Many NYC Starbucks Locations About To Put An End To 'Squatters'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- They're called Starbucks "squatters." You know, those folks with their laptops who take all the seats and never seem to leave.
But, as CBS 2's Scott Rapoport, reports the coffee house giant has a plan brewing to fix that.
You know how some Starbucks customers and their computers like to make a permanent home in the coffee emporium, hogging up all the seats for hours, mooching off the free Wi-Fi and preventing you from sitting down and enjoying the latte you paid $5 for?
Well, now some Starbucks in New York City are reportedly pulling the plug on that idea, actually covering up their electrical outlets to discourage squatters.
WCBS 880's Monica Miller Reports From Midtown
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"Customers are asking (for it). They just purchased a latte and a pastry and there is nowhere to sit down in some of these high-volume stores," Starbucks spokesperson Alan Hilowitz said.
"People actually live here. You know what I'm saying?" added Alan Glowko of Astoria.
It is a move that has some Starbucks regulars saying ... it's about time.
"If there's no more space to sit, they should get up and leave," said Katie Krug of Burlington, Vt.
"I mean, you can't use their electricity for like eight hours. I mean honestly," Glowko added.
Still others say for what they're paying for coffee they should be able to stay as long as they like.
"If people want to sit there and relax they should be able to," one person said.
At some other coffee shops in the city, like Doma in the West Village, they let you use your laptop here for as long as you like if the store is not too busy on week days up until 5 p.m. The catch is you have to have your own Wi-Fi.
At Grumpy's, employees said there are no laptops allowed, period. That's the policy.
As for Starbucks, the decision to pull the plug is reportedly up to individual stores thought to be only in New York.
It's an idea brewed much the like the coffee -- for customer satisfaction.
Employees at some smaller Starbucks locations told Rapoport privately that electrical outlets will not be blocked in their stores because seating space is not an issue.
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