Business1 min read

Bengaluru cafe owner questions Rs 150 coffee, hours of laptop use

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

A newly established cafe in Bengaluru has triggered an online discussion after facing financial pressure from patrons who buy a single Rs 150 coffee and stay nearly the entire day. These long-staying customers prevent table turnover and cause new patrons to leave due to a lack of available seating. The founder remains reluctant to ask remote workers to leave because of potential negative Google reviews. Observers noted that larger coffee chains may set higher prices specifically to offset the real estate costs of extended visits.

Key points

  • Fear of negative online reviews prevents the independent business owner from enforcing st…: Fear of negative online reviews prevents the independent business owner from enforcing strict customer time limits.
  • Major coffee chains often incorporate the operational overhead of lingering remote worker…: Major coffee chains often incorporate the operational overhead of lingering remote workers into higher beverage prices.
  • Online proposals suggest independent cafes adopt hourly minimum orders or restrict laptop…: Online proposals suggest independent cafes adopt hourly minimum orders or restrict laptop use during peak periods.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A cup of coffee can buy more than a drink at a cafe. For some customers, it also comes with a comfortable chair, Wi-Fi and a change of workspace for the afternoon. But when one order keeps a table occupied for several hours, the arrangement can become difficult for the business paying the rent and running the establishment. This is the situation facing a cafe owner in Bengaluru's Indiranagar, whose experience has triggered an online discussion about how long customers should be allowed to stay after placing a small order.

The issue came to light after X user Vikramaditya Shukla shared the experience of a school friend who had recently opened a cafe in the neighbourhood. According to Shukla, his friend had invested around Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh in setting up the business. However, one of the challenges has little to do with the coffee itself.

When a single coffee occupies a table for hours

Shukla said some customers order just one beverage, priced at around Rs 150, before opening their laptops and settling in for long…

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