A new reality has hit cafes and small restaurants since the start of the pandemic. No, we are not talking about the closing of their dining room or the organization of their delivery service or the application of the vaccination passport that is their responsibility. Rather, they note an increase in the number of customers who invade these establishments during the whole day while consuming at a minimum, for distance schooling or telecommuting.
Thus, it can sometimes be students who have come to take their courses or prepare their homework, individually or in groups, because the classrooms are closed due to possible outbreaks at the cegep or at the university.
At other times, these are employees who cannot make it to the office and are not well enough at home. Teleworking is therefore done from the coffee!
The owners of these establishments warn against this new reality resulting from the pandemic. In addition to offering a menu that will meet the needs of the customers, they put a lot of time and energy into creating a pleasant "atmosphere" where customers can chat and get to know each other.
But with the current phenomenon, with everyone connected to their computers and with earphones firmly attached to their ears, the atmosphere is nonexistent. Sometimes some of them even go so far as to ask for the brightness to be increased or the volume of the speakers to be lowered.
In addition to having had to deal with the closing of the dining room and therefore a drop in income, the owners must therefore deal with workers or students who take up space but who consume little or no consumption. Then, with the dining room reopening and some more normal resumption of activities, customers have to wait at the door for a spot to become available to eat. Really consume, in this case.
The owners had no choice. They implemented solutions, sometimes drastic: shutting down the internet and closing the dining room. In the evening, the wi-fi is disabled in the café and it is forbidden to use a computer at the table. For others, it's just take-out.
And it works! The last few months have been very profitable for some establishments. Even the electricity bills have halved because there are no more customers to charge their electronic devices during the day.
Among the students, the complaints from the owners did not get through. After an article in the daily Le Soleil, students at Laval University in general reacted by speaking of a boycott. Others have used their judgment and have suggested to their colleagues that they continue to encourage neighborhood cafes and realize that some are bistros where the vibe does not lend itself to study at all.
And you, do you have any suggestions for these owners or the students and workers?
