So... ughh... ridiculous story
I came here around 3 PM on a Sunday, sat down, ordered a salad. Afterwards, I popped open my laptop and started doing some work.
After a few minutes, a nice lady-manager came in to explain that they have a no laptop policy after a certain time - listed on the website and front door (I didn't see it - should be in big letters).
She offered to refund the salad, or place it to go. I said, No, I want the food I already ordered.
Food came, so did the lady. I ate. I also paid and left a tip. She asked me to leave nonetheless and offered to refund the salad. I said I don't want refund for food and services rendered and I don't want t to leave because I'm not disturbing anyone. She insisted I leave or she'd call security. I ignored her and she came back with 'security.'
Security was another male employee who stated the same thing, that he felt really bad about the policy etc... And that the owner had a certain "vibe" that he wanted to set, however, I still refused politely.
A few more back and forths, the manager-lady became more and more stern. Brought other employees in the mix to tag-team me.
I made the point it's a ridiculous policy - either have a big "no laptops allowed ever" rule clearly on the door, or stop with the schizophrenic scheduled enforcement. I never once raised my voice or made any insults. I was calm in my demeanor. I never approached any customers, or the employees directly (only politely in response).
In my view, this is the stupidest, tone-def policy, and worst culture that employees have to work and suffer in.
Their job is literally to harass paying, information-workers customers at a lounge / restaurant / coffee bar on a schedule.
Information worker paying customers are unwelcome here, but more importantly, I feel really bad for the employees here ://
I guess this is what 'codependent on a bad employer' looks like.
UPDATE: The female manager came back raising her voice and demanding multiple times I leave, saying I needed to get the "f** " out of there and accusing me of harassing their employees which of course I did not. The harassment is clearly the other way. I was polite and cordial the entire time eating my salad I paid for and quiet in the corner. She said she'd call the police and I stated that you can't kick out a paying customer that is not disturbing anyone. She said that she refunded my salad which of course I said I never asked and I don't want a refund for food and rendered services. Clearly she was fabricating a premise, and possibly a false police report later. I did however leave shortly after this, and just so happened that she did call the police and they were outside.. I didn't bother them, they didn't bother me so I just went on my merry way.
It's too bad this is the employee and customer culture this management wants to cultivate. :(.
TL;DR?
There are better "cocktail + coffee" lounges to go to that won't get the police called on you if you pop open your laptop as a paying customer, (possibly?) double charge as others have stated, and ultimately don't maintain staff and training geared to harass customers and make false allegations against them.
Secondly, and this is really important - it's silly to try and have it both ways. Literally have "coffee" in your name, and then severely restrict information workers who are accustomed to being able to... drink coffee, or have a salad and work for a few hours while sending some emails.
Remove the coffee aspect of your branding and offering , print in big bold letters "no laptops ever," inform the user before sitting them, and then problem solved. You can create the "vibe" you want, and effectively dismiss
10-25% of your customer base. You can differentiate between the thousands and tens of thousands of bar/coffee/lounges that don't have this policy. Most importantly, you no longer need to train your employees to harass customers, swear at them, and call the police on paying customers. That's the biggest win. Company culture, and employee morale. read more