Shutting off the free WiFi (on weekends, that is)

Glenn F. over at Wi-Fi Networking News had a post yesterday about one Seattle coffee shop's attempt to rescue cafe culture by switching off its free WiFi access on weekends. We get all twitchy and nervous at the mere prospect of anyone cutting off our lifelinebroadband, but it sounds like the owners of Victrola Coffee & Art in Seattle had some legitimate reasons for doing this, like that on Saturdays and Sundays up to 90% of the tables and chairs were being taken over by laptop-wielding customers who would stay there for hours and hours, many of them refusing to buy even a single beverage (not even a freaking scone, dammit!). They've only been doing it for a couple of weeks, but already they're pleased with results: the staff is happier, regular customers are giving them props, and weekend revenues are actually up.

[hli @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Sad there is so much freeloaders... if there where Wifi access at coffees in Belgium I'd be glad to drink whatever beer/hour necessary to keep it free :)

[Kevin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Good for them. Freakin' leeches need to get a life or at least buy a cup of coffee.

[Hitesh Sawlani @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

What? You can stay there and not buy anything?
Moreover those people should be ashamed of themselves for doing such a thing (as in those customers who sit there 4 hours and dont buy anything)

[Mat @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I have a way around this, could they offer the free service but entry is via a randomly generated password that gets printed on your reciept when you purchase something and then perhpas access could be limited to an hour so the user has to make another purchase and get a new password. Obviously theres a bit of infrastrutcture in there but could it be possible?

[hobgoblin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

sad to hear that people will go to such lengths to get free internet. atleast they could pay the cafe back for its service by buying something while they stay there (i for one could not think of staying in a cafe for so long without getting a snack).

[Nate MC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Jesus, show some respect freeloaders. I love free stuff as much as the next guy but I'm nto suprised people abused it to the point of revoking it. At least buy a Latte.

[Lea @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Always a thumbs up from this quarter for cutting off freeloaders.
Lazy asses!

[TZK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

What they need to do is implement a system of some kind like the MacDonalds did. happy meal gets you 30 mins or something :) Isnt it loitering anyway just to sit and not buy anything? Taking up space: time to kill the freebees. Shame, but its got to be done.

[soobaw @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Try going to the SOHO Apple store in NYC. Every machine is taken up by people checking their email. We actually tried to buy a computer of all things but gave up.

[Randy Charles Morin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Geeks are notoriously cheapo :)

[Dean Bubley @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

My local cafe has a free hotspot, which I use regularly. Over the road there's a Starbucks with T-Mobile, and a Caffe Nero with BT Openzone.

My coffee ARPU there is about �30 per month (= $55)

I wouldn't dream of freeloading - but wouldn't it be easier for the cafe staff just to politely ask the offenders to buy something if they wish to stay?

Dean Bubley

[Spencer @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

What's with the owners allowing these freeloaders to just sit there? Don't they have a "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" sign? Kick those people out.. it's not like they'd be able to put up an argument. They could even keep using the connection from outside. Then their customers would still be getting WiFi use..

[Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

That is not an ARPU. No individual can have an ARPU. Can we please leave the marketing speak in its proper domain?

[pintomp3 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

the free loaders must also be leeching power. free wifi, a place to sit, and power. a cup of joe seems a small price to pay. i wonder if some of these jerks bring their own coffee/food. sucks, a few idiots always ruin it for everyone.

[Sam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Yeah, back in college I worked a second job at the waffle house, 3rd shift, to pay the bills.

I had several people who would come in with a book, order a coffee, and sit at my tables for hours. When they left, they'd leave a 15% tip. Yeah that's right, they'd basicaly take up my table so no one else could sit there, then pay for their coffee with a dollar and tell me to keep the change. Nice.

There are many freeloaders who think business owners have an endless supply of money, or something. It would do all americans good to at least try and start their own company on their own. That would change their view on a lot of things.

[R-Bro @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I frequently hit my local Panera Bread (free Wi-Fi there, too) to set up shop, but I always buy something. I consider it "free Wi-Fi etiquette." OTOH, I do consume an entire table for a few hours. There's probably a law of diminishing returns when it comes to giving away Wi-Fi. Personally, I will totally support any business that does.

[E. Marrs @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I used to go to the internet cafe and buys tons of snacks while there- they guy would give me free time for appreciation. This one day me and my friends went in on a monday, and he jsut switched monday to his closed day. Well he let us play for free allllll night. !!woot!!

this one other time I brought in a stack of game informer magazines, and he told me I could play free today, and that was at 11am. Well come 3am, my dad has to come by the cafe to pry me off the computer. Counter-Strike was the shit back in the day. I am pretty sure I was in the top 5 by the end of the day in cs rankings.

[Finishing.Law.School @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Throw the mooching freeloaders out.

[Tomas (gigabeat freak) @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Gotta hate it when some people screw things up for the rest of us. But yes, couldn't they just have enforced a rule...

You buy you wifi! ;)

[Ken @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

The problem with enforcement of it, or kicking people out, is that it could be viewed as an unfriendly waitstaff. By doing a blanket denial policy on weekend, they don't have to do the uncomfortable thing of asking people to leave.

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I'm surprised people want to sit around and not ingest ANYTHING for hours on end. Dude, when I'm aimlessly websurfing, or even doing school work or whatever I like a little comport food and/or caffeine to steady my nerves. At the very least water...

To: 'Mat'

My thoughts exactly :). Such a method of recompense is totally apropriate. And you could include so many options. Heck, you could just let people pay $2 bucks for all day access by itself or include access for $0.50 with any purchase. Or, they could just charge for it on the weekend...

