Many indie coffee cafes now restrict, or ban outright, the use of e-reading devices

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Actually, that all sounds pretty good. Add a couple of eggs, some cheese, then bake it sor a breakfast casserole. With more coffee.

Yeah. Sounds like grits to me !!!

Regarding the subject of this thread, I really have to wonder at the american way of doing business....

1. Set up a coffee shop
2. Make it "special" so that customers get the feeling they are special for being allowed to have their coffee here (as opposed to just making it cosy and friendly)
3. Since it does not seem to be "special" enough (aka : 3 customers a day on the best days), offer free wifi since that works everywhere else
4. ok, getting there.... 5 customers a day, but it could get better. Since there are only 5 tables in the shop, Houston, we have a problem
5. YESSSS ! There comes the grand idea.... Let's forbid anyone to use any electronic devices here, so people will get moving (maybe even not come back EVER, and ruin the joint reputation, but that is a problem we will tackle next month in MARKETING 101 )

You have to admire a nation where it will soon be easier to read in a plane than in a coffee shop......

[jhempel24]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Really depressing attitude... to be glad to hate something and a member of the "I hate Apple/Microsoft or whatever" brigade. Liking things is far better and much more interesting to share...

I don't hate Apple products, I hate the Apple "attitude" and the stigma it brings.

But as far as glad to not be a part of something its like this.....

I worked in the professional wrestling industry for over 10 years....when my son was born, my wife and I stopped because we didn't want to be all over the place. But during those years we went to more funerals and seen more people die than anyone in their right mind should. On average 4 a year for people UNDER 40!

So I'm GLAD THAT I'M NOT A PART of that industry anymore, because I won't have the relationships that are most likely going to end in death. While those relationships were great at the time, it gets tiring.

So I have no problem saying I'm GLAD that I'm not apart of something, or like something.

[gtriever]

I see both sides of the free WiFi issue, since my wife is a GM of a restaurant that offers free WiFi. The upside is pulling in folks who want to be connected while they dine, or travellers who want to catch up during their stop. The downside is the WiFi "squatters" who use it as their personal ISP or mobile office, sitting there for hours on end.

She's had a few who've been known to come in at 6am, sit there until 1 or 2 PM, then leave and come back at 5 or 6 and stay until closing time... day after day, after day. They'll even go so far as to rearrange the furniture to get to the electrical outlets. And, the police were called on more than one occasion as the squatters browsed their porn sites.

Personally, I like the service. I just hate to see it ruined by the jerks that abuse the privilege.

[jerrywojo]

Originally Posted by jhempel24

Sorry I haven't had the chance to respond to some questions about my post:

I've been to coffee shops because they generally serve some sort of food...and I have friends that drink coffee.....and they all have an air of "I'm smarter and better than you because I do here" EVERY SINGLE SHOP that I've been in.

And the Mac store has that air too, more so than any place I've ever been....if you don't buy a mac then you are not as good as the rest of us.

Sorry you've had bad experiences in coffee shops.

However my xp has been the exact opposite. I find most if not all the coffee shops I go to have a extremely relaxed atmosphere. Customers are just sitting there drinking coffee,talking,reading or surfing . I never had the impression they were smarter than me. And could care less actually.

Fast food places in my area, (Chicago) like McD's, Dunkin Donuts are rife with homeless, and other strange and odd characters. For me this is scary. So I stay away.

BTW a long time ago I bought a coffee at Dunkin Donuts and it had a lump of something floating around in it. So its a quality issue as well.

[SameOldStory]

Just a cartoon.

Spoiler:

[tubemonkey]

[jhempel24]

Originally Posted by jerrywojo

Sorry you've had bad experiences in coffee shops.

However my xp has been the exact opposite. I find most if not all the coffee shops I go to have a extremely relaxed atmosphere. Customers are just sitting there drinking coffee,talking,reading or surfing . I never had the impression they were smarter than me. And could care less actually.

Fast food places in my area, (Chicago) like McD's, Dunkin Donuts are rife with homeless, and other strange and odd characters. For me this is scary. So I stay away.

BTW a long time ago I bought a coffee at Dunkin Donuts and it had a lump of something floating around in it. So its a quality issue as well.

Ah, we run those guys off LOL. But living in Chicago for a bit, yeah I see where you are coming from


The quality of those has gotten alot better though...Dunkin donuts is kind of on par with Starbucks around here.

