‘Inconsiderate’ – Why cafes are imposing 30-minute time limit on customers
Wes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA), discusses the tough new rules being implemented by small businesses to survive the busy festive season.
Cafes are imposing a 30-minute time limit on customers who only buy a single coffee, arguing that staying for hours with a laptop and ordering “ten waters” is “inconsiderate” and hurts business viability.
Michelin snub sparks debate on Australia’s culinary brand strategy
Industry voices argue the guide would have been a high-impact signal to international visitors. Wes Lambert, chief executive of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association, said: “It would help reverse the international tourism slump,” he says. He points to arrivals for the 12 months to August remaining more than 8 per cent below pre-COVID levels—and 11 per cent down in some states.