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Think $5.50 is too much for a flat white? Actually it’s too cheap, and our world-famous cafes are paying the price

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-felton-143029">Emma Felton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians <a href="https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/news/what-australians-wont-give-up-cost-of-living-crisis-report/">won’t sacrifice</a> – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/866543/australia-domestic-consumption-of-coffee/">remained stable</a>, even as financial pressures have bitten over the past few years. So too have prices. Though many of us became upset when prices began to creep up last year, they’ve since largely settled in the range between $4.00 and $5.50 for a basic drink. But this could soon have to change. By international standards, Australian coffee prices are low. No one wants to pay more for essentials, least of all right now. But our independent cafes are struggling. By not valuing coffee properly, we risk losing the <a href="https://bizcup.com.au/australian-coffee-culture/">internationally renowned</a> coffee culture we’ve worked so hard to create, and the phenomenal quality of cup we enjoy. <h2>Coffee is relatively cheap in Australia</h2> Our recent survey of Australian capital cities found the average price of a small takeaway flat white at speciality venues is A$4.78. But in <a href="https://pabloandrustys.com.au/blogs/drinkbettercoffee/global-coffee-prices">some international capitals</a>, it’s almost double this, even after adjusting for local <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/updates/purchasing-power-parity-ppp/">purchasing power parity</a>. <iframe id="gaplH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/gaplH/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> In London, a small flat white costs about A$6.96. Singapore, A$8.42. In Athens, as much as A$9.95. <h2>The cafe business is getting harder</h2> Over the past few decades, coffee prices haven’t kept pace with input costs. In the early 2000s, after wages, food costs, utilities and rent, many cafes <a href="https://www.coffeecommune.com.au/blog-why-are-cafes-so-expensive/">earned healthy profit margins</a> as high as 20%. The <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/cafes-coffee-shops/2015/">most recent data from IBISWorld</a> show that while Australian cafe net profits have recovered from a drop in 2020, at 7.6%, they remain much lower than the Australian <a href="https://www.money.com.au/research/australian-business-statistics">average business profit margin of 13.3%</a>. For an independent owner operating a cafe with the <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/cafes-coffee-shops/2015/">average turnover of A$300,000</a>, this would amount to a meagre A$22,800 annual net profit after all the bills are paid. <h2>What goes into a cup?</h2> Just looking at the cost of raw inputs – milk, beans, a cup and a lid – might make the margin seem lucrative. But they don’t paint the whole picture. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/584949/original/file-20240328-24-rlngpk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A takeaway coffee cup showing the price inputs, with wages and operation costs making up over 65% of the cost of a coffee" /><figcaption>Chart: The Conversation. <a class="source" href="https://pabloandrustys.com.au/blogs/drinkbettercoffee/whats-in-the-cost-of-coffee">Data: Pablo and Rusty's Coffee Roasters</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></figcaption></figure> Over the past few years, renting the building, keeping the lights on and paying staff have all become <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/ground-down-australia-coffee-shops-an-early-inflation-casualty-2023-07-10/">much bigger factors</a> in the equation for coffee shop owners, and many of these pressures aren’t easing. 1. Green coffee price Increasingly <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/environment/brewing-crisis-how-climate-change-is-reshaping-coffee-production/3113886">subject to the effects</a> of climate change, the baseline commodity price of green (unroasted) coffee is <a href="https://perfectdailygrind.com/2024/02/demand-for-robusta-prices-record-high/">going up</a>. Arabica – the higher quality bean you’re most likely drinking at specialty cafes – is a more expensive raw product. Despite levelling off from post-pandemic highs, its price is still trending up. In 2018, it <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/675807/average-prices-arabica-and-robusta-coffee-worldwide/">sold</a> for US$2.93 per kilogram, which is projected to increase to US$4.38 dollars in 2025. Robusta coffee is cheaper, and is the type <a href="https://www.lavazza.com.au/en/coffee-secrets/difference-type-arabica-robusta-coffee">typically used to make instant coffee</a>. But serious drought in Vietnam has just pushed the price of robusta to an <a href="https://www.barchart.com/story/news/25094367/coffee-rallies-with-robusta-at-a-record-high-on-shrinking-coffee-output-in-vietnam">all-time high</a>, putting pressure on the cost of coffee more broadly. 2. Milk prices The price of fresh milk has risen by <a href="https://cdn-prod.dairyaustralia.com.au/-/media/project/dairy-australia-sites/national-home/resources/reports/situation-and-outlook/situation-and-outlook-report-march-2024.pdf?rev=b0222df4b01b40d0ae36cf8ac7b01bc0">more than 20%</a> over the past two years, and remains at a peak. This has put sustained cost pressure on the production of our <a href="https://gitnux.org/australian-coffee-consumption-statistics/#:%7E:text=Coffee%20is%20a%20beloved%20beverage,approximately%206%20billion%20cups%20annually.">most popular drink orders</a>: cappuccinos and flat whites. 3. Wages and utilities Over the past year, Australian wages have grown at their <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/real-wages-growth-back">fastest rate</a> since 2009, which is welcome news for cafe staff, but tough on operators in a sector with low margins. Electricity prices remain elevated after significant inflation, but could <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/heres-how-much-your-energy-bills-might-go-down-by-and-when/k8g00jheg">begin to fall mid-year</a>. <h2>Specialty vs. commodity coffee: why price expectations create an industry divide</h2> One of the key factors keeping prices low in Australia is consumer expectation. For many people coffee is a fundamental part of everyday life, a marker of livability. Unlike wine or other alcohol, coffee is not considered a luxury or even a treat, where one might expect to pay a little more, or reduce consumption when times are economically tough. We anchor on familiar prices. <iframe id="oDbah" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oDbah/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Because of this, it really hurts cafe owners to put their prices up. In touch with their customer base almost every day, they’re acutely aware of how much inflation can hurt. But in Australia, a huge proportion of coffee companies are also passionate about creating a world-class product by only using “<a href="https://medium.com/@samandsunrise/why-is-specialty-coffee-so-expensive-6cf298935e4b#:%7E:text=Specialty%20Shops%20Feature%20High%20Grade%20Coffees&text=Their%20coffees%20are%20hand%2Dpicked,even%20on%20the%20same%20tree.">specialty coffee</a>”. Ranked at least 80 on a quality scale, specialty beans cost significant more than commodity grade, but their production offers better working conditions for farmers and encourages more sustainable growing practices. Although not commensurate with the wine industry, there are similarities. Single origin, high quality beans are often sourced from one farm and demand higher prices than commodity grade coffee, where cheaper sourced beans are often combined in a blend. Running a specialty cafe can also mean roasting your own beans, which requires a big investment in expertise and equipment. It’s an obvious example of doing the right thing by your suppliers and customers. But specialty cafes face much higher operating costs, and when they’re next to a commodity-grade competitor, customers are typically unwillingly to pay the difference. <h2>Approach price rises with curiosity, not defensiveness</h2> When cafe owners put up their prices, we often rush to accuse them of selfishness or profiteering. But they’re often just trying to survive. Given the quality of our coffee and its global reputation, it shouldn’t surprise us if we’re soon asked to pay a little bit more for our daily brew. If we are, we should afford the people who create one of our most important “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-cafes-bars-gyms-barbershops-and-other-third-places-create-our-social-fabric-135530">third spaces</a>” kindness and curiosity as to why. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226015/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-felton-143029">Emma Felton</a>, Adjunct Senior Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-5-50-is-too-much-for-a-flat-white-actually-its-too-cheap-and-our-world-famous-cafes-are-paying-the-price-226015">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Cafe owner responds to extortionate avocado drama

