Comments on: Sticky Fingers Restricts Wifi on Saturdays

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:56:41 +0000

I’m don’t know what kind of phone and provider you have, but I just about never have a problem getting good 3G service in DC using AT&T and my iphone.

Besides, there’s no difference between a person who uses a laptop and holds up a table for two hours and a person who uses a phone and holds up a table for two hours.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:49:57 +0000

I think Sticky Fingers might scare away some fringe customers with this move though they were having wifi issues long before this. Remember how they had to SSID their network for security reasons? Tynan, OTOH, is shooting themselves in the foot by shooting people down at the door in the most brusque fashion possible. I’d like to try their waffles but their disdain towards the laptopped rubbed me the wrong way and I’m the type who maybe does that thing a few times a month tops.

Might the transient nature of DC play into this? I haven’t seen this sort of wifi backlash happen in other cities where it might be easier to make friends.

By: beforewisdom

beforewisdom — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:15:14 +0000

I was just there today (Sunday afternoon ) and left without buying anything because there were no seats. About 1/3 of the seats were being used by people who were busy using laptops.

Hopefully they WiFi ban will expand to Sunday too.

By: VeggieTart

VeggieTart — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:32:35 +0000

You don’t know how happy I was to see that, even if it means I can’t use my iPod Touch to check online when I’m there (not that I did that very often). I live a short walk away, and I can’t tell you how many times my boyfriend and I went there for a meal on Saturdays and had to fight to get seating because of the laptop people. Sticky Fingers is just not large enough to support a whole passel of kids who buy a coffee or bottle of water, spread their stuff around so one person is commandeering a four-top table, and spend all freaking day there. It’s not an office, it’s a cafe, and when you’re done with your meal/drink (or within 30 minutes of it), YOU LEAVE.

Free WiFi is an extra service restaurants offer, but if you abuse it, you lose it. Restaurants are in the business of selling food, and if people can’t get a seat there to enjoy their food, they won’t come, the restaurant loses money, and that’s one fewer indie place in town.

By: beforewisdom

beforewisdom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:52:14 +0000

It is nice to get out of the house and study/work in another setting. I enjoy going out to just hang and read a book.

As other people mentioned, if you are doing that and you are noticing that other people are looking around for a seat it is time for you to leave.

By: beforewisdom

beforewisdom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:49:10 +0000

I have to say it was heartening to read the comments by other people who have been disappointed at the limited seating at Sticky Fingers being made worse by people camping out with their laptops.

I thought I was alone.

My props go out to Sticky Fingers for doing something about it.

By: backslash

backslash — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:40:46 +0000

agreed, Victoria. coffee shops have become soulless.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:43:20 +0000

Remember “adult swim” at the pool when the kids had to get out for 10 minutes every hour? I think all coffee shops should have a 10 min. wi fi free period every hour and make people talk to each other.

By: Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:09:37 +0000

Ogden’s point about inconsiderate patrons is well taken. But it seems to me that it is easily addressed. For one thing, the store could post signs asking customers to be considerate of others and keep their clothes and other personal objects from occupying seats or table space that could be used by other patrons. Second, if someone’s personal items are spread across a seat you’d like to sit in, ask them (in a nice way) to move the items. Lots of people are clueless about the impact their actions have on others but willing to make accomodations once you clue them in. Instead of being annoyed at people who take up too much space, ask them to share some of their space.

However, I suspect that the wifi limit has little to do with wifi users spreading out over multiple spaces. It’s about using a resource, which is not “free” to the owner, in an amount that is disproportional to the revenue being contributed to the store by the user. Sitting in a coffee shop all day nursing one latte while reading a book is different because while you are contributing a limited amount of revenue, you’re not also using a service that the shop has to pay for.

By: cubsgirl14

cubsgirl14 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:53:38 +0000

@quincycylist: As a former CH res who’s now in Hawaii, our local coffee shop has a 2 hour wireless code you have to purchase something to get. It seems to work pretty well – though this may be because people here have a lot of other leisure options than laptopping at the coffee house. But it seems like a reasonable amount of time (maybe even just 1 hr would work) to turn over tables and provide a useful service for paying customers.