[splitdisk]

This is something one would never see in Europe. In Paris it's acceptable to buy an expresso, or a glass of wine and stay for hours. On my last day in Paris I did this and got a free bowl of chips too! Talk about hospitality.

[ninkendo]

It's acceptable here, too. The coffee shop featured in the article is not "the norm." (In fact, the reason it's featured in an article at all is because it's out of the ordinary for coffee shops to kick people out.)

[carlob]

It's definitely not acceptable in Italy. You're actually not allowed to bring your coffee to a table if you paid the counter fare. So yeah we have good coffee under $1, but only if you drink it and GTFO.

[boompow]

What is this "expresso" you talk about?

[ryandrake]

Coffee made very quickly?

[splitdisk]

Sorry, espresso. People correct me about this all the time. It's such an ingrained habit I don't know if I'll ever be able to pronounce/type that word properly.

[srean]

Expresso is often how it is pronounced in India and when they do that they often really mean a cappuccino.