A traveler was left scratching his head after a confusing trip to an Australian cafe where he discovered a secret “unspoken rule” everyone should know.
The Chinese man asked on Reddit: “Are you supposed to leave soon after finishing all your food in a cafe?”
He shared that the waitress asked him an innocent question that sparked a surprising realization.
“I finished my food and my coffee, but I was still reading my book, then a waitress came to clear the plates and asked if I wanted another coffee,” he said.
‘Is that a clue that I should leave if I’m not going to order anything else? I preferred to sit a little longer to read my book. Alright?’
Australians debated proper etiquette for lingering in cafes after finishing their meal.
Australians debated proper etiquette in the comments, and the consensus was to take a closer look at the context.
‘If there are a lot of people or there are people waiting for a table, then yes, it is better to leave. “Or if it’s getting close to closing time, or you’ve been there for hours and haven’t bought much, then it would be polite to buy something else,” one summed up.
It is generally thought that spending between 30 and 45 minutes in a cafe is normal if you are in a group of more than two people and have ordered food and drinks.
One even said it was acceptable to stay up to 20 minutes after finishing eating.
‘Alright [to linger] for a while, but that cafe is trying to make money, not give you a place to read. “If you want a nice place to read, find a library or a local park with a big tree,” one man suggested.
Some pointed out that the traveler was thinking too much about the simple encounter.
‘They’re asking you if you want another coffee since you’ve finished your meal. “You’re reading too much into this,” one woman said.
‘They are trained to ask if you need more coffee. It’s good customer service and more money in the till if you order another one!’ one wrote.
‘Well-trained floor staff will kindly inform you that they need your table and that others are waiting.
‘If the cafe is not full, they will be more than happy for you to stay and read. “A cafe with people inside looks better than an empty one,” said another.