Shop NYC Top

Before all the “THEY’RE PAYING CUSTOMERS TOO” people downvote me, let’s be real.

The new norm is that people treat small cafes like their personal WeWork. They buy one $4 coffee and occupy a 4-person table for an entire business day.

Next I know people will shout: “BUT WHAT IF THEY’RE WORKING ON IMPORTANT STUFF?”

Guys, most of these people aren’t doing anything that requires a public space. It’s obvious it’s not crucial work when they’re watching Netflix half the time or having loud Zoom calls annoying everyone around them.

The business can’t say anything because they don’t want negative reviews or to lose even minimal business. Currently there’s no time limit enforced so paying customers can’t find anywhere to sit (lol).

It feels like cafe owners have just accepted this as inevitable. I’ve mentioned it to a manager once and they just shrugged and looked defeated.

What can be done to fix this problem?