A Sydney cafe has responded after being slammed for their $10.90 side of avocado. Little Jack Horner, situated right in front of Coogee Beach, also charges $11.90 for halloumi and $9.90 for a side of bacon, all of which are meant to be shared. Cafe owner BJ McHatton spoke to 9Honey about the avocado side dish that made waves. "The smashed avocado is portioned at almost one and a half avocados, as well as containing other ingredients to make it a dish, not just an avocado in a bowl," he said of the dish. "The price of avocados does fluctuate, two months ago we were paying double what we are today," he said, adding that the venue works with local providers who go to the market daily to provide them with quality produce. "Of course, this comes at a higher cost that allows us to have a quality offering for our customers.” He pointed out that this is the first price increase in 10 years, with "the hospitality industry as a whole all the way from the suppliers to the actual venues himself have seen prices explode over the last 12 months.” McHatton added that the cafe is in a prime location, with live music five nights a week, 160 indoor plants that are professionally cared for, and their efforts to support local teams, clubs, schools and charities all contribute to their prices. "Obviously, running a business of this size, and in this destination has a lot of associated expenses. All of this has to be taken into account when we set prices for our products.” Despite increased media coverage, McHatton says they haven’t received any backlash. "Obviously being on a few radio stations and covered by a few news stations it has generated some interest on those stories. However, after reading the comments, most of them are supportive. Most people genuinely seem to understand how hard running a business is the associated cost to come with running a business," he told 9Honey. However, he expressed disappointment at the Google reviews that were allegedly left overnight by people who had never been to the cafe. "[It's] disappointing that people will go to the trouble of leaving a review having never actually experienced the venue. If anyone has ever been to our place, they know it's a lot more about an experience, which includes the food than just the food and the price," McHatton said. Other reviewers have dubbed the food “grossly overpriced”, with one reviewer revealing their Easter lunch of two breakfasts and fruit juice was almost $100. Another added that the prices were "pushing close to that of what you would expect for dinner," though they did say the food "was great". Image credit: Shutterstock

