Coffee house has right to charge overstaying fee

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Consumer Protection Board has ruled that coffee house could charge its customers for overstaying its spaces to do other business activities rather than drinking coffee.

The ruling came after the OCPB summoned the owner of the coffee house, Bon Café, to clarify why it overcharged customer drinking coffee in the shop.

Drinking coffee became an issue that was widely shared and debated on the Internet when a customer posted a receipt showing he and friends were charged 2,000 baht for just ordering four cups of coffee at Bon Café.

The receipt showed the charge for coffee was 260 baht, but for “open-food” charge, it was 2,000 baht.

But he didn’t pay the open-food charge but just the coffee, and later posted the receipt on the social network criticizing the coffee house for overcharging customers.

The issue drew the attention of the OCPB which later summoned Bon Café, a coffee shop on Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Road for clarification yesterday.

After the explanation, the OCPB said Bon Cafe has the right to charge customers who use their space for business activities.

According to a OCPB official, Bon Café clarified the 2,000 baht open-food charge on top of coffee collected from four customers who ordered six drinks, but spent two hours at the table to discuss business on Wednesday and later were presented with a bill for 2,260 baht.

Bon Café explained that earlier the coffee shop only asked the customers not to occupy the table for hours and disturb other customers otherwise they will be charged 1,000 baht per hour, citing of the small warning signs placed on every table.

It also said even though the customers were charged 2,260 baht, but customer managed to pay the café 260 baht, took a photo of the bill and posted it on Facebook, which later triggered social media uproar.

After hearing reasons from Bon Cafe, the OCPB gave instruction that coffee house has the right to charge for using space for long hours for other functions but they need to place a bigger notice on the table to inform customers.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/coffee-house-has-right-to-charge-overstaying-fee

-- Thai PBS 2015-07-18

Why not do it this way?

You see a business meeting happening.

Staff goes up and says business meetings allowed but you must pay this fee per hour IN ADVANCE.

So pay the one hour fee right now ... or leave, and if you go over one hour, pay again.

Thank you!

They could also block spaces for future bookings, paying in advance of course.

Edited July 18, 201510 yr by Jingthing

They should start doing this at Mickey Ds aswell

"The Office of the Consumer Protection Board has ruled that coffee house could charge its customers for overstaying its spaces to do other business activities rather than drinking coffee."

Good.

Edited July 18, 201510 yr by Bluespunk

They already had a sign on every table. They have the right to maintain how their tables are used.

What many of the news outlets omitted to report (and badly explained here) is that the manager of the cafe waived the Bht2,000 fee but the customer still posted a picture and complaint online. Shame he didn't also accompany that with a picture of the tent-card explaining Bon Cafe's policy on using the table for extended business meetings.

Finally. Good job, there, Prayut.

Some people just abuse their welcome.

Coffee shops should not be involved in determining what people are talking about on their tables. Rather, they should enforce minimum purchase requirements. If I'm in a coffee shop, I order at least 1 drink per hour that I occupy a table. That seems a reasonable requirement per person or they could impose a minimum baht per hour per table order requirement. The coffee shop doesn't care what is being done at the table, as long as it isn't disturbing other customers and so long as the table is generating adequate revenues.

Coffee shops should not be involved in determining what people are talking about on their tables. Rather, they should enforce minimum purchase requirements. If I'm in a coffee shop, I order at least 1 drink per hour that I occupy a table. That seems a reasonable requirement per person or they could impose a minimum baht per hour per table order requirement. The coffee shop doesn't care what is being done at the table, as long as it isn't disturbing other customers and so long as the table is generating adequate revenues.

How long does it take you to drink one drink? Does it take one hour?

I'm usually done in 5-15 minutes, but I do like hanging around a bit longer people watching etc

Well, that should stop all the school kids and tutors buying a single iced coffee in Dunkin Donuts, McD's and KFC and hogging the table for over two hours while they get their English, Maths or whatever tutoring for free at the expense of the establishment, which not a bloody classroom ...

You look at any of these places over a weekend and often in the weekday evenings, and you can't get a seat for kids and their books spread all over a table for hours on end.

Twenty minutes, 30 max, to drink your drink and get out so they can serve a paying customer. All it takes is putting a sign up saying 'If still occupied after 20 (or 30 minutes) by the same customer, this table will be charged at 1,000 baht per hour, or part thereof'.

Coffee shops should not be involved in determining what people are talking about on their tables. Rather, they should enforce minimum purchase requirements. If I'm in a coffee shop, I order at least 1 drink per hour that I occupy a table. That seems a reasonable requirement per person or they could impose a minimum baht per hour per table order requirement. The coffee shop doesn't care what is being done at the table, as long as it isn't disturbing other customers and so long as the table is generating adequate revenues.

An hour for one coffee is WAY too long. Twenty minutes max (or maybe 30 at slack times).

No problem with this "ruling" or policies like this in general but...

Any min. spend/max stay policies must be clearly articulated at the entrance, on the menu, at the tables (the sign in the OP is not enough in and of itself IMO).

Staff should make sure customers are aware of the house rules.

Staff should respectfully remind customers when they approach the house limits.

Coffee shops should not be involved in determining what people are talking about on their tables. Rather, they should enforce minimum purchase requirements. If I'm in a coffee shop, I order at least 1 drink per hour that I occupy a table. That seems a reasonable requirement per person or they could impose a minimum baht per hour per table order requirement. The coffee shop doesn't care what is being done at the table, as long as it isn't disturbing other customers and so long as the table is generating adequate revenues.

An hour for one coffee is WAY too long. Twenty minutes max (or maybe 30 at slack times).

