I understand the stores' position. I hate being unable to find a place to sit down and enjoy my coffee and pastry because all the seats are being used by people who are typing away on their laptops.

  I do a U-Turn at some Starbucks locations because there is simply no seating area. It's about time that they acted! Either get rid of the upholstery and easy chairs or add more counter area with stools or...yes, pull the plug.

Changing the fifth letter on all their signs worldwide from B to F is going to cost some big bucks!

I pay roughly 1.10 a day for my net service, squatters pay 5 to 8 a day. What a brilliant bunch they are.

I don't have any compassion for high-dollar coffee drinkers, anyway. The Starbucks conundrum is meaningless other than the possibility the recent coffee price hike was generated from Starbuckian Habitarius.

How do you know if you are near a Starbucks? When the panhandlers, instead of asking, "spare some change?" are saying, "Hey buddy, got a twenty for a cup a coffee?" I've come to find out too that they really haven't provided any space to roll out a bedroll or anything comfortable for a good few hours sleep. And after spending my hard earned twenty!

A friend owns a cafe where a temporary (one hour) WiFi passcode is printed on every receipt. Squatting is a big problem for places that rely on volume like cafes and coffee shops, and this is a good solution.

I think the article says it all - it's up to the individual stores and on a case by case basis. I'm sure if you're a great customer and don't abuse their generosity, there will be no complaints. However, if you're rude and cheap and act as though you're privledged - hey, time to go!

Go to macdonalds.

mcdonalds all day. their coffee menu is no joke and really the customer service their cannot be beaten. you don't have a bunch of coffee snobs serving you either.

At my local Starbucks it's almost impossible to get a seat and it's a large store. The reason is there are a couple dozen regulars who use it as a regular meet up place to socialize. Whenever I go in there, you always see the same faces crowded around the tables, hogging the chairs. Do a quick scan and you'll notice that most of them aren't drinking anything unless it's tea or free ice water. It's a great place for them to get free air-conditioning, free internet, hang out with friends and ruin the experience for everyone else. I've seen them rearrange furniture to suit their needs... they act like it's their living room.

Bring your own Starbucks cup, filled with joe you brewed at home, and you can hang out all day because they never check. (That is, if you can put up with all the smug in the air.)

Starbucks is good, but VASTLY overated. Anybody that will sit in in line, or drive in for more than 30 seconds for a 3$ cup of coffee is an IDIOT!!!!!

I have internet at the house, internet card, internet at work, 2 laptops to recieve all three, why would I think Starbucks is the answer? DUH

1/2 hour is enough. By the way, Dunkin Donuts is much better. And some places give refills.$1.79 a cup....no way. go to Panera or einsteins.

It is mostly Gen Y losers that have the entitlement attitude.

Considering that some business only allow use of their restroom facilities if you're a [paying] customer and others have marked parking spaces with set time limits, presumably so that one customer doesn't prevent other customers from utilizing their services because they can't find parking, what Starbucks in proposing is not a new or usual concept in my opinion (other than it's wi-fi and the free part).

Considering that some business only allow use of their restroom facilities if you're a [paying] customer and others have marked parking spaces with set time limits, presumably so that one customer doesn't prevent other customers from utilizing their services because they can't find parking, what Starbucks in proposing is not a new or usual concept in my opinion (other than it's wi-fi and the free part).

 Hats off to Starbucks...they made the right choice...after all they are in business to sell coffee not provide Wi-Fi services....maybe a fee to connect?

 Who in their right mind would ever get coffee from Starbucks.  Their "coffee" is horrible.  Coffee is hot water fitered through ground coffee beans.  The crap they sell is the additives to this drink.  Coffee does not contain any type of dairy, sugar, or whatever crap they decide to put in it.  Hot water and ground coffee beans people.  Forgot to mention.  Get your own WiFi!

First hour should be free to everyone (to continue to lure them in) After that, 20 mins per dollar spent. I dont see anyone losing here.

The store decided to give free Wi-Fi, they even advertised it to bring in the business, now they want to cry about it.