Food & Wine

“Coffee that makes people cry”: Sydney cafe charges $1500 for a single brew

For most people, forking out $5 for a cup of coffee is to be expected, even threatening a daily budget in the midst of Australia’s cost of living crisis. But for one Western Sydney cafe and its wealthier clientele, that $5 has shot to $1500. Penrith’s Brew Lab Cafe is the place to be for coffee lovers seeking Australia’s “rarest coffee” in a unique after-hours experience that’s available by appointment only. As for why the beans set customers back so much, they’re apparently found growing at the base of a Panamanian volcano that’s 1700 metres above sea level, rating well above a 90 - which apparently signifies that they’re some of the best when it comes to coffee beans. And to top it all off, they fly first class. There’s a precise formula behind brewing the coffee, too, with pre-dampened filter paper, water boiled to 94 degrees, and carefully timed “pour over” sessions. It’s intended to be served black, with no additional sweeteners or flavours. “We order it once the customer has,” the cafe’s owner and barista Mitch Johnson told 9News. “We then get in contact with the guys in Panama, they’ll roast the order individually, and then they’ll send it over on their private jet.” However, for those hoping for a hit of coffee flavour from their brew, they may find themselves a little disappointed. As Johnson explained, “most people when they drink it, say their first impression is that it's more like a tea than a coffee.” Unsurprisingly, they don’t see an awful lot of people flocking in to hand over $1500, but apparently do get “quite a few coming in once a week to try our $100 or $200 coffees. "It's not rare for us at all. There is an underground coffee scene in Sydney that is actively pursuing exotic brews such as this.” When speaking to The Daily Telegraph about their offering, Johnson added that it wasn’t just about the coffee itself, noting that “this is an after-hours experience, only served one-on-one where we close the doors and talk the person through the process. “This particular coffee, you drink it as it cools down and the flavours change and evolve, giving way to tastes of peach, strawberry, lemonade, rose and juniper. “It’s an exceptional coffee, the kind of coffee that makes people cry, I know that sounds crazy but it’s happened, it’s brought them to tears.” Images: 9News / Nine

Domestic Travel

Pugs and kisses! New London cafe takes the pug world by storm

London has welcomed its very first pug-themed cafe, right in time for Christmas. Adorably dubbed "CuppaPug", seven rescued pugs have been dressed up in an array of cute outfits by the cafe owners, giving customers and super pug fans the chance to spend hours with the beautiful and chunky pups. If that wasn’t enticing enough, you can play with the puggies and give them plenty of cuddles while they’re dressed like Santa and his helpers. The cafe's motto is "pugs' welfare first, café second" and is home to seven resident pugs in descending age. Gaston is the oldest at six years of age, followed by, Bruce, Bowser, Beau, Gizmo, Bebe and finally Baloo – who is just six months old at the time of writing. Co-owner of the cafe, Aaron says that: "Pugmas is so special to us here at CuppaPug! “For Matt and I, "Pugmas" is about bringing festive joy and pugs to people really needing a strong dose of Christmas fun. “We are Christmas-themed with a pink Christmas Santa, pink Christmas trees, lights and decorations and, of course, the pugs in their little Santa outfits. "People walk back from work with a miserable face but once they see the pugs playing, it makes them stop in their tracks and smile, usually taking a heap of photos too. A lot of kids who visit tell us it's the best day of their lives! "The pugs are so well behaved with children and parents often bring children who've had bad experiences with dogs to try to overcome it. Reactions from customers are overwhelmingly positive; we really are a joyous place!" CuppaPug are looking to introduce PugLates, and cocktails will also be available on the menu soon. 10% of their entry fee goes towards rescuing and rehoming pugs, and they have pugs brought in who need adopting, partnering with The National Pug Protection Trust, who provide customers with information and advice. Customers often boast how therapeutic the experience is, especially when the pugs are having quiet time in their beds or on people's laps – but equally, there can be lots of chaotic fun when playing or training with the animals! For more information, head to <a href="https://www.cuppapug.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.cuppapug.com/</a> Image: Instagram

Family & Pets

Cafe won’t let guests leave until they finish their work

If you struggle a lot with procrastination then the only thing left for you to do is to book a ticket to Japan and head to this one cafe. Unless you procrastinate that too, but hear us out. Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo is the one-stop destination for procrastinators looking to get their work done. There are 10 workstations and people are allowed to leave ONLY when they have finished their work. And the staff will make sure you have completed your projects as they come to check in on you at least six times an hour. They also bring with them free snacks, tea, coffee, water and high-speed wifi. Once you have completed all your tasks, you are given a paper with an orange stamp and you are free to leave. The video was shared to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@leanneinjapan/video/7095383871398694149?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> and has been viewed more than 624,000 times and has received around 120,000 likes with many commenting about how they need to be at the cafe all the time. “Yup, I definitely need to work there.. ah.. maybe later,” one wrote. “Kindness and torture at the same time,” someone commented. “I guess I'm bringing a sleeping bag,” another joked. “I’ll go later,” another joked about procrastinating their visit. “So essentially I'd be living there,” read another. Images: TikTok

International Travel

“Bloody outrage”: Cafe roasted for stingy vegemite toast

A Sydney cafe is being dragged online after a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/u4l5f0/vegemite_on_toast_from_a_cafe/">customer shared</a> a photo of a piece of toast with a very stingy spread of Vegemite on it. An outraged customer shared a photo of the “very disappointing” piece of toast on the weekend, which sparked hundreds of comments from equally offended Australians. The criminally offensive piece of toast was purchased at a popular eatery in Newtown, Sydney. The photo shows a piece of almost raw sourdough, with a buttered middle and hardly any vegemite in the centre. “Vegemite on toast from a cafe,” the disappointed Reddit user wrote, alongside a sad face emoji. The photo sparked a flurry of anger in the comments. “That’s just un-Australian and needs to be called out,” one user raged. “It’s barely toasted and the butter doesn’t even make it to the edges. Let alone the issue with the Vegemite,” another fumed. Another added: “That’s bloody outrage that is!” Despite the overflow of support, there were some who questioned the type of person who orders toast from a cafe. “OK, that’s terrible … but who tf is ordering vegemite toast from a cafe?” one wrote. Mostly though, people just saw the “abysmal” brekkie offering as an opportunity to roast Sydney prices and services. Image: Reddit

