of crime in my area though - especially the "taking the phone out of your hand" kind.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#294

Post by corobo »

jonnycomputer wrote: post #209
latte wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't want to come across as grumpy - this is an honest question. What is so valuable in the guests' "socializing" with each other? If I come to a cafe with my date or friends, I'll feel more comfortable sitting among people with laptops rather than among noisy teenagers mentioned in the gp comment.

ah, well, when the laptop users start complaining that the people talking to each other are too loud?

Remind them they set up their workspace in a public place

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#295

Post by always_good »

taneq wrote: post #2

How common is it for people to do actual, regular, serious work at coffee shops and the like? I've tried a couple of times and I always feel like such a pretentious wanker when I pull out a laptop and start working on stuff, like I'm somehow broadcasting "oh look at me, I work remotely, aren't I special?"

Dunno, that's just a self-limiting belief that's doing you no good. Like not approaching women because you think it broadcasts "oh look at me, thinking I'm good enough to approach you, how pretentious!" And then just stewing alone for the rest of your life because, hey, at least you avoided the thoughts you thought other people might have!

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#296

Post by always_good »

Jaruzel wrote: post #129
retsibsi wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A good share of Starbucks locations worldwide actually run at a loss. The mega-busy ones elsewhere make enough profit to cover the loss making stores. It's simple economics of scale. I'm probably missing something obvious, but how does this work? What is the purpose of keeping the loss-making stores running?

To create brand loyalty. If you regularly get coffee in a loss-making Starbucks, you are more likely to always get coffee from Starbucks where-ever you are.

Worked on me. I associate Starbucks with a place I can go to work for as long as I need after buying a large coffee.

These sorts of submissions have made me self-conscious about going to non-Starbucks to get any work done, heh.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#297

Post by always_good »

PascLeRasc wrote: post #235
rundigen12 wrote: post #208

Reading this is surreal, like Opposite World. You are selling me on quiet, wifi & power, at the price of your fancy coffee (and preferably even real food), so I can work/read/study in nice atmosphere. Why else would I tolerate paying nearly $6 for a latte and $5 for a muffin? If all I want is to get coffee itself and immediately hit the road, I can go to coffee stand or vending machine. "Your $3 coffee doesn't entitl…

Did you read the article? Coffeeshop owners are not open office landlords, they want to cultivate a cultural hub for the local area. Yes, to them conversationalists are more interesting than non-talkers, not to mention that it feels awkward to be the only one talking in a room of people not talking. If you want a quiet space with wifi and power, work from home, rent an office, or go to the library.

I get that, but I also get a vibe of "adapt or die" we said about Blockbuster when they thought they were cultivating an atmosphere of the joy of picking out a movie with your family.

I'm sure everyone wants to be a real life Central Perk from Friends, but that's not coming back in the age of smartphones, laptops, and remote workers without some serious trade-offs like the alienation of a potentially majority subset of your customers in the first place.

Business owners of course are free to do as they please and I think it's interesting for them to experiment with cultivating a modern social experience in a cafe. Hopefully they are upfront about their rules, though. I would feel some resentment if I was blindsided by some of the behavior in the article.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#298

Post by wink »

Maybe I'm the outlier but I've "just sat down" to have a coffee and stare into the abyss like three times in my life. Either I'm there with friends or I need to kill an hour or two and work. In the latter case I have a laptop and in the former case I'm not alone and wouldn't ver take out the laptop.

Either it's purely WTF or in some cafes it must be really bad with the people working for hours, I've hardly noticed them here where I live.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#299

Post by miketery »

ar0 wrote: post #165
lifeformed wrote: post #110

I work in cafes a lot and have my own code of conduct: - Don't work in a place that's really busy. If it becomes busy, I'll wrap up and move somewhere else. - Buy something at least every 2 hours. If I've had too many coffees, then decaf at least, or a pastry. Spend around $5 each time. - Tip! (Where appropriate). I like to add $1 for each purchase. - Get to know the employees. Learn their names and greet them.

I like the way it works in France: There, many coffee shops have set-up co-working rooms, which are separate rooms where you can rent a place by the hour. Yes, it is a bit more expensive (usually ~20$ for a day), but you get the same "coffee shop experience" and don't have to feel guilty or obliged to eat/drink (often not so healthy) stuff all the time.

This is great evolution! I like it.

Re: What to Do When Laptops and Silence Take Over Your Cafe?

#300

Post by lifeformed »

kilroy123 wrote: post #215
lifeformed wrote: post #110

I work in cafes a lot and have my own code of conduct: - Don't work in a place that's really busy. If it becomes busy, I'll wrap up and move somewhere else. - Buy something at least every 2 hours. If I've had too many coffees, then decaf at least, or a pastry. Spend around $5 each time. - Tip! (Where appropriate). I like to add $1 for each purchase. - Get to know the employees. Learn their names and greet them.

Buying something every 2 hours seems excessive and expensive. I agree about the tipping well part.

I don't usually stay at a place more than 3 or 4 hours anyways, so it's just a midway refill point for me. I usually work the rest of the day at home, or switch to a new place if I want to stay out.

Also, the amount to spend can scale with your budget; it seems more important to just to get up and buy something, just so you don't appear completely cut off from the rest of the world.

I normally get espresso drinks, but sometimes I'll get a normal drip coffee, which usually has a cheaper refill ($3 for the first, and $1 for a refill), and I'll tip on each refill.

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