Starbucks to require purchases to hang out in stores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

So you think your $5 latte entitles you take up their space for an entire day? And you don't see a problem with that. If you need to work, go rent a place, go to the library, work from home. Starbucks is a business. They need to turn tables and sell products. I would love if they enforced the 20-30 min limit on everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, they should just freeze to death!

No they shouldn't but the library is not a homeless shelter.

Fun fact: most homeless shelters require their occupants to leave during the day (I heard this had something to do with residency laws but DK if this is true). Homeless individuals need somewhere to go when it is cold or hot out, and often communities specifically designate libraries. If you don't like it, work to find/fund another solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

That's why I don't go to Starbucks - there are no tables because of the people using it as an office. I actually thought the new policy is to get rid of people who park there for hours with their laptops.

Me too. They already print bathroom codes on receipts in major metro areas which solves the bathroom issue. Now they need to get rid of these "rich" free loaders who would rather park themselves at Starbucks for the day instead of working from home or the library. or GOD FORBID go to an actual office.

[Anonymous]

Is Starbucks still a thing? Most of them look so dirty these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

Nope, Starbucks' business plan has always been built around the idea of being a "third space" and offering a place for people to hang out. A 20-30 minute limit is antithetical to this. Whether someone is working on a laptop, reading a novel, or hanging out with a friend, these are all intended uses of a Starbucks. I remember at one point they told shareholders that they didn't really sell coffee so much as rent real estate for the price of coffee. Which is accurate.

But yeah, you have to pay the rent. That means you buy something there. I get people want a place to go but there are other places to go where you don't have to pay -- train stations, public libraries, parks. Starbuck is a for-profit business and they have no obligation to serve as a public restroom or homeless shelter.

I don't even drink coffee by the way. So I order non-coffee drinks and food. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here (unless you are buying something).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, they should just freeze to death!

No they shouldn't but the library is not a homeless shelter.

Fun fact: most homeless shelters require their occupants to leave during the day (I heard this had something to do with residency laws but DK if this is true). Homeless individuals need somewhere to go when it is cold or hot out, and often communities specifically designate libraries. If you don't like it, work to find/fund another solution.

EXACTLY! I have no problem with a homeless person sitting in a library during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fully support this policy. I work from Starbucks or another coffee shop 2-3x a month, and Starbucks is the only spot where I've encountered 'problem' people. In the last month alone, there was a man with multiple suitcases shouting into his phone for close to an hour, taking up two tables; another woman using it as a play area for her kids; a homeless man taking up residence in the bathroom...none of these people bought anything.

And I imagine it is a pain for the workers to deal with these people.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-open-door-policy-reversal-purchase-now-required/

You’re far worse, thinking your measly 1-2 purchases entitles you to occupy a seat for hours on end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

Nope, Starbucks' business plan has always been built around the idea of being a "third space" and offering a place for people to hang out. A 20-30 minute limit is antithetical to this. Whether someone is working on a laptop, reading a novel, or hanging out with a friend, these are all intended uses of a Starbucks. I remember at one point they told shareholders that they didn't really sell coffee so much as rent real estate for the price of coffee. Which is accurate.

But yeah, you have to pay the rent. That means you buy something there. I get people want a place to go but there are other places to go where you don't have to pay -- train stations, public libraries, parks. Starbuck is a for-profit business and they have no obligation to serve as a public restroom or homeless shelter.

I don't even drink coffee by the way. So I order non-coffee drinks and food. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here (unless you are buying something).

I guess they are rethinking that with the new policy. Or order something every 20-30 minutes to justify using their space as your personal office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

So you think your $5 latte entitles you take up their space for an entire day? And you don't see a problem with that. If you need to work, go rent a place, go to the library, work from home. Starbucks is a business. They need to turn tables and sell products. I would love if they enforced the 20-30 min limit on everyone.