Food & Wine

"I thought it was playing": Bulldog mauls child at cafe

Shocking footage has emerged of the horrific moment a dog mauled a six-year-old boy outside a popular Gold Coast cafe. Andy Bracek and his son Teddy were walking down Pacific Parade in Currumbin just after 8 am on Sunday when they stopped to grab a coffee from Tommy’s Italian. CCTV showed Teddy approaching a man and began petting his British bulldog before the animal attacked him. Mr Bracek was then seen running toward his son trying to get him away from the vicious attack which left him with a “horrendous wound” on his arm. He claims that his son asked the dog’s owner if he could pet him to which he was told “of course he can”. “At first when the dog jumped up I thought it was playing,” Mr Bracek told <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/6yearold-boy-attacked-by-dog-at-popular-currumbin-eatery-on-easter-sunday/news-story/19317cd75d78492a203c6dc41c86f1f8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a>. “But I quickly realised it was attacking Teddy when I heard him screaming. The owner then made a .... half-assed effort to restrain the dog.” Mr Bracek was left fuming when the dog’s owner left the scene without providing his details to report the incident. “If he came back and sorted it everything would’ve been okay but I’m pi**ed off and disturbed that this man has put his dog’s welfare before a child’s.” Teddy was taken to Griffith University Hospital in a stable condition where he underwent surgery leaving him with internal and external stitches. “It’s especially awful to see on a small child. It takes up a third of his forearm,” Mr Bracek said. The local council has been notified of the horrific attack with investigations ongoing. Watch the footage <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/6yearold-boy-attacked-by-dog-at-popular-currumbin-eatery-on-easter-sunday/news-story/19317cd75d78492a203c6dc41c86f1f8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: CCTV

Family & Pets

Cafe offering $92,000 to pour coffees

A cafe is offering baristas an impressive $92,000 salary to pour coffee. The Good Cartel in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is offering higher than industry rates for six positions at their cafe. The barista package offers a $92,030 salary and superannuation where the successful applicant must work 47 hours over five days, including the weekend. Those looking to keep their weekends free can apply for the barista position offering a $83,000 salary. Kitchen staff are offered almost $20,000 more at $112,464 annually to work 55 hours over the week, including weekends. For $102,000 kitchen staff can work and keep their weekends free, while drive-thru attendants are being offered $80,000 a year. Jack Kain, the owner of Good Cartel, said he was already paying higher industry rates but said it had become necessary in recent times to work with the rising cost of living. “It’s a better than usual strategy now with the labour shortage, which has now fallen well and truly off the cliff,” he told <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/staff-shortages-force-kimberley-businesses-to-offer-baristas-90000-a-year--c-6064180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perth Now</a>. “When you combine this with the rental shortage and all of the various COVID restrictions incoming it’s going to be challenging.” Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

"It's for the kids": Cafe owner and daughter arrested and removed by police

Mother and daughter cafe owners have been dragged out of their own restaurant in handcuffs for failing to comply with Western Australia's Covid vaccination rules. Topolinis Caffe co-owner Jodie Jardine, 51 and her daughter, 22, were arrested in their family-run Italian restaurant after a dozen police officers descended on the property. They were charged under the Emergency Management Act for allegedly working despite not being vaccinated.Under Western Australia's Covid jab mandate that was introduced on January 31st, all hospitality workers in the state must be double dosed or face harsh fines and even jail time.Ms Jardine claimed that by not being vaccinated while on the job, she’s “standing up for the future of our children”.After a tense stand-off between the cafe owners and police, the unvaxxed duo were eventually led outside by officers and taken away. Footage from independent media shows that, later in that night, the mother and daughter were dropped at the restaurant to the applause of an awaiting crowd.“It’s a mother and daughter and we were in the cell,” Ms Jardine said.“We’re going to have to tell my grandchild … we were arrested for her or him because we’re standing up for our children and my grandchildren, that’s what I am doing. I am standing up for the future of our children and if we don’t, we’re not going to have a future."“[My daughter] was braver than me, but you know, it’s for the kids, we’re doing it for the kids, it’s always been about the kids.“I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the restaurant and my staff, my 20 staff that I have rely on me for their pay, I don’t know I am going to have to get a lawyer and see what our next step is.”Police allege they had they had attended the restaurant earlier in the day to warn about staying open with unvaccinated staff. Premier Mark McGowan made no apologies for the tactics of police saying, “Well that’s the law and people need to comply with it.”Ms Jardine’s husband Phil told The West Australian unvaccinated West Australians are “being segregated like the Jews in Germany”.The maximum penalty for breaching the Emergency Management Act is 12 months behind bars and a fine of $50,000, with the penally being up to $250,000 for corporations. Image credits: Youtube

