The Fall Cafe

The Fall Cafe, on Smith St. between President and Union Sts.

Saturday coffee is better than Sunday coffee, because there aren't a ton of assholes at the coffeeshop. I had some work to do, and though I spend too many hours in front of my computer at home, she is a laptop, and work needs doing, so I dragged her to the coffeeshop around the corner for some change of scenery and a nice mug of joe.

A great thing about the Fall Cafe is the $2.50 mug of coffee that comes with two refills. It's basically asking you to hang out for a bit. And although summer prompts me to get iced coffees, Saturday was rainy. I staked out a nice table by the window, and ordered this mug, and some granola with steamed milk. The whole thing cost about $6.

Here's the thing. I didn't tip. I've worked in the food service industry for a number of years, and consider myself a generous tipper. But it's the tip jars that started appearing everywhere that has given me pause outside, what I consider, normal tip-giving establishments. Tip jars at coffeeshops, delis, laundrymats, I once saw a tip jar at a photocopy store, basically everywhere commerce is performed there seems to be a tip jar. I don't know if that's just playing on or maybe exploiting the American urge to tip a job well done OR if cheapskate employers pay their workers less and justify it by putting out a tip jar. I assume it's the former, but sometimes I get a nasty look if I don't toss my change or a buck in the jar. Yesterday at the Fall Cafe was one of those days.

No biggie. The granola was good, the coffee piping hot, it was a nice day spent watching the rain fall outside. Every other table was filled with other folks on laptops. When I worked for Starbucks for that month in college, I had to read all this corporate literature about what this "third space" is, and how coffeeshops, like bars for drunks, should be a completely enjoyable space that isn't work and isn't home, but should maintain positives of both those two environments. I think Fall Cafe does a fine job at being that third space.

Another coffee and granola enjoyed all alone.