The leisurely consumption of a well-brewed coffee enjoyed on a sun-drenched café terrasse is an indispensable part of any trip across the Channel. Indeed, such is the preponderance of idle table lingering in France, that the French even have a dedicated term, ‘seigneur-terrasse’, for a person who spends much time but little money in a café, reports The Telegraph.
However, this week one disgruntled café owner in southern France has taken a stand against would-be casual coffee drinkers by hiking the price of his java up to a less-than-raisonable 10 euro.
Jean-Michel Bonnus, who is proprietor of La Réale brasserie in Toulon, got tongues wagging in the coastal town this week when he placed a hand-written poster in his window stating that after 5pm stating: “Coffee 10 euro after 5pm if you are not dining.”
Speaking to local paper Var-matin, aptly-named Bonnus explained:
“I wanted to develop a cocktail bar in my establishment. To prevent my tables being filled by customers drinking a solitary coffee and glass of water, I decided to stop serving them after 5pm.”
However, the move to cut off coffee service prompted complaints and a visit from France’s fraud control directorate, who informed the displeased bar owner that he was not allowed to refuse customers their petit café.