Fed up with seat hogs, coffee shop chains take tougher stance

Fed up with “seat hogs” — customers who linger for hours on end — franchise coffee shops in Korea are rolling out new rules to reclaim seating space and boost turnover. Many have begun enforcing new rules aimed at managing customers who occupy seats for extended periods. Starbucks Korea announced a nationwide ban, effective Thursday, on the use of personal desktops, printers, power strips and partitions in its stores. Customers who violate the rule will be politely reminded of the restriction by store staff. The move follows a surge in customer complaints over conduct such as putting feet on tables, setting up partitions and using large personal computer equipment in the stores. This development comes as Korea’s franchise coffee shop market reaches intense saturation, with data revealing fierce competition for survival among brands. By late 2022, the number of shops nationwide surpassed 100,000. While growth in sheer numbers is impressive, the market faces mounting challenges marked by price wars and an ongoing battle for customer loyalty. The term “cafe squatters” has sparkWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times