The Civilized Café
OnMilwaukee.com recently published an article entitled "How long is too long? Local cafes have unwritten rules." Penned by staff writer Molly Snyder Edler, the piece addresses the issue of patrons camping out in coffeehouses. Though this is an extremely old debate, going as far back as the very birth of restaurants and cafés--so, what would that be... something like the 15th century?--it's worth bringing to the forefront again as the use of laptops and subsequent expectation of access to Wi-Fi become more commonplace.
All of the local coffee business representatives cited in the article generally agree that it's best to place the responsibility of knowing when to leave on the patrons themselves. I agree, and not just because I believe that the majority of people are, whether through good manners or a healthy barometer of guilt, polite enough to realize when their time is up, but also because it takes the burden of policing customers off café staff.
Frankly, baristas and other staff have got more important things to do and shouldn't be forced to have to focus on those who take advantage of the café's hospitality, nor should they feel compelled to approach the few abusers, which could possibly lead to a confrontation. In fact, I believe that it's unconscionable for any owner or manager to expect their staff to take on this duty--that's not what they were hired to do.
Continue reading on the Milwaukee Specialty Food and Coffee web site.
All of the local coffee business representatives cited in the article generally agree that it's best to place the responsibility of knowing when to leave on the patrons themselves. I agree, and not just because I believe that the majority of people are, whether through good manners or a healthy barometer of guilt, polite enough to realize when their time is up, but also because it takes the burden of policing customers off café staff.
Frankly, baristas and other staff have got more important things to do and shouldn't be forced to have to focus on those who take advantage of the café's hospitality, nor should they feel compelled to approach the few abusers, which could possibly lead to a confrontation. In fact, I believe that it's unconscionable for any owner or manager to expect their staff to take on this duty--that's not what they were hired to do.
Continue reading on the Milwaukee Specialty Food and Coffee web site.
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