[obs20]

Warning: Explicit language

Spoiler:

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

MickeyD's coffee is actually quite tasty. but wanna know how much less a 20oz coffee is there compared to a 20oz Starbucks coffee? About a dime less depending on the store. Both at about $1.90-$2.00 for a 20oz coffee only at Starbucks if you use your SB card refills are free as is the wifi.

I'm no overt fan of SB but they offer a nice place to relax, have a coffee and have friendly service (never had the sort of smugness many seem to need to project on the staff, hey they are just trying to earn a living fer goodness sakes in a fast paced workplace, people should cut them a bit of slack). In fact our local SB has often gone out of their way to make sure my orders are right or even come and ask if I need a refill, even if it's free.

Every store is different and their coffee is not the best, TBH I do prefer the coffee at MickeyD's for some reason. But I have never run into any issues over ANYTHING at SB's.

I prefer sitting in a SB's over that of a MickeyD's with the zillion sticky kids running around with their disease ridden hands touching everything... Just teasing, they don't touch everything.

Hmm, anti-Apple but pro-Starbucks. Worlds are colliding!

[DixieGal]

Funny videos!

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I am part of the problem? I hate Starbucks coffee but love love love the spice cake. So mostly I go there while traveling to use the wifi, seeing as free hotel wifi is mostly a US thing. At 8euros per hour in foreign hotels, one seeks out free wifi wherever one can find it. Star bucks is always just around the corner from wherever you happen to be.

While there, I am intent on confirming reservations, checking email, etc. I can be sharing a tiny table with a total stranger who is also online. I could not care less what other people are doing there, because I am only there to do specific tasks as efficiently as possible in order to get out and get back to exploring. Do I come off as aloof?

Locally at home, my Starbucks in the lobby where I used to work was super friendly, because we all knew the baristas and each other. The one up the street from it isin the middle of the bar/restaurant/entertainment piazza directly off campus. It is always jam-packed with college kids. This particular location is small in footprint, but 3 levels high. The kids have NEVER failed to give up a table to us oldies so that we don't have to climb the narrow stairs while holding coffee and cake and computer. But, when I do go upstairs, it is such a fun place with kids on the sofas playing card games, computer games, etc.

Nope, it isn't me who is part of the problem. It is you. Take the initiative and say "Hello," have a seat, and make a new acquaintance. Don't be intimidated by the person in the business suit or Hawaiian shirt. Those are only on the outside. If you are met with coldness or aloofness, ask them why they acted that way. You might be surprised. A woman ignored my smile and greeting, so I asked her why she did it. Turned out that she was having to relocate to DC from Boston, and she was trying to figure out how to move some heavy fragile items. I suggested buying them a bus ticket and having someone waiting for them at the destination, having done this successfully with work things. She was grateful for the solution and seemed relieved, and we parted with hugs.

You have nothing to lose by putting yourself out there. It may be hard at first, but social skills and playing the piano both take practice.

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Yeah. Sounds like grits to me !!!
shop......

Yes, but substitute the Baileys for vodka, so that it doesn't clash with your breakfast screwdriver.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

Maybe if some of these coffee shops didn't charge so much for a cup of coffee, people wouldn't have to sit there for hours on end just to get their money's worth (and I say that as someone who takes his coffee a little more seriously than the average person does).

But, if a paperback is okay, then an e-book reading device is okay, too.

Originally Posted by jhempel24

I'm glad I:

A.) Don't drink coffee

B.) Hate the coffee shop atmosphere, it's like hanging out in a Mac Store.

But I do drink my coffee at home.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by jerrywojo

How would you know to "hate" coffee shops if you don't drink coffee?

weird...

Because you can't help but be assaulted by them in bookstores, malls and even grocery stores these days.

[mjhudston]

What a lousy attitude. Your welcome to read in coffeeshops in the UK.

[katewilly]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Locally at home, my Starbucks in the lobby where I used to work was super friendly, because we all knew the baristas and each other. The one up the street from it isin the middle of the bar/restaurant/entertainment piazza directly off campus. It is always jam-packed with college kids. This particular location is small in footprint, but 3 levels high. The kids have NEVER failed to give up a table to us oldies so that we don't have to climb the narrow stairs while holding coffee and cake and computer. But, when I do go upstairs, it is such a fun place with kids on the sofas playing card games, computer games, etc.

5 Points South!