Comment by __turbobrew__
6 months ago
I have considered going the extreme other way and building a faraday cage around a cafe — no wifi, no cellular, just the people who are physically present in the cafe like it used to be.
I personally stopped going to my favourite cafe because all the tables were taken up by people using laptops, I think the value proposition is just not there. You are always going to be better off catering to people who are just dropping in for 5-10 minutes over someone who spends several hours and maybe buys 2 things and jeopardizes a table which could have been used by 10 people.
A much simpler option here (as many cafes near me have done) is simply put a sign up saying "no laptops". If someone is using one you tell them to leave.
> You are always going to be better off catering to people who are just dropping in for 5-10 minutes over someone who spends several hours and maybe buys 2 things and jeopardizes a table which could have been used by 10 people.
I assume there's a balance. Never run a coffee shop but it seems that a lot of the sales are takeout, so exactly what does and doesn't go on in your seating might well be a secondary concern. If you prioritise folks staying for 5-10 minutes you might just end up with a lot of empty tables.
I know I'm the complete majority here but I kinda don't go to cafes on my own - so the only chance I'm a customer at all (unless with company) is if I have to kill an hour waiting for something when I also have work to do.
It's unfortunate I have to completely stop going to some cafes with a no laptop policy for three times one hour per year.
I think both models work. As a cafe you just need to pick one or the other and not try to od both. The laptop cafe model probably works best with a "cover charge" to make up the shortfall.