Posted by Adrienne on February 13, 2008
We came across a very sad article regarding Blue Moon. Apparently they are having trouble making ends meet because people will hog a table for hours at a time, sometimes without buying anything (known as “wi-fi vampires”). Owner Lisa Berg says writing a note asking people to be more considerate has not done anything, so they are trying to figure out how to stay afloat. Raise prices? No one likes that. Expand tables? Not sure where they would fit in her small cafe.
Raises a good question for cafe-goers. How long can we stay before we wear out our welcome? My rule of thumb is until my drink or food is gone. If I’m taking up a chair in their space, I should be paying for it. Especially if they have free wireless. Especially if it’s busy. Now as to how long you can stretch out a drink…. that is debatable. I’m known to nurse my drinks from time to time. The fact remains that coffee shops are not extra offices to use for an entire day. Be considerate and remember that the only way your favorite coffee shop will stay open is if it can pay its bills – and that’s where you can help.
© Copyright 2006 Adrienne Bockheim.