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Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
People can rationalize the banning or allowance of laptops or reading materials at cafes, but the truth of the matter is that such behavior is already embedded in the expectations that customer have about buying coffee or any other product at a cafe.
Furthermore, the banning of laptops at cafes seems to me like a hypocritical attitude toward customers. A few years back when cafes were proliferating in cities across the country, providing internet access was a way to lure customer in the door. The idea was to let us linger once we bought our coffee and muffins, hoping to increase the chances of turning us into repeat customers. Now that the practice has worked and more revenue cannot be made from it, the owners want us out?
Not nice...
Weird Food-Related Collections
I used to collect soda cans (not only Coca Cola's) until the Best By date and then drink them on or around that date. Average holding time was three and a half years. I always had a curiosity about whether the flavor was really different by then.
I never sensed any discernible difference until one day a can of Dr. Pepper proved me wrong! It was crispy and delicious in a way that I still can't explain...You should try it.
Simon Sips: Taking Oatmeal and Coffee Seriously
...and where does one can get steel cut oatmeal to make at home?
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
7th Street and 1st Ave
I had the same thought in mind a few days ago!
On a related note, there should be a "street-food truck block" somewhere in Manhattan...C'mon City of New York! sponsor a competition and award permits!
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
People can rationalize the banning or allowance of laptops or reading materials at cafes, but the truth of the matter is that such behavior is already embedded in the expectations that customer have about buying coffee or any other product at a cafe.
Furthermore, the banning of laptops at cafes seems to me like a hypocritical attitude toward customers. A few years back when cafes were proliferating in cities across the country, providing internet access was a way to lure customer in the door. The idea was to let us linger once we bought our coffee and muffins, hoping to increase the chances of turning us into repeat customers. Now that the practice has worked and more revenue cannot be made from it, the owners want us out?
Not nice...
Weird Food-Related Collections
I used to collect soda cans (not only Coca Cola's) until the Best By date and then drink them on or around that date. Average holding time was three and a half years. I always had a curiosity about whether the flavor was really different by then.
I never sensed any discernible difference until one day a can of Dr. Pepper proved me wrong! It was crispy and delicious in a way that I still can't explain...You should try it.
Simon Sips: Taking Oatmeal and Coffee Seriously
...and where does one can get steel cut oatmeal to make at home?
Quintessential NYC Eats
Take him to Peanut Butter Co. on Sullivan Street.
If you can spend the cash, I also suggest Peter Luger's in Williamsburg (a very short ride from the lower east side); momofuku Ssam Bar or the noodles bar as well.
Where to take a NYC newbie on a budget
Take him/her to Caracas Arepa Bar in Brooklyn - afterwards you can just do some bar hopping in the area...that would be the best introduction to the city.
Worst Sandwich You've Ever Had
The worst sandwich is the one I have to eat in a rush...as a matter of fact, the worst "anything" I ever had is the one I have had to eat in a rush...
Cuban Sandwich....mustard or mayo?
Neither of both! A REAL Cuban sandwich is not supposed to have either Mayonnaise or mustard. The only spread it is supposed to come with is butter. BTW, the butter is supposed to be spread inside AND outside to add that shiny look in the outside.
One Dozen Trader Joe's Eggs, Each with a Double Yolk
Maybe this is part of the stimulus package???! :)
One Dozen Trader Joe's Eggs, Each with a Double Yolk
This is so weird...I bought a dozen eggs at Fairway the other day from the same farm and they all came out with two yolks. There was no discernible difference in taste or texture.
Are You a Gastrosexual?
Another desperate attempt by the industry to make cooking look cool to men...
Serious Grape: Women and Wine
I hate to see articles/studies surprised at the discovery of yet another way in which women exercise their purchasing power. Specially in the 21st century. Why is the first reaction a surprise? Aside from cosmetics, women spend money in pretty much the same things that men do....wouldn't you agree?
Fancy Restaurants Should Implement an Early 'Baby Seating'
My wife and I just had our first baby almost two months ago. We too used to go out to nice restaurants a lot (almost every weekend). In all honesty I think there are places where babies simply do not belong, and fancy (only fancy) restaurants are one of those places.
Even if he behaves, which he is certainly to do because all they do is sleep at that age, the whole experience of dining out does not involve making sure little baby is not drooling or making sure he is properly seated in his infant seat. Those are not things I want to be focusing on when I am out with my wife at a nice place. The whole idea is to focus only on us and be about us for the few hours we are going to be eating out.
You live where?
Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. and New York City (Gramercy Park to be specific). I was once wondering about the same thing. Thanks for posting.
Grocery Ninja: What to Do With Condensed Milk
Condensed milk is God on Steroids!
I used to buy Malt and mix it with condensed milk as a child and have the fondest dreams while drinking the stuff. As a adult, I use it in coffee and "as is" to satisfy trips to the refrigerator. :) I love condensed milk!
Five Guys Burgers
The only thing going for five guys is the novelty factor....that's it. Having said that, the burgers are just that...burgers.
Sunday Brunch: Pan de Mallorca
Ed - Did you have the espresso coffee from their 107 year-old espresso machine? They have a espresso machine that was taken from italy to PR in 1902. It has been cranking coffee since then and I must say...it is delicious!
Is my non-stick skillet killing me?
Hi,
Here is a great starting point for getting good kitchen utensils that has served me and my friends well for the past year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?pagewanted=all
Serious Chocolate: Cocoa Is for Drinking, Not Eating, in the Dominican Republic
Clay,
Unfortunately, most of the cocoa produced in the Dominican Republic is exported to the US and Europe. The producers are either American or European companies. It is very difficult to find a local producer that sells it for local consumption; if you do, it is usually of lower quality. That is the reason why the majority of the population in the Dominican Republic do not know cocoa as well as we may know it abroad.
Believe it or not, the same happens in Colombia with coffee. Most of the coffee produced in colombia makes its way out of the country before the locals have a chance to purchase it, if even at higher prices. The local consumption is mostly of lower grade coffee (not bad, just lower grade).
Pizza With a Knife & Fork?
For as far as I can remember I have always eaten pizza with a knife and fork.
What do foodies do?
I am a full time grad student in NY who recently quit my job...I spend most of my free time (the little I have, believe it or not) in sites like SE, Eater, and the like...
12-Year Old McDonald's Hamburger, Still Looking Good
The burger on the left looks better because back then, they used to make them with better quality rubber. You people don't get it that globalization is not always good for the economy! :)
12-Year Old McDonald's Hamburger, Still Looking Good
The reason McDonald's burgers don't decay is due to the inert gases that make up its molecular structure (inert gases are those that contain 8 electrons in their outer molecular layer, therefore they don't mix with anything in their environment, thus avoiding decay brought on by chemical reactions). That explains why, after eating McDonald's burgers, my farts smell as delicious as the burger itself when unwrapped.
Makes sense?
Photo of the Day: Labor Day Weekend Time
I am not slapping anything on the grill this weekend as the point is NOT to do any work and go to someone else's house to eat whatever THEY are slapping on the grill :)
I wish there was a truck in NY that served _______________
it never fails to amuse me how enthused people seem at this "truck that sells food" "novelty". Upper Manhattan (Washington Heights - Inwood) has had chimichurri (Dominican style burgers) and fritura (Dominican fried stuff) trucks for the last 10-15 years and no one ever noticed.
7th Street and 1st Ave
If you get the chance try the Caracas Arepas in Williamsburg bk .. much more room to sit down and enjoy- even a garden in the back!
7th Street and 1st Ave
Had Lukes for the first time last week and really liked it
The only issue I find is the size of the sandwiches but for Lobster I guess I understand
7th Street and 1st Ave
This block is amazing. I second everyone's feeling about Pylos, Caracas, 7A, Porchetta, and now Luke's. Also, we shouldn't forget Desnuda, with they're delicious ceviche and truffle oil popcorn.
7th Street and 1st Ave
What's with this street? It's become food heaven....I recently had a great meal at Pylos, the wonderful Greek restaurant.
One Dozen Trader Joe's Eggs, Each with a Double Yolk
We bought a flat (20) last week from a local organic market and had the same thing happen. All 20 eggs were double yolked. It was the weirdest thing.
One Dozen Trader Joe's Eggs, Each with a Double Yolk
Whoa - I want that dozen of eggs!!! The yolk is my favorite part!
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
Ooh, this is a hot topic especially in my town of Chapel Hill - a total college town with a lot of professionals as well. There are tons of great little sandwich shops and cafes, some of which get really heavy traffic for breakfast and lunch. They offer free wireless for most of the day, but turn it off during those prime busy hours. I think this is probably the best solution! Those shops are doing great business with their food customers at popular meal times, but also thrive off of students hunkering down and studying for hours at night.