6 drinks 2hrs....they paid their bill

Of course they have the right. Its their shop, their chairs and tables and their coffee. I am still amazed how completely childish the reaction in Thailand can be in understanding the customer supplier relationship.

Why don't you charge every tourist double also. That's really worked well for Thailand. Any coffee shop owner who does this. Here is some free advice. Having a masters in business. I can forecast your failure

Of course they have the right. Its their shop, their chairs and tables and their coffee. I am still amazed how completely childish the reaction in Thailand can be in understanding the customer supplier relationship.

Lets be honest, anyone reading the article can tell that this issue is not resolved by this ruling.

As a business, they can indeed charge anyone for using their premises for specific private function purposes.

Which is fine.

But if they are sitting in the same area as everyone else, paying for drinks an the only thing that's different is the topic of conversation, that's going to be a bit strange. Plus just as coffee shops are going to charge for meetings, so are customers going to claim they are just friends, this is Thailand after all.

At the end of the day let me just say IMHO Bon Cafe coffee is poor tasting and low quality.

I bet the Karaoke bar owners are lining up to get a similar ruling from the Consumer Protection Board...

Pathetic business practice. I'll be laughing at their faces when their company goes bust in less than two years.

I'm quite sure the coffee shop would be willing to sell them take-away coffee so they can hold their meeting in a public park, or rent a meeting room from a hotel.

Fair play. I have a friend that owns a coffee shop in an upmarket area of Bkk. I've regularly seen the Bkk Hi So's come into her shop, and ponce off her air con and beautiful surroundings for over two hours.

They buy one coffee and perhaps an Italian soda, with the total bill coming to around 130 Baht or thereabouts. All the while my friend has her 30,000 btu air con unit blasting out cold air to keep the misseralites from becoming too hot, the poor things.

I threw the head up, turned off the air and told her to chase them. I've zero time for leeches like that.

Pathetic business practice. I'll be laughing at their faces when their company goes bust in less than two years.

Absolutely, they sure will stay in business longer without making sales

....it should be posted....or the customer approached and informed.....

...otherwise it becomes too similar to the karaoke bar ripoffs.....

...people often have business meetings over lunch or drinks......

...it does not state whether the patron in this case stayed for half an hour or an hour or more.....

...so can you be charged after 15 minutes....if the owner or whomever 'sees fit'....

...they should think this through carefully...

...seems like someone bowed to pressure from 'someone'.....

...franchise owner....who knows...

...and be sure that customer will not be coming back....

...maybe better let all of us know the location....

...I do not want to pay 2500 baht for 4 coffees...

..

It's quite simple if i was holding a business meeting : Just buy the coffees from a street vendor @ 25 baht and go and sit in one of the fabulous parks.( you can sit in the shade or sit in the glorious sunshine ) Problem solved.

* Also it should be noted viewers that the coffee served on the street @ 25 baht is normally far superior to the coffee served at one of these " ponsy " coffee shops.....

Farang Jaidee x

....it should be posted....or the customer approached and informed.....

...otherwise it becomes too similar to the karaoke bar ripoffs.....

...people often have business meetings over lunch or drinks......

...it does not state whether the patron in this case stayed for half an hour or an hour or more.....

...so can you be charged after 15 minutes....if the owner or whomever 'sees fit'....

...they should think this through carefully...

...seems like someone bowed to pressure from 'someone'.....

...franchise owner....who knows...

...and be sure that customer will not be coming back....

...maybe better let all of us know the location....

...I do not want to pay 2500 baht for 4 coffees...

..

".........but spent two hours at the table to discuss business.........."

Why don't you charge every tourist double also. That's really worked well for Thailand. Any coffee shop owner who does this. Here is some free advice. Having a masters in business. I can forecast your failure

I too have a master's in business. Business model probably based on concept of "customer turnover", and space provided accordingly. If some group plants itself and is there for place rather than product, and cafe is full, they lose paying normal customers. Would you get upset if lived in condo with community washing machines, does a wash at 8 and doesn't get their load until 12? (assuming you were not allowed to take their clothes out). It's about volume, volume, volume.

Thainess

It is amazing and we will never understand it...

Coffee shops should not be involved in determining what people are talking about on their tables. Rather, they should enforce minimum purchase requirements. If I'm in a coffee shop, I order at least 1 drink per hour that I occupy a table. That seems a reasonable requirement per person or they could impose a minimum baht per hour per table order requirement. The coffee shop doesn't care what is being done at the table, as long as it isn't disturbing other customers and so long as the table is generating adequate revenues.

An hour for one coffee is WAY too long. Twenty minutes max (or maybe 30 at slack times).

6 drinks 2hrs....they paid their bill

They didn't. Six people - one drink each - 2 hours + pay extra for the table because the coffee shop can't make any more money because they are sefishly and thoughtlessly (or probably not the latter) hogging the table.

Six people - six drinks each - 2 hours - they paid their bill.

They were just looking for a cheap place to meet and typically, and they thought they could away with it. But they didn't and they shouldn't.

What's your real name - Cheap Charlie?

This is actually becoming an issue worldwide. Many are using free WiFi at coffee shops to do their business. In the states many coffee shops now insist you buy something every hour which is fair. 1,000 baht per hour is a bit abusive. But, something is fair.

As much as I dislike when people hold endless business meetings in cafe's and kids doing 3 hour homework in fast food restaurants. I fear this new "overstay rule" may soon run out of control. Next time we get fined for overstay in toilets and for strolling through the shelves of supermarkets and not buying something after 5 mins. TIT I wouldn't be surprised if something alike happens.

Not all coffee shops are going to punish their customers who choose to meet over coffee.
I'd say Bon Cafe will lose more business over this than they will gain.

Sam nam na.