Forty bucks for a measly coffee in Barista!

I have often said this. To those whom I questioned its logic, I never got a satisfactory query. But there are countless times that I have sat in there and observed the clientele. Hence let me reason it out.

For a courting couple, what are the choices they have? In comparision to the harsh weather, and the lack of privacy in cities, is forty bucks too much for an airconditioned place that offers a place to sit across each other, a reasonable privacy, and music on top of it. Have I forgot to mention coffee? Nope, coffee is incidental. They might as well have given you a bill for the time spent in the ambience and a complementary coffee. You are paying for the need to have that quality of ambience (and hence time) and a cup of coffee, in comparision to other choices that you have.

The same goes for women who can sit comfortably without being leered; men who want to enjoy a game of chess or play the guitar or indulge in quiet reading; couples who want to wait for each other; or well, those who want to enjoy the coffee and cakes! You can probably have the same kind of coffee at home after sweating it out to make it, and sit on your sofa and have it, but would it be worth it? Now, that is a personal question!

The other question is, why don't cafes serve soft drinks? OR "I haven't seen too many married couples frequenting these cafes! Does it point to anything? ;-)