Legal

Lisa Curry stands up to abusive cafe customer

Lisa Curry has taken to social media to share a shocking story about witnessing a man abuse staff at a café.Reports of disgruntled shoppers taking their anger out on staff because of ongoing issues caused by the pandemic's restrictions are at a record high, and this former Olympian is not the type of bystander to keep her mouth shut.To begin her strong stance, Lisa shared an illustration of a woman wearing a pink mask that reads, "Please keep your distance if you are not good for my mental health," written on it."Yesterday I witnessed for the first time a guy abusing staff at a café," Lisa wrote in her caption."I had just left my table and was almost face to face with him, so I told him not to be so rude, settle down and be nice."However, after Lisa told the man to pipe down, he took out his rage on her."Then he's going at me. The owner is in tears, the staff feel threatened. Come on! Stop abusing people who are only doing their job. If you can't sit inside a cafe, sit outside, if you can't sit outside, get a takeaway and sit in the park."Lisa then pleaded with her followers to make sure they remember to be kind, considerate, and understanding, especially during these tough times.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnHq9rh8wt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnHq9rh8wt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></div></blockquote>"People are overworked and overwhelmed as it is, just relax! Show some empathy. Remember how we tell our kids to use kind words? It is what it is at the moment, so work with it and stop being rude! F---in wake up man🤯🤬," she continued."Think before you speak. People can be fragile. You don't know how a poor choice of words can affect someone."Now I feel better🥰 Have a nice Sunday !"Fans filled Lisa's comments section with support and praise for her actions and message."👏👏👏thanks Lisa for calling this out. Unfortunately most people who work in service industries is copping this in various forms at the moment. It's tough. Well said🙌."

Caring

Cafe plastered with hand-written death threats

A popular cafe in Melbourne has been targeted with death threats on Sunday night, as vandals destroyed the property in a statement against Covid restrictions. Briki Cafe, in Melbourne's inner north, had its front window smashed with a brick as threatening letters were stuck over Covid safety signs on the door. The terrifying hand-written letter to the owner read, "Do what Daniel Andrews says and we will burn your shop down and kill you motherf****r.” The owner of the cafe, Simos Kandias, was very distressed by the vandals' message, and said his business has already gone through tough times during the pandemic. “We’ve had it pretty tough,” Mr Kandias told <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/coronavirus-vic/vandals-attack-melbourne-caf-and-leave-death-threats-over-covid-regulations-c-4746132" target="_blank">7NEWS</a>. “At times it’s been hard to find the funds to pay our rent.” Locals and frequent customers at Briki Cafe has shared their support for the cafe after the brutal attack. MP Ged Kearny shared a post on Facebook condemning the senseless act of violence, as she supported "one of her favourite cafes". She wrote, "This is not okay. Whatever your opinions may be on mandatory vaccinations, everyone should feel safe at work." "I look forward to returning to Briki Cafe. With the community's help and support, I know they'll bounce back in no time." Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 Delta variant, Melbourne has seen countless protests against lockdown restrictions and mandatory vaccines, with many of these protests ending in violent acts. Image credits: 7News / Instagram @BundjalungBud

Legal

Coffee prices set to rise as Australian Cafes recover from pandemic blows

Image: Shutter stock Australia is known for having some of the best coffee in the world, but customers could soon find their morning cup a lot more expensive. Following a sharp increase in freight and shipping costs after Covid-19, local cafes are set to hike up the price of coffee. Café Owners and Baristas Association of Australia spokesman Sean Edwards said people could expect to pay up $1 more per cup of coffee than they had in the past. “It’s probably going to be a small rise in coffee. I wouldn’t say anything more than 50 cents to $1 a cup, but I think that’s definitely going to happen,” Mr Edwards said. “As things start to open back up again, I think we’ll see it.” The price hike is expected to hit urban areas the most after the closure of many inner-city cafes over the pandemic. “We’ve lost probably 20 to 25 per cent of the cafes and they probably won’t be returning for a while,” Mr Edwards said. “That’s gonna level things out a bit so that the competition, especially in the inner city, probably won’t be as high so you’ll probably see $1 a cup going up.” Aussies who buy a coffee every morning could be $350 worst off a year.