The book vs. laptop argument is getting more hairy, I think, especially with all the wireless reading devices (and I work as a book publicist, so if there's anyone who wants people reading, it's me!). But, what if you're someone (no names...me....) who reads all of their newspaper subscriptions online? How is that much different than bringing a newspaper or a book in to read while you eat? Granted, I don't tote my laptop around in my purse...but if it were small enough and convenient, I probably would. And what about Kindles? IPhones? I guess the real problem is if you stay lingering at the table, obviously, and that could happen with either a book or a laptop, to be fair.
One of the saddest examples I have of this in Chapel Hill - Strong's Coffee. It was this delightful coffee shop that was frequented by students of all kinds. The shop was wonderful, but the problem is that students would set up their study stations at 8:00 am, buy a cup of coffee, get 25-cent refills, and stay there. All. Day. So the store couldn't make enough money to stay open!
All that considered, it should definitely be within the shop owner's rights to determine whatever book/laptop/study policy s/he desires - but it's a fine line between allowing your business to prosper and turning away customers who are turned off by your policies!
cw
www.dumpstersbuffet.com
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
Restaurant owners can do what they want, but I'm not sure it would be wise (or fair) to ban laptop users. If they're worried about people hogging the space, either control Internet access (with temporary codes renewable upon purchase) or impose a time limit for everyone, regardless of what they're doing there.
As for those who are attacking laptop users across the board, please stop generalizing. Not everyone working from a coffee shop wants attention -- some of us have noisy neighbours/roommates, or construction nearby, or just like having human contact like the rest of the working population. So unless we're bothering you directly, you can just suck it.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
Restaurants should be allowed to ban whatever they wish, just as they're allowed to enforce dress codes.
That said, I wouldn't eat alone at a restaurant that banned books. If I don't have a dining partner, I often feel awkward--even vulnerable--without a paperback to read.
Now that more libraries are providing WiFi and permitting beverages in sealed containers, I'm less grumpy about cafes banning laptops. I understand the argument that people should study or do their work at home, but I have to disagree that this is a solution for everyone. For those of us who are easily distracted, removing ourselves from the distracting environment is a necessary behavioral hack.
Banning laptops shouldn't be necessary. Those of us who work in coffee shops to have a normal level of focus should be considerate of the owners and the other patrons. It's not very polite to spend $1.59 to stake out a table, especially a large one, during busy hours.
In an ideal world, people would move on without being asked. They'd also buy a new drink every hour or so to justify their presence (yes, yes, extra calories--how about that $3 bottled water?). Maybe then, cafe and restaurant owners wouldn't feel the need to ban laptops.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
I agree with pooch. Between appointments to see clients, I've often parked myself in restaurants in off hours. I've paid for food and beverages, and I also think that I've made the place look busy when they probably wouldn't have more customers there. I'd never consider patronizing a restaurant that wouldn't allow laptop users or readers on the off hours when there are obviously many empty tables.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
If the waitstaff wants to turn over the table and you are (overly)lingering, they should tell you they need the table. But in a perfect world you should have the common courtesy to realize that you should move along when you're done eating or having a coffee. If you need an "office" outside your home or place of work, there's always the library if the cafe wants you to turn over your table. If there are customer behaviors the establishment would like to curtail, they have a right to post/enforce those rules. I don't have to eat there if I don't like those rules.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
I generally follow a set of rules when I intend to study at an establishment:
-if it's not indicated and you're not sure, ask if it's ok to study.
-eat there. (meaning, if I have the intention of studying elsewhere, it means that I also have the intention of eating out.)
-don't hog a ton of space unless the cafe isn't busy, or if I'm at a restaurant and the wait staff want to accommodate me with a bigger table.
-if it starts to get busy, make room for other people, or finish up and leave.
I've been in coffeehouses where they have discreet signs saying things like, "These are our peak hours, please use courtesy when using your laptops during these times," or "a minimum charge of $8.00 per hour is required if you intend to study at the cafe". The former works for people who understand that the coffeehouse is there to serve customers, the latter is for those who found too many people abusing the privilege and need to spell out the rules.
If the establishment tells me to put my stuff away, I'll do it without kicking up a fuss. It'll make me think twice about going there next time (at least, for studying, not necessarily the food itself). But I'm not going to feel bad for studying if the establishment is ok about me studying there. I don't think any of us are looking to be attention-whores with our laptops and textbooks!
@cybercita -- I wouldn't argue for banning cell phones outright, but the general population definitely needs to take an etiquette course in cell phone usage. Not everyone in the restaurant wants to hear about how Sally was bulging out of her bikini during that beach party over Spring Break in Miami and liek omg did you think yesterday's episode of the Hills was soooooo tragic?!...
