[horsawlarway]

And they always have been.

If you want people to just sit and eat - you're a restaurant.

If you want people to just order and leave - you're a food stall/truck.

Cafe's have always been the intermediate. A place to sit and read/discuss/write/work/hang out. While also occasionally going to the counter to buy small food or drinks.

If you're annoyed by this... don't run a cafe.

Simple & sane rules like "you have to order something to sit at a table" are hardly novel.

[RainyDayTmrw]

Even so, the economics may change over time. If the cafe's own expenses are going up, it has a difficult decision to raise prices (and lose business) or try to push through more business (and annoy customers).

[scoofy]

In HCOL cities, the rents have pushed many coffee shops to incorporate hostile architecture. Especially in San Francisco.