Person using wifi/laptop in a coffee shop and not buying anything - do you get angry?

In my town, everything is wifi-ed. So generally those who go to the wifi cafes are there because they don't want to stay home and work, maybe this is as close to daily social interaction some of these people get. We do have wifi cafes. Those where you MUST buy something to use their wifi have signs posted that you have to buy something, you can't take up space without buying something. And all you have to do is buy something not real expensive, like a cup of tea and then you can sit there until closing time. I've seen some of these places with no tables available sometimes but usually they have enough vacant tables so it's not a big deal if someone sits forever. And it isn't your job to make sure everyone there is a paying customer, that's the shop's employees' job if it's a big deal. You could have just mentioned to one of the employees after you bought your coffee that you can't find a place to sit and work because of all the non-customers hogging all the tables. It's up to the shop to make their paying customers happy enough to want to return. To me, it's just not enough of an issue to get my blood pressure up over it, there are other places I can go right in the neighborhood. I also have no compunction about sitting at a table someone else is already sitting at when there are empty seats at that same table--like if it's a table for 2, I'll just plunk myself down in the empty seat and say something stupid like, "you don't mind if I sit there, there aren't any empty tables left." It's more a statement then a question. If the person gets upset, he/she can get up and leave, especially if they aren't eating anything.

You did over react. I get a little annoyed at people talking all their business on a mobile while I'm on the bus but I just think 'I'm getting off the bus soon. So I won't have to listen to it much longer'.

Never confront a stranger because they could be a black belt karate or some kind of fighter and you could of got hurt and if you had the person arrested for assault nothing much would happen at court because you started it.

You didn't specify whether the place was full with people. Then yes it would be annoying but if the cafe was not full then it would look good from outside because many people in a cafe is a good sign that the place is worth going into.

If it was my café, I would implement a time-limit on the free wifi, of about 45 or 60 minutes. You get 60 minutes free wifi with any purchase (coffee, tea, cakes, sandwiches etc.)

After your time limit, if you want more wifi, then you need to make another purchase (of a minimum value, say $5, so you can't just buy the cheapest thing on sale for more Wifi.) If you don't want to buy something, then you can buy more Wifi time online (on your laptop by credit card) or buy more Wifi time by paying the cashier.

I understand that lots of cafes provide completely unlimited, free wifi to their customers and this is very attractive to people. For me, it's about balancing the needs and expectations of the consumer, with the reality that floor-space in a café costs money (you need to rent the building.) Therefore, a Wifi-hogger isn't good for business, but I wouldn't equally want to encourage customers to go to my competitors coffee shops where they could get unlimited Wifi.

If a customer is sitting, for over an hour, and hasn't bought a coffee or tea or cake, then there's little financial sense for the owner to have them sit there any longer. I can be certain that in the same time frame of 60 minutes, then that table could be used by at least six other customers (perhaps each buying coffee, cakes, sandwiches etc.)

If it was my café, I would have implemented a 60 minute limit, with the option top-up with more Wifi. I'd just have to make sure that there were other factors that attracted customers to my business (excellent quality coffee, snacks, a relaxing ambiance, great service.) If the only reason customers came to my café was to take advantage of free wifi, then i'd be concerned about what I was doing wrong as a coffee shop owner.

No, I don't get angry, and yes you totally overreacted!! My goodness!! Why on earth would a woman using her laptop, minding her own business bother you? Is it because of the "free" wifi?? Because you can get wifi practically anywhere now. If it was because she didn't buy anything, then that is where you really needed to step back and ask yourself, Is she waiting for someone else to join her? Did she already buy something a half hour or so ago? IS she going to buy something? Jumping to conclusions, using curse words and flipping her off WILL lead others to believe you are a total jerk. Hope that helps!!

Buying A Coffee Shop

You are lucky you did not get smacked in the face or she could have balled out in tears and the whole place would of been against you. Why would you yell at her in such a manner over something that is none of your concern. Coffee shops have WIFI for a reason and many people use it without buying from the actual shop. You don't know her situation or what might be going on in her home to make her choose to use WIFI at a coffee shop. You overreacted and you should be ashamed. That is not cool on so many levels.. its a public place and people are free to use it however they choose. She could have reported you for harrassment if she wanted too and you could have gotten charged

This wasn't really any of your business. I could understand your annoyance if she were taking up space that paying customers needed, but confronting her was well beyond what you were entitled to do.

If the coffee shop was not very busy, they were probably okay with somebody occupying a seat without buying anything, although the person really should have at least ordered a cup of coffee. Some restaurants actually want to look popular. I don't think "free WiFi" costs the restaurant anything extra per person using it.

If the owner of the coffee shop thought it was a problem, then they would change and reinforce their policy in their own ways-it is not up to you to be a unneeded crusader for them unless you work there and are specifically told to reinforce such policies onto the customers.

And if you do work there- you could've just told her politely and calmly, "Sorry,but you will have to purchase something in order to use the service here." It's not what you say, it's how you say it that matters in terms of etiquette.

And if you don't even work there...then I honestly can not comprehend why you thought it was any of your business to tell other customers off for such a small issue as taking wifi.

If you're going to hang out in a business, it's proper etiquette to make a purchase. That said, it's really not your concern. Unless she was taking up the last available seat or something, you should just ignore it and let the manager of the shop deal with it. You probably came off as a little nuts.

Total over-reaction on your part.

If you were busy or a paying customer needed that seat you could have gone over and said "Excuse me, I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave if you are not purchasing our food since other customers need this table" type of thing.

Not to walk over and start swearing at her. That was inappropriate and if I were your boss, you'd be out the door.

Unless there is a clear sign saying that you must purchase something, she isn't doing anything wrong. And if there is a sign, you politely point it out and explain calmly that she must either purchase something or she will have to pack up and leave.