Starbucks pulling plug on laptop users?
Starbucks is well-known for coffee, but laptop users love their juice — electrical juice.
After 4 days and only 3 Cafe Americanos, the Starbucks manager had a bad feeling about this guy.
Now, a rumor is floating amongst the Interwebs that New York City Starbucks locations are replacing electrical sockets with blank faceplates, effectively pulling the plug on laptop (ab)users plagued with poor battery performance.
The Seattle-based caffeine pusher did not immediately return a request for comment.
I can see the need to DC AC hogs, but I know a lot of folks, including some of my favorite reporters I never see anymore, use Starbucks as a transient office.
Starbucks Gossip provides the following jolt:
If you are one of those people who uses Starbucks as their office, sits in a store for 8+ hours a day, putting all your files on a table, using a separate chair for your laptop case/ suitcase enjoying unlimited free refills with your Starbucks card, asking for cups of water and refuse to to move until you are good and ready all for the $1.85 you pay as “rent,” then perhaps your actions will answer your questions [about covering the outlets].
An AJC reporter who shall remain nameless tells me she recently lost her connection after 30 minutes at another local coffee shop, so it looks likes Starbucks is not alone in trying to prevent prolonged PC parking.
Starbucks seems to go out of their way to be friendly, so this is a perilous PR path, if true. After all, we can get coffee and electricity at work, if it comes to that.
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211 comments Add your comment
alohatliu
August 5th, 2011
7:25 am
Perhaps Starbucks needs to employ the tactics of coffee houses overseas where I buy my coffee and am given a code to use the Wifi for 30-60 minutes then it shuts off and I have to make another purchase to get another code if I want to stay online. When your customer is costing you more (electricity for one) then they spend this is just not good business sense.
Michael
August 5th, 2011
7:33 am
I agree totally with Starbucks pulling the plug on laptop users. It’s a Coffee Shop not an office.
Dixie Normuss
August 5th, 2011
7:34 am
Serves all your Starbucks Snobs right. Who in their f ‘ ing right mind would willingly pay $5.00 for a cup of coffee just to be seen with a Starbucks cup. You know you do it so don’t even go there. My spouse drinks coffee which he makes at home for about 30 cents a cup including cream and sugar. What a bunch of IDIOTS you people are.
willydoit?
August 5th, 2011
7:38 am
@David Quinn
Maybe Starbucks should power their entire store on stardust and dreams!
How about we just let the power companies build a few more coal plants? The cost of electricity will come down and then you can use all the power you want for your one cup of coffee a day.
john s
August 5th, 2011
7:39 am
WAAAAAAAAAAAA! It’s a place for business, not a dang home office. Get your coffee and go home, you round-shouldered parkers!!
AVarner Man
August 5th, 2011
7:39 am
The Starbucks PC use situation is typical of us humans. Give us something free (electricity) and we’ll take advantage of it and then it becomes a “right.” I agree with Starbucks because of all the reasons mentioned in these comments.
Roger
August 5th, 2011
7:39 am
I am sick of these self-absorbed, self-centered, freeloaders infringing upon legitimate customers, as well as the businesses. I avoid Starbucks and Panera, except for takeout, and just get pissed off whenever I stop by Barnes & Noble and see the “campers” in every seat.
Get a life in your own premises, and stop invading everyone else’s territory.
GRS
August 5th, 2011
7:51 am
I work from home. It’s nice to have a change in office scenery and a place to meet clients and vendors. The coffee and pastries are welcoming fuel to stay energized while working on projects.
Power to the People
August 5th, 2011
7:54 am
I am what some of you call a “freeloader”. You guys need to get a life. I go to Starbucks to get some work done. It might take 1 hour it might take 6 hrs. But what I don’t need is the hurried business people with their disapproving stares or their whining sounds because I am taking up a four person table with my stuff. Get over it people, this is a free country! I was there first! They can cover the plates if they want, I will bring an extension cord and find an outlet somewhere. I am thinking we set up a boycott outside of the Mall of Ga location this weekend. Who is with me?
Katz
August 5th, 2011
7:55 am
Their coffee sucks. It ALWAYS tastes burnt. On top of that, most of the time, they can’t keep the grounds out. You may not have noticed if you bury your coffee under 800 calories of fat and sugar.
On the plus side… they have water and internet