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
When I was a waitress many years ago, our bartender noticed that whenever he turned off the music, after a short period of silence, anyone who'd been lingering would leave! That became our regular way to turn over the tables.
I guess it wouldn't work well nowadays, with people bringing their own entertainment everywhere they go.
I miss the old days!
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
I think it boils down to whether the laptop user is using the cafe as an office/workspace or not.
Surfing the web for 20 minutes while having a cup of coffee is not really different than reading a newspaper while enjoying that coffee.
But when someone sets up shop in a cafe, whether its with a laptop or a pile of textbooks or papers, they better be continually spending money at that establishment.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
I walked into my neighborhood Starbucks recently and it was packed. Three groups of business types conferring over laptops and blackberries. 4 singles at the little tables by the window doing god knows what on their computers, a huge group of knitters knitting for a cause, and not a single chair for paying patrons. No one I saw had anything left in their single purchase of coffee drink. It's their business, but if it were mine, this would not happen.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
In the summer I spend time in a rural area in California where I do not have access to the internet. I drive into town (population 247) where there is internet access. At the first establishment, where I ordered a full breakfast, I pulled out the old laptop to check email. I was told "we don't want to be that kind of place". Fine. The next day I drove further to a diner that marketed itself as an internet cafe. And every day of my vacation afterward I went to the place that "was that kind of place". And I don't think I was a D-bag, in fact, I run a scholarship program and was communicating with my students about the upcoming year. Nothing d-baggy about that at all!!!
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
I don't think this is a new problem. It's simply an issue of loitering. It doesn't really matter what you're doing: reading, surfing, filling out tax forms, painting reproductions of baroque masters... if you're doing it in someone's private establishment, you better have paid for something, and you better exit the building once you're finished that something, in a timely manner.
Every place allows for some time for patrons to finish their cup or plate, and sit around for a chat or whatever... but some laptop users seem to think a 2 dollar coffee purchase entitles them to occupy a table for hours. I don't think this is reasonable, especially if the place is busy. It's just common decency - you would be annoyed if your own friends stuck around hours after they were welcome, so why is it ok if you do it at a stranger's place of business?
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
"I like Peets Coffee's way of doing it—seems like a fair balance. When you buy a coffee, you get a code to their WiFi that lasts an hour. After that, you have to buy another coffee for more WiFi."
This is the perfect way to do it. The problem is that some people will come in and order the cheapest thing on the menu and then camp out for hours updating their Facebook page.
This question is almost a no brainer. The owner should be able to make whatever rules they want and if the customers don't like it, then they can go somewhere else.
Should Restaurants Be Allowed To Ban Laptops?
yes they should be banned, so should cell phones. you are there to eat, if not ----go home and set up all your electronic crap and work there. Life is short, slow down and enjoy a nice meal with friends or family without all the distractions.
Weird Food-Related Collections
I collect fruit and vegetable sticker labels.
Grocery Ninja: What to Do With Condensed Milk
My favorite recipe consists of a couple of spoonfulls of sugar, condensed milk and 7up.
Put the sugar in a tall glass add some condensed milk. Stir the mixture and then add the 7up or coca-cola.
Enjoy">http://www.coffee-makers-review.com/espresso-machines.html">Enjoy your coffee drink!
One Dozen Trader Joe's Eggs, Each with a Double Yolk
When I was young and impoverished I used to work in an egg packing factory, a horrible job, but it paid well. As people like their eggs uniform my job was to check that the eggs were all the same - they would pass in front of me on a metal grid and a bright light was shone through the eggshells.
Any non-uniform eggs - double yolkers, part fertilised, deformed shells, that sort of thing, were snatched from the line and thrown into a big vat, and taken off to be dried to make egg powder and used in cake manufacturing
Could the egg checker in this case have meant to put the double yolkers on one side for disposal, but made a mistake and packed them instead?
Sunday Brunch: Pan de Mallorca
I tried making this recipe twice, and both times my dough didn't rise. What am i doing wrong? I followed the instructions carefully and the active dry yeast wasn't expired. PLEASE HELP!!!! I'm so craving this mallorcas.
12-Year Old McDonald's Hamburger, Still Looking Good
I have a vegetable collection that is older. They used to have these things called jars and you could put things in them and it would make them last for a long time. If only we could recreate this somehow without the jars. That would be amazing.
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I had the same thought in mind a few days ago!
On a related note, there should be a "street-food truck block" somewhere in Manhattan...C'mon City of New York! sponsor a competition and award permits!