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| - I used to love this place - I came here once every week or two for breakfast and to sit and write for an hour or two (I'm a grad student working on my thesis). The food is expensive (~$12 for two eggs, toast, bacon, coffee) and the coffee isn't great, but the atmosphere is nice and I didn't come all that often so it seemed like sort of a luxury. The staff also isn't particularly outgoing, though not downright rude... until today.
Today is Sunday, and I arrived around 8am. I usually try to get there kind of early and leave before it gets busy so I'm not taking up a table. I bought a big breakfast (as described above) and sat down to work. Just over an hour later, I was approached by a middle-aged man whom I assume is the owner or manager but whom I've never seen before. He asked if I was aware of their "new policy" about Wi-Fi on Sunday mornings, and how they don't want people just hanging out using the internet when it gets crowded. (No sugar coating, that's almost verbatim what he said.) For the record, I wasn't actually using their wi-fi, I was writing. Whatever. His point was obvious. I stared at him for a few seconds because I couldn't believe that a proprietor was actually asking me, a paying customer, to leave when I had been there only an hour and in fact still had toast on my plate. He suggested it was fine for now but that when it started to get crowded I should get out. I said that if that's how they felt I would leave now, and he responded, "That's exactly how we feel." I was shocked, and still am. I have never, NEVER been treated so disrespectfully in a place of business. And I'm a regular, paying customer!! I always leave a tip! I still can't believe I was treated this way.
I will no longer recommend this place, now that they've shown their true colors. If the food was exceptional I might try to swallow my pride, but it's really nothing special. There are several other breakfast/coffee shops in the area (including a Starbucks across the road) and I will be patronizing them instead from now on.
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