I wrote the first of these stories two years ago about cafes turning off Wi-Fi or changing their model after being deluged with barely- or non-paying laptop table campers: The latest installment looks at a few places in New York, where store owners are a little more than frustrated. Waltz-Astoria is charging $2 per hour for Wi-Fi or electricity, offering it free to regulars who sign up for their email newsletter. The Roebling Tea Room and another shop, Aroma, have covered their electrical outlets. Aroma shuts down Wi-Fi during lunch.
These campers spend from $0 to $3, stay as long as eight hours, and occupy tables for four with their lonesome, and use a few pennies or more of electricity, to boot! Now, they're a subset of all cafe laptop users. Myself, I'm often in some venue for an hour or two, spending $3 to $5, and taking the smallest possible footprint. It only takes a few bad apples, though.
My early story--tipped by a colleague who spotted the trend--covered Victrola here in Seattle. My editor back then asked, Is this a trend? Or is it just a few places? I said that I was pretty sure it was not a trend, but it was an interesting development that was likely to spread slightly as cafes, looking for an option, heard about the idea. Once you install Wi-Fi, it's weird to turn it off or change the terms of access; with a peer group of other owners, even those you don't know, it may be easier to modify what you're offering. [Link via Craig Plunkett]
The answer is to provide a number - printed either on a voucher or on the till receipt - that provides free access for a short period. The voucher must expire quickly. You might also print it only if asked for, in case freeloaders go hunting about for unused receipts.
For all those hotspot software operators that have sophisticated authentication systems with remote RADIUS servers, take note! Here is a business opportunity with widespread demand and it's very easy to implement - even alongside an existing infrastructure.