Food & Wine

“We won’t stand for segregation”: Sydney cafe to support unvaccinated customers

A Sydney café has made the <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-cafes-bold-move-to-support-unvaccinated-customers-001318307.html" target="_blank">controversial decision</a> to stay open for takeaway only until unvaccinated customers can also dine inside. Anthony Milotic, the owner of Bare Wholefoods, shared an “open letter to the community” via Instagram, stating that he wants “everyone to feel welcome” in his café and “won’t stand for segregation”. “Right now the path out is unknown, but we do know one thing. We won’t stand for segregation. We are one, we are family!” Mr Milotic wrote. “I want everyone to feel welcome at all times and I will never put profit before people.” Mr Milotic said he is “choosing love, accepting differences and a community in unity is what we need right now”. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT6h1HfldLU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CT6h1HfldLU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bare Wholefoods (@bare.wholefoods)</a> </div> </blockquote> “So we have chosen to continue to operate as takeaway only until everyone is free to dine-in,” he wrote. “We will always value family and hope that you feel the same.” Bare Wholefoods, which has venues on the North Shore and the Northern Beaches, shared the open letter last week to a flood of comments. Though many supported the decision, others argued that treating those who choose not to be vaccinated differently to vaccinated people isn’t segregation. “Segregation is a term that is used to describe separation from normal society a group of people that have inherent characteristics such as race or religion or sex. Being non-vaxxed is a decision, not an inherent characteristic,” one user wrote. “You insult all those people that have experienced true segregation for their whole life by suggesting that non-vaxxers are being segregated. “It’s a couple of weeks at the most until they are free to do their own thing and it’s to protect their own health. Seems like more of a publicity stunt than anything really meaningful.” The post comes as hospitality and retail venues across Greater Sydney will be able to reopen to fully-vaccinated customers in early October when 70 percent of the state is fully vaccinated. The state is expected to hit the milestone around October 11. Though some venues have said they are “open to all”, Bare Wholefoods have stated its continued closure until unvaccinated patrons can also dine in. Other venues have confirmed they will follow the suggestion from the NSW Government to only open to vaccinated customers. Ms Berejiklian believes the state will reach 70 and 80 percent vaccination rates in “two to three weeks”. “NSW will be the first state that in all likelihood hits 80 percent double dose, but there will also be a point in time after that where unvaccinated people will be able to participate in activities,” the premier said. “So that is the information we are providing this week to make very clear when those key milestones will occur.” Image: bare.wholefoods / Instagram

Food & Wine

Cafe with Peppa Pig on the menu causes outrage

A cafe in the centre of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh has come under fire for a divisive sign to lure in customers. Gordon Street Coffee decorated their chalkboard with a drawing of Peppa Pig next to a bacon sandwich to sell the popular breakfast item. As well as the “distasteful” sketch of the popular children’s character, the cafe had also included their own rendition of The Magic Roundabout cartoon cow, Ermintrude, to sell beef sandwiches. Despite the cafe’s light-hearted attempt at advertising tactics, outraged members of the public slammed their ideas and methods. Angry parents expressed their disappointment online over the sign, as they thought the drawings would traumatise children once they realised their beloved characters were intended as food. Animal rights organisation PETA led the online outrage, taking to Twitter to say, “Luring kids to meaty meals with cartoons of happy animals isn’t new, but it is dishonest.” “Kids naturally love animals, and would be horrified to see gentle pigs' throats slit for a sandwich.” Many other parents and vegan activists also slammed the cafe, saying the cafe was “sick, upsetting and dishonest”. One woman wrote on Twitter. “That's going to make a lot of children question food.” “I support that but damn this is pretty sick.” Another mother agreed, saying, “Even if you are not vegan or vegetarian that could be really upsetting.” “My kids would be absolutely traumatised if they saw that sign, it's really not funny.” The outrage comes after a new survey showed that one in five children have no idea that steak, sausages and ham are meat that comes from animals. Image credit: Twitter

Food & Wine

This coffee shop is 2D

In Seoul, South Korea, there is a café unlike any other. Greem Café boasts a unique interior that transports visitors into a two-dimensional world inspired by the Korean animated series W. Inside, every wall, counter, and piece of cutlery and furniture has been made to look like a two-dimensional black and white drawing ripped from a cartoonist’s sketchbook. To make the illusion, every object is white with a dark outline. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPKCuMYlmWx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPKCuMYlmWx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Since 2017 / Greem cafe / 2D (@greem_cafe)</a> </div> </blockquote> The design is more than just a gimmick to draw visitors in, but is all about creating an experience for patrons. Marketing manager J.S. Lee told <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-this-south-korean-coffee-shop-designed-look-cartoon">Architectural Digest</a> that visitors “want to make unique memories in a memorable place”. Due to the popularity of the concept, visitors are forbidden to take any photos until they have made a purchase. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLNaX92FpdI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLNaX92FpdI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Since 2017 / Greem cafe / 2D (@greem_cafe)</a> </div> </blockquote> The café has outgrown its original location too, moving to a larger space down the road and now including a roof terrace patrons can visit - including a stylised 2D clothesline and patio furniture to match the café’s unique aesthetic. Lee said he expects to open additional locations around Korea, and he hopes to expand on a global scale too. Image credit: Greem Café / Instagram

International Travel

Mother outraged over treatment of child in cafe

A mother in New Zealand has lashed out at her favourite cafe after she discovered a nasty note from a worker directed to her daughter printed on a receipt. Kimberly Sze said that she and her daughter eat at a local cafe called Coffee Supreme on a weekly basis, but that quickly ended after she discovered a rude note on a receipt. The server had written the table was for the “Fam w(ith) the terrifying kid” and had overcharged her. Kimberly was less concerned with being overcharged and furious with her child being labelled as "terrifying". “We come almost every weekend and my daughter is nothing but polite and friendly and we’ve never left a mess,” Sze wrote on Facebook, alongside a picture of the receipt. <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838524/mum-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5298596fe8e946578179aac126a6255c" /> “She’s never been a terror, never had a meltdown, never caused any problems and the same people working today always comment on how cute and sweet she is.” Coffee Supreme New Zealand is in damage control mode, saying that the company is "incredibly sorry" about the incident. “We know you’ve since spoken to Tim, our Food and Beverage manager and know that we’re taking this incredibly serious (sic). “We’re horrified, to say the least. We want Coffee Supreme Welles Street to be a place for everyone and this sort of behaviour contradicts what we’ve been building.” The company addressed the incident on its Facebook page, saying it had "made a mistake". </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

