Brenen's Coffee Cafe at 38 S. Court St. has begun reinforcing its policy prohibiting laptops and studying from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cafe is sharing the rules with customers by posting a sign near the entrance.
“We ask that everyone be mindful of the table space they are using and considerate of other customers needing seating. Please no laptops or studying during this period. Table sharing is encouraged,” the sign reads.
According to Josh Thomas, the co-owner of Brenen’s Coffee Cafe, the sign has existed since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The sign was put back out after the business experienced a few busy days.
“We've always had to do this,” Thomas said. “We just had to remind people that we are still a restaurant. When we do have people that come in, especially people who are longtime customers who have been supporting us for 20-25 years that we've been in business, we want to make sure that they have the ability to sit and have their lunch as well.”
Thomas said they try to be relaxed with the policy. To do this, Brenen’s staff may attempt to free up some seats by asking people sitting alone to buddy up; however, staff still may ask patrons who have been sitting at a table for a long time to leave.
“Maybe, I'm a student, and I have all day, right,” Thomas said. “But a lot of people, they have one hour for lunch or maybe they only have 30 minutes. It's nice for them to be able to come in, get out of their office for the day and have a place for sitting before they have to head back.”
Brenen’s has also noticed an increase in customers bringing Starbucks cups into the restaurant over the last week. Thomas said he understands if people bring outside food into the restaurant when a person comes in with a group of people, but it is frustrating to Thomas if Brenen’s is busy.
“You spend your money to create a dining room and a space for your customers,” Thomas said. “Sometimes when people come in and are bringing all their other food, it gets a little frustrating, but again, we try to be pretty cool about it because during times of day that we know we have plenty of seats.”
Starbucks reversed its open-door policy in early January, according to the Associated Press. The policy means people must buy food or a drink to sit inside or use the restroom. The policy came after struggling with unruly customers and other chains holding similar policies. Violators of the policy will be asked to leave or law enforcement will be called.
Thomas said he wondered if Starbucks changed one of its policies after noticing an increase in Starbucks products being brought into his establishment.
“The last thing we want to do is turn (customers) away because all of our seats are taken by either people just studying or people that have brought in food from somewhere else,” Thomas said.
Chris Plye, an owner of Donkey Coffee and Espressolocated at 17 W Washington St., said his shop has an open-door policy. The policy may change depending on the respect people show to others and how busy the location is, which he says has not happened often.
“If we have people that have just come in to just basically loiter and not buy anything, yes, we will go over and say, ‘Hey, we need to have this place’," Plye said. “Paying customers need to sit down.”
The policy came from Plye’s hospitality mindset. Plye said Donkey has worked with Good Works Inc. multiple times and tries to offer people a place to get out of the cold. Plye is also open to people sitting in Donkey because of its large seating capacity of about 150 seats.
Plye said Donkey’s employees have reported not seeing an increase in Starbucks products in Donkey since the policy change. He said if someone were to bring Starbucks into another establishment, it would be rude.
“We all have our different capacities for sure,” Plye said. “I totally completely understand a place like Brenen's that doesn't have as deep capacities as we do, so I totally get (their policy). I think most places are like that for a reason.”
Court Street Coffee also has an open-door policy. Debby Fulks, the owner of Court Street Coffee located at 67 S. Court St., said she works to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for her shop.
“I'm a coffee shop that welcomes people coming in,” Fulks said. “I've never really had a problem in all the years I've been here, which is 15, with anybody just hanging out without purchasing something. It's just not something that we're looking for. I don't, we don't go around the tables and make sure somebody has a drink or makes a purchase.”
To help create a welcoming environment, Court Street Coffee offers free Wi-Fi, but Fulks said when the establishment has a lot of guests, there can be connection issues.
“We'll have trouble with our internet, like to the point it affects our sales system, but that's usually at finals week,” Fulks said. “We do encourage kids to be on our Wi-Fi, or I think they can pick up OU’s Wi-Fi from here as well.”
Fulks said she has not seen any increase in Starbucks being brought into her establishment since the policy change but has seen people bring outside food and drinks like Chipotle.
In addition, Court Street Coffee welcomes people to reserve tables for meetings. Fulks said many people naturally buy something when they come in for meetings.
“If you talk to people, they aren't going to want to come into your establishment if there's like a centered guard at the door making sure you come in and purchase something,” Fulks said. “I've just never done it, and I know that people have come in here, purchased something, met other people who may or may not have purchased something and that's okay.”