Not to start a mile long anti-drm thread, but I think of this as being kinda similar to iTunes. If people are asked to pay a REASONABLE (I'm not gonna pay $4 just to check my email during the 25 minutes I'm resting as I explore a city on foot) price for a quality service, most are quite willing. Getting a good value is quite often as attractive (if not more so) than getting something for free.

Even in SF (as scote a town as that can be) most coffe shops with wifi (paid or free) I've observed seem to keep their establishments reasonably clean (often times both the dining area and the restroom)and in good repair, and their food/drink offerings are usually diverse and tasty. And at the very least a regular old cup of joe is usually $1.50 or less. Is that $1.50 so much to ask for all that these places are offering ?

And really, if you must snarf up wifi you could at lest do it from outside or even across the street so you're not taking up revenue generating space as 'Sam' alluded to.

I will close by saying it's nice to see so many people irritated by this behaviour. Reminds me that SOME people have managed to maintain a standard of morals...

[Glenn Fleishman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

The folks that suggest that the cafe owners tell leeches to leave or what have you: you'll note that in the article, they owner says that baristas and staff try this and get guff. The cafe wants to have a culture of lingering, and they don't want to have all kinds of policies they post and enforce. So the easier solution is to turn off Wi-Fi on the weekends: it seems like it might give them the culture they want without enforcement. You know: anarchy.

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

Look at the modern equivalents, last point - and no, I didn't just add it, it was there already.

[SlowLorus @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Are other cities this bad? I'm from Seattle, and there's freeloader crap like this going on everywhere. Lotsa cheapskates here.

[Chris Arnold @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I live a few blocks from there, and have a friend who's a barista there.

As far as telling freeloaders to leave, you have to remember this is Seattle, where passive aggression is the order of the day. Telling them to leave would invite awkward "direct confrontation" that would make everyone feel itchy and in need of a nap.

That said, I fully support Victrola's decisions. It's their AP, it's their coffee shop.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

# 23 - It's the same here in DC:
http://www.dcist.com/archives/2005/02/18/tryst_to_turn_off_wifi_on_weekend_evenings.php

But who the hell spends their weekend nights staring at a screen in a coffee shop surrounded by people out for a good time? I think these are the last people the cafes want around.

[Tan Hoang @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

In Berkeley, this happened a couple of times at this local cafe. I use the wi-fi but I buy a drink every hour if I am there more than 2 hours. I noticed some other people would bring their own drinks and food. The employees give them stares. It's funny to see the situation, but sad to look at the individual because they're just there doing what-not for hours without buying anything. If these guys were hardcore users... wouldn't they have broadband at home?

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

"If these guys were hardcore users... wouldn't they have broadband at home?"

Puzzles me too. They can afford a $700 to $2000 laptop but can't afford $3 for some java, a scone, and some dignity (or at least they're too cheap to do so).

College students you say ? Yes, college students often have laptops purchased by their folks but are short on ready cash, but most colleges are getting free wifi hotspots on campus, or have have computer labs they could use...

It's just sad...

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I say, way to go Jen, Tonx and crew at Victrola. Not only do they have the best coffee in Seattle currently (http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/general/1325450 but they took a hard step to cater to those who go there to appreciate the place, the people, and the atmosphere (not to mention the coffee!).

This, coming from a big time WiFi-in-cafes fan.

[davidlow @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

If I walked into a coffee shop with a book and just sat there reading for hours and not buying anything I would be kicked out; probably after about 15 minutes; as it should be.

Don't confiscate my book. Don't make a 'No Reading' rule; and don't be surprised when customers over-use your free services if they're not tied to purchases. Just enforce the already existing rule: 'Paying Customers Only' It works with books and it works with bathrooms. It will work with Wi-Fi.

Tell them to try this line on a table-squatter: "Excuse me, Sir. Our tables are for paying customers. Can I get you something?" That's what the free Wi-Fi access is there for to begin with.

[tim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Free wifi? What's that??!?

AFAIK the wi-fi in the UK (Starbucks, BT hotspots, stations et al) are all pay systems - so if they switched if off there would be a riot cos it's really expensive (20-30 UKP a month).

If there was free Wi-fi I'd probably get a wifi laptop...but as it seems to be on an ad-hoc warchalking basis I can't be bothered. May as well get a Blackberry...

Would be nice to have a free service to freeload on, but anyone who's lived in the UK will know that really 'free' doesn't exist with businesses here - or is the last country int he West to do it!

[henk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Would the following scheme work?
The wireless router allows new MAC addresses for, say, half an hour. After that, you'd have to wait till next day (all said MAC entries are cleared at 3 a.m.)

[Victrola Fan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

As a frequent customer of this coffee shop, I have to say "about time!" It is often impossible to find a free table when you just want to stop in to catch up with friends or read the paper. In response to people suggesting the employees should enforce the rule, their job is to provide customer service and make awesome coffee, not be wifi police.

[Mario @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Free wifi works for a business venue only when the service is implemented in a way that the business owner benefits. Controlled access ! Only allow customers access in a way that benefits the business venue.

[Carlos F @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

It really is amazing to see what a headache free wifi service can cause sometimes. Almost makes you want to charge for it (although most small shops usually don't have the tech knowledge or equipment to support this).

Myself, I applaud the staff at Victrola for taking back their coffee shop. Good for them. Besides if someone really needs to access a wifi signal there are 2 starbucks locations offering T-Mobile service less then a mile away.

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

If the shop offers the Free service, then they should be prepared to have people use it. Personally I refuse to pay for the internet service that Starbucks offers, though I love their coffee, I wish they would offer free internet. They should make enough money from the sales of the coffee to pay for wireless internet service. Maybe a sign that says "Free WiFi for customers only". Still that should not limit you to how long you can be there.

Hey I am cheap.. and I also believe that in this wireless world there needs to be more free WiFi hotspots.