"Vile anger": Cafe owner cops abuse over Dan Andrews coffee tariff

A café owner from Melbourne’s South-east announced he would be removing his “tongue in cheek” sign that said Daniel Andrews’ supporters would be charged extra for coffees after he received a wave of abuse and threats. Acrobar co-owner Franz Madlener told Today that police visited the business on Wednesday night and “strongly suggested” he remove his sign as it was inciting anger. Mr Madlener added he felt forced to hire security guards after people threatened to throw rocks at the business because of the sign. The café owner had the sign on the counter for three weeks before it received criticism after going viral on social media on Wednesday. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838371/coffee-melbs-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/25c176b8226c47d2a143a19cc70cdc6a" /> “Initially it was fine, we had about 30 people see the humour in it and put $1 into the tip jar,” the café owner told hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon. “But in the last 24 hours, I guess since this sign’s gone viral, the level of abuse and vile anger and personal attacks on the business, me and the staff yesterday, was completely over the top.” Mr Madlener said they received a call that threatened to have their windows smashed with rocks and spray paint, just as it had been done to Premier’s office. He said the police’s grave warning encouraged him to remove the “light-hearted” sign. “If you’ve had the police ask you to take the sign away, of course,” Mr Madlener said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838372/coffee-melbs-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/671ba6c54dcc47e994e04cc344720d98" /> “My main concern is for our staff, to keep the staff safe. We don’t want people coming in and using that to create more anger against the staff. “Up until now we’ve been fighting lockdown and now we’re fighting these absolute extremists out there full of absolute hate towards the business.” The café owner says the sign was not meant to be political but instead was supposed to be a “light-hearted” protest to counter comments about how they should feel grateful and lucky about the government lifting strict COVID-19 restrictions.

Food & Wine

Melbourne cafe introduces surcharge for Dan Andrews supporters

A cafe in Melbourne’s southeast is charging Daniel Andrews supporters an extra dollar for their coffee orders but the owners insist the surcharge is not politically motivated. Franz Madlener is the co-owner of Arcobar in Moorabbin. Earlier this week, he put up a sign that says: “Do you support Dan? Add $1 to your order.” It continues to explain that the cafe introduced the surcharge for those “who think Dan is doing a great job”. However, he says the sign is not anti-Dan Andrews but rather a warning against lecturing small businesses about the pandemic. “Customers have been coming in every day and lecturing us about how lucky we are to be able to open,” Franz told <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank">7NEWS.com.au</a>. “They ask us ‘aren’t you grateful?’ and the answer is no.” The hospitality industry has been hit the hardest due to Victoria’s second lockdown, with the Premier promising to ease restrictions by November 1. Franz said the surcharge is comparable to a “swear jar” for those who “think paying $3 for a coffee allows them to lecture us”. “The first thought in the morning and the last at night is about the lockdown. “It doesn’t lead to healthy banter, it’s vicious.” He said the sign would have gone up regardless of which government was in power. The cafe is not actively enforcing the surcharge, he said, and any money that did go into the “swear jar” was divided among the staff.

