Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Lower East Side cafe puts a Pause on laptops and iPads

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Laptops are off the menu at Pause Cafe. 

Management has implemented a policy banning laptops, iPads, and similar devices in the space at 3 Clinton St., just south of Houston. 

Instead, per the signage: "Reading, day dreaming and chit chatting encouraged."
Owner Amine Sadki shared that after removing his roadway dining structure last month and eliminating some seating, he decided it was time to make his cafe a laptop-free zone.

The rise of remote and hybrid work during the pandemic turned cafes into unofficial offices, with patrons sometimes nursing a single cup of coffee while occupying tables for hours. This trend has limited seating for customers looking to purchase food and drinks, reducing table turnover and ultimately impacting revenue.
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8 comments:

  1. Civilian PartnerDecember 10, 2024 at 7:20 AM

    Yes! More of this! I have started to see these policies enacted at non-Starbucks. Why did it take so long!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Liam RDecember 10, 2024 at 9:06 AM

    Great move. That place was completely packed every time I tried to sit there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. nowimaplaneDecember 10, 2024 at 9:38 AM

    Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. EvHoDecember 10, 2024 at 10:21 AM

    How wonderful!! Thank you, I remember when Pause first opened it and the vibe was so chill. See you soon!

    ReplyDelete
  5. XXXXXXXDecember 10, 2024 at 12:19 PM

    Can't stand when I go in a place, want to enjoy my coffee or whatever, and the whole place is taken up by selfish and entitled brats thinking it's their office. 30-45 mins to have a meeting or send some emails, whatever. But y'all ruined it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. mikeDecember 10, 2024 at 7:15 PM

    I work on my phone anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  7. nila chapelDecember 12, 2024 at 11:58 AM

    Yes! Now people who are actually buying a meal can sit down!

    ReplyDelete

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