Korean Job Discussion Forums

[laogaiguk]

I spend enough time in Starbucks for several reasons, and the stuff I see really ticks me off. The biggest is one person (or a couple) pulling all the tables or sofa chairs together so they don't have to sit next to other people and take up the place of 4 (or 6!!) people. Selfish bastards! This happens frequently. One person does not need the bench and two tables made for four people. And it's not like there isn't a lot of room between the tables that it's inconvenient.

Then there are the people who come in with outdoor food or drinks, buy nothing and just sit around waiting for someone (or for the rain to stop) for 30 minutes or more, then just leave. I'm not the biggest fan of capitalism, but why does the staff allow these people to do this without ever buying anything, taking away seating from paying customers?

It's just so selfish. Still, there was some foreign idiot on this site who thought that pushing a two child mega stroller through dongdaemun or myeongdong on a Sunday afternoon was a right they should be able to take advantage of and that people shouldn't complain about it. Selfishness is everywhere, but I don't understand why people put up with the ones I was talking about up top in Starbucks.

[shaunew]

What's starbucks is it like a fast food place or a bookstore? Where can I find one?

[DrunkenMaster]

[laogaiguk]

[ciccone_youth]

i hear ya...

it was the same at the Starbucks back home... actually the ones in Montreal were stroller parking lots. full of crying babies and running toddlers at 10pm when i was trying to study.

it gets chaotic, but there is nothing to do about it.

i just started hanging out at different, less popular caf�s.

[discostar23]

I agree that the couch usage makes me ticked off....

[WoBW]

Reminds me of when I used to go in McDonald's in Thailand, actually wanting to eat, and being unable to get a seat because the place was full of students doing their homework who hadn't so much as bought a coffee. So paying customers had to go elsewhere because non-paying students were taking up all the seating.

[Scotticus]

[zappadelta]

[pomegranate_grenade]

My advice: work at starbux for at least 3 months. you either have a heart attack or become impervious to idiocy.

either way, you're taken care of

[laogaiguk]

[ryouga013]

I've pushed people out of seats like that... In Korea, you get "the smile" in return. A friend and I walk in, look for a seat, stare at the person for a while and then even after the friend tells them in Korean to move, they try to ignore it, you just start moving their things.

If that doesn't sound right to do, you could always sit with them, as close as possible, almost sitting on their laps and start talking loudly to your friend. Spilling your water is also helpful in this situation.
---
If I take advantage free internet, seating or something, I always try to buy at least something from a place for the service. Even when I get some really good advice from a store on where to get something that that store doesn't have, if I have the extra money and they have something small, it's a good thing in my mind to show them you're grateful.

[gypsyfish]

I agree with you completely. I've asked the people who work there and they just shrug.

I ran a guy off about a month ago. No place to sit and he was in my favorite spot reading a newspaper. I asked him if he was waiting for a drink and he said no, so I said, 'I am, move.' He left.

I'm not sure why it bothers me, but it does.

[laogaiguk]

[Lekker]

It's the same at Starbucks in the States as well. Forget about it. Personally I can't stand Starbucks and when I am home, my mom always asks me to go there for her because she hates waiting in the line. I tell her to find someone else to do it. I hate Starbucks and I really hate their fake European desserts and s.hitty music they play. Let's not forget their stupid after coffee mints they sell at the counter.

And why the damn hell are there now three Starbucks in Hongdae, all within walking distance of each other?