But would if I want to order $20 worth of drinks and food and stay for 3 hours? I do that all the time and spend a ton of money at Starbucks. If they limited me to 20-30 minutes, I would not go at all and would find another coffee shop that would let me stay for longer because the whole point for me is finding a place with a pleasant atmosphere, food/drink, and wifi so that I can get a break from my home office and interact with people instead of being a shut in. I probably wouldn't go to Starbucks at all if it didn't serve this purpose, and I bet I spend a lot more money there than most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

So you think your $5 latte entitles you take up their space for an entire day? And you don't see a problem with that. If you need to work, go rent a place, go to the library, work from home. Starbucks is a business. They need to turn tables and sell products. I would love if they enforced the 20-30 min limit on everyone.

First off, "$5 latte", you clearly haven't been to Starbucks since 2013. I don't work there the entire day. It's a couple hours. And clearly, Starbucks does not see a problem with that. I don't see them setting time limits or banning anyone who actually is buying things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fully support this policy. I work from Starbucks or another coffee shop 2-3x a month, and Starbucks is the only spot where I've encountered 'problem' people. In the last month alone, there was a man with multiple suitcases shouting into his phone for close to an hour, taking up two tables; another woman using it as a play area for her kids; a homeless man taking up residence in the bathroom...none of these people bought anything.

And I imagine it is a pain for the workers to deal with these people.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-open-door-policy-reversal-purchase-now-required/

You’re far worse, thinking your measly 1-2 purchases entitles you to occupy a seat for hours on end.

If my 'measly purchase' doesn't, someone not buying anything definitely has no business being there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

So you think your $5 latte entitles you take up their space for an entire day? And you don't see a problem with that. If you need to work, go rent a place, go to the library, work from home. Starbucks is a business. They need to turn tables and sell products. I would love if they enforced the 20-30 min limit on everyone.

But would if I want to order $20 worth of drinks and food and stay for 3 hours? I do that all the time and spend a ton of money at Starbucks. If they limited me to 20-30 minutes, I would not go at all and would find another coffee shop that would let me stay for longer because the whole point for me is finding a place with a pleasant atmosphere, food/drink, and wifi so that I can get a break from my home office and interact with people instead of being a shut in. I probably wouldn't go to Starbucks at all if it didn't serve this purpose, and I bet I spend a lot more money there than most people.

I love the entitlement. Go to the office and interact with people!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

So you think your $5 latte entitles you take up their space for an entire day? And you don't see a problem with that. If you need to work, go rent a place, go to the library, work from home. Starbucks is a business. They need to turn tables and sell products. I would love if they enforced the 20-30 min limit on everyone.

But would if I want to order $20 worth of drinks and food and stay for 3 hours? I do that all the time and spend a ton of money at Starbucks. If they limited me to 20-30 minutes, I would not go at all and would find another coffee shop that would let me stay for longer because the whole point for me is finding a place with a pleasant atmosphere, food/drink, and wifi so that I can get a break from my home office and interact with people instead of being a shut in. I probably wouldn't go to Starbucks at all if it didn't serve this purpose, and I bet I spend a lot more money there than most people.

I love the entitlement. Go to the office and interact with people!!!!!!!!!

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, they should just freeze to death!

No they shouldn't but the library is not a homeless shelter.

We should convert libraries and post offices into homeless shelters.

B/c who needs a library or post office?? You people putting homeless before kids.

The homeless deserve to be there as much as your kids do. I know, I know. It's a hard pill to swallow, but just try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you should be able to sit and "work" there for hours but no one else should?

I personally think 20-30 min limit for everyone at a coffee shop is very reasonable.

I'm buying stuff. If they want to enforce 20-30 minutes for paying customers, fine, but would result in lost business not only from people who work from these spots, but also (for example) friends wanting to meet up for coffee. Most of those meetups would be more like an hour, not 20 minutes.

How much are you buying when you're working? I see time limits in some restaurants where we've spent over $100. They don't let us park at a table all day because they need turnover to make money. What's more, when I do meet a friend at Starbucks for coffee, I've got glares from the laptop folk who want quiet so they can work.