Shoutout to the coffee shop owner in Austin who kicked me out

Was working out of a busy coffee shop near South Congress last month. Laptop out, headphones on, ordered two drinks over 4 hours. Owner came over and said I had to buy something every 90 minutes or leave. Felt harsh at first but honestly it changed how I treat cafe spaces. Now I set a phone timer and order something small every hour. Keeps me fresh and I don't feel like I'm mooching. Anyone else run into a rule like that at a local spot?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.oliver6h ago

Real talk though, did you feel like that owner was watching you the whole time or was it just a random check? Because that would make or break the vibe for me personally. I had a barista in Denver give me a whole speech about table turnover while there were three empty tables in the room, felt like they just didn't like my face. It's wild how different the rules are from shop to shop, some places basically let you camp out all day and others act like you're stealing wifi if you don't buy a muffin every 45 minutes.

laura_wilson7h ago

Wait, they actually kicked you out? I'm sitting here reading this and I can't believe a coffee shop owner would just walk up and tell someone to leave like that. @iris_barnes87 hit the nail on the head though, asking about slow hours is actually a smart move I never even thought of. It still feels a little extra to me though, like if I'm buying two drinks over four hours that's pretty reasonable in my book. But I guess if the place is packed and people are waiting for tables it makes more sense.

iris_barnes877h ago

I got told the same thing at a spot on Rainey Street last year. I started doing what you said, ordering a pastry or a small coffee every hour and a half. It actually made me more productive because I had to get up and move around instead of just sitting there for hours. I also started asking the barista what their slow hours were and planning to go then, so I wasn't taking up a prime table during the lunch rush.