Accused of covering electrical outlets to chase away customers who stay too long, The Coffee House says it's 'making adjustments'

The Coffee House was acquired by Golden Gate for about VND270 billion, much lower than the previous valuation (over VND1,100 billion). The chain is trying to reform after a period of declining business, to improve business operations, bringing a better experience to customers, especially young people - Photo: TCH

Controversy over covering electrical outlets at coffee shops

In fact, the story of customers sitting for hours at coffee shops is not new. This topic has been debated many times on social networks.

Le Thi Linh Chi (25 years old, freelancer in Ho Chi Minh City) said she often chooses to work at coffee shops with beautiful and airy spaces like The Coffee House.

According to Chi, working at a cafe helps her be more creative than in a 15m² windowless, hot and stuffy rented room.

The Coffee House receives backlash for covering electrical outlets at the shop - Photo: Facebook screenshot

What Chi especially loves is the flexible layout in many cafes today: there are quiet areas for people to work, private corners for chatting, reading areas, and even sofas for resting.

"The staff here also regularly refills water and tea for free, making me feel cared for and looked after," Chi shared.

Minh Anh (20 years old, student at Ho Chi Minh City Open University) believes that coffee shops are not only a place to study but also a spiritual space for many young people.

"There are nights when deadlines come and I feel tired and lonely. But when I go to a coffee shop and see many people working hard, I feel more motivated," Minh Anh affirmed about her love of working at a coffee shop.

To avoid the feeling of "freeloading", Minh Anh said she always buys extra cakes when sitting for a long time, both to recharge her energy and reward herself after 4-5 hours of hard studying, and to support the shop.

From another perspective, Ngoc Diep (22 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) expressed sympathy for the difficulties the shop encountered when having to cover the power outlets. She believes that some customers have abused the conveniences that the shop brings.

"I've seen people sitting all day, charging their laptops from morning to night, and only ordering one drink. This makes it difficult for the restaurant to rotate tables and chairs for other customers," Diep confirmed.

However, Diep did not completely agree with the restaurant's handling of the situation. "Not everyone who sits for a long time is careless. Like me and many friends, if we sit for a long time, we usually order 2-3 glasses of water, not to mention buying more bread. I want a comfortable space so I come to the restaurant. If the power outlet is blocked like that, I will definitely refuse," she shared.

The Coffee House: Adjusting the space, will arrange power outlets suitable for each group of guests

Faced with much unfavorable information, today, May 25, The Coffee House chain officially announced and explained.

Specifically, recently, some stores are making small adjustments to refresh the space, bringing a more complete and enjoyable experience to customers.

There may have been some inconvenience during that process. Therefore, we are “very sorry” and hope that customers will feel the store’s efforts in every small change.

Specifically, power outlets will be arranged in each area so that customers can easily choose the space that suits their needs. Customers who need power outlets for studying or working will have a quieter private area.

Meanwhile, guests coming to chat, relax or experience the service will also have a separate space, to ensure comfort and not affect the overall experience of everyone.

To ensure the smooth adjustment process, The Coffee House will temporarily restrict the use of power outlets within a 2 meter radius around the counter area to ensure safety.

“All changes are carefully planned, short-term and do not affect the rest of the store. Other floors and spaces remain open and ready to welcome you as always,” the coffee chain said.

According to research, not all coffee shops in The Coffee House chain cover the electrical outlets. Currently, The Coffee House has 92 stores, mainly concentrated in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi , and also present in Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong...

Young people consider coffee shops as mobile offices

According to Tuoi Tre Online , at quiet coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City, the number of customers starts to increase from noon and lasts until late at night. Most shops are fully equipped with bright lights, power outlets, tables...

Some 24/7 coffee shops even choose to charge a reasonable surcharge and provide free services such as water, blankets, etc. to create favorable conditions for customers to study, work for a long time or stay overnight.

According to F&B experts, coffee shops are no longer simply places to consume drinks, but are gradually becoming "mobile offices" thanks to their convenience, flexibility and reasonable costs. This is also a new consumer trend, especially in the context of more and more young people wanting to work freely and not wanting to be tied down to the office.

This model also promotes the strong development of the beverage industry, opening up new directions in space design and operation. Experts also suggest that shops can proactively increase business performance by taking advantage of the time customers spend sitting for a long time to offer more products. For example, every two hours, staff can invite customers to order more drinks or side dishes with a discount of 10-20%. Directing consumer behavior instead of just "waiting for customers to buy" will help increase revenue without affecting the customer experience.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bi-to-bit-kin-o-dien-de-duoi-khach-ngoi-lau-the-coffee-house-noi-dang-dieu-chinh-20250525165803878.htm