Food & Wine

How to stay safe in restaurants and cafes

Now we have fewer cases of COVID-19, and restrictions are lifting, many of us are thinking of rejuvenating our social lives by heading to our local cafe or favourite restaurant. What can we do to reduce the risk of infection? And what should managers be doing to keep us safe? COVID-19 is an infectious disease <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/what-you-need-to-know-about-coronavirus-covid-19#:%7E:text=The%20virus%20can%20spread%20from,your%20mouth%20or%20face">spread</a> directly from person to person, carried in droplets from an infected person’s breath, cough or sneeze. If the droplets come into contact with another person’s eyes or are breathed in, that person may develop the disease. Those droplets can also fall onto surfaces, where the virus can survive <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973">for up to 72 hours</a>. If someone touches these surfaces, then touches their face, they can also become infected. Eating out has led to several clusters We know people around the world have become infected while eating out. Back in late January and early February, <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0764_article#tnF1">three clusters</a> of COVID-19 cases in China were connected to dining in a single restaurant. A total of 10 people became ill over the next three weeks. The air-conditioning had apparently carried contaminated droplets from an infectious diner to nearby tables. This prompted the researchers to recommend restaurants increase their ventilation and sit customers at tables further apart. In Queensland, more than 20 people connected with a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/coronavirus-covid-19-infected-noosa-sails-restaurant-stayed-open/12097336">private birthday party</a> at a Sunshine Coast restaurant contracted the virus. Four were staff, the rest guests. We don’t know the source of infection. Other outbreaks have been linked with restaurants in <a href="https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/04/14/authorities-investigate-cluster-coronavirus-cases-tied-kona-restaurant/">Hawaii</a>, <a href="https://la.eater.com/2020/5/4/21246555/morning-briefing-restaurant-news-los-angeles-covid-19-coronavirus-restaurant-cases-list">Los Angeles</a> and a <a href="https://www.muswellbrookchronicle.com.au/story/6759018/victoria-virus-cases-up-11-caution-urged/?cs=7">fast food restaurant in Melbourne</a>. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kGQEuuv9R6E?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Here’s how the coronavirus can spread in a restaurant. The path to infection Let’s consider the risk of infection from the moment you arrive at a restaurant or cafe. When you open the door, you may have to put your hand on a door handle. If that handle has been touched by a person while infectious, they may leave behind thousands of individual virus particles. If you then touch your face, you run the risk of the virus entering your body and establishing an infection. If you avoid the doorknob trap, you may pick up the virus when you take your seat at the table, by touching the chair or the tabletop. Again, if you touch your face, you are risking infection. Similarly, you risk exposure by touching the menu or the cutlery. When the waiter comes to take your order, they will likely enter your breathing space. This is usually considered to be a circular zone of about <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-why-should-we-stay-1-5-metres-away-from-each-other-134029">1.5 metres</a> around your body. If the waiter is infected but not yet showing symptoms, you may be exposed to droplets containing the virus on their breath or the breath may contaminate the tableware in front of you. Now, your food is delivered and there’s good news. The virus <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjl1cOhotPpAhUC63MBHS5pAt4QFjANegQIBxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapps.who.int%2Firis%2Frest%2Fbitstreams%2F1274400%2Fretrieve&usg=AOvVaw2XBucHbnVtIWNHQnwm8cmV">is not transmitted</a> through food. But wait. The air-conditioning can help the virus travel through the air from the infected person at the next table who has just choked on a crumb and is coughing uncontrollably. Later, on a quick trip to the bathroom, you again open yourself to the risk of infection by touching the door and other surfaces. However, this trip allows you to take one very important step to prevent infection. You wash your hands with soap, taking care to hum Happy Birthday twice as you scrub and rinse. Unfortunately, you fail to dry your hands thoroughly. Wet hands <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1757177418815549">are much more likely</a> to pick up microbes, so you may recontaminate your hands as you open the door and go back to your table. When you go to pay your bill, you may be worried that cash may be a source of infection. While there were concerns about this initially, there is no evidence to date of any cases linked to handling money. Just in case, you use your credit card, but inadvertently transfer the virus to your finger as you type in your PIN. On your way out the door, you not only pick up more virus from the doorknob, but transfer some of the ones on your hand in return, ready for the next unwary diner. How can I protect myself? There are some simple (and familiar) things you can do to protect yourself as venues reopen. Keep washing and drying your hands, thoroughly and regularly. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Wash or sanitise after handling money, touching surfaces, before eating and after visiting the bathroom. Avoid touching your face, including wiping your eyes or licking juice off your fingers. If you must touch your face, use hand sanitiser first. Maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from other people, unless they are people you share close contact with. Sit outside if you can. Direct transmission is <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272v2">much more likely</a> indoors. Finally, think about using a credit or debit card with a contactless transaction, rather than having to enter a PIN. To avoid infecting other people, stay home if you have any symptoms or suspect you might have been in contact with a person who has tested positive. What should cafes and restaurants be doing? Regulations about the number of patrons allowed in cafes and restaurants vary between states and territories. But there are certain common rules of thumb. First, tables need to be spaced at reasonable distances. This allows patrons to be outside others’ 1.5-metre breathing zones and also takes into account the potential effect of air conditioning. While COVID-19 doesn’t appear to be spread through air conditioning systems, they do boost air flow. This means droplets may travel a little further than 1.5 metres. This spacing will also reduce the number of people in the venue at the same time. Some venues <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3050085/coronavirus-hong-kong-restaurants-install-physical">overseas</a> are using plastic screens to separate diners to try to reduce the risk of person-to-person spread. This should not be used as a substitute for correct distancing if there is sufficient space. Tables and chairs need to be sanitised, <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/industry-and-businesses/resources-and-fact-sheets-for-industry/covid-19-cleaning-and-disinfection-recommendations">using a chemical sanitiser such as diluted bleach</a>, between patrons. Cutlery and tableware cannot be left ready on the table. They must be stored to prevent contamination in the kitchen and brought to the patron with their meal. Afterward, they need to be cleaned and sanitised as usual. Disposable cutlery should never be left out for self-service; it should only be provided with food or on request. All frequently touched surfaces must be regularly sanitised – including door handles, refrigerator and freezer doors, taps, light switches, hand rails, PIN pads and touch screens. Staff must maintain safe distances from patrons at all times and must never be allowed to work if they have respiratory symptoms or are suspected to have had contact with a COVID-19 positive person. We need to be vigilant Coronavirus cases in most states and territories are now very low. So, the chance of coming into contact with an infectious person is unlikely and is why restrictions are now gradually being lifted. However, we musn’t become complacent. We need to continue to take precautions to reduce the risk of infection via our cafes and restaurants. It only takes one instance of carelessness to start the viral ball rolling again. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-bricknell-1043565">Lisa Bricknell</a>, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-stay-safe-in-restaurants-and-cafes-139117">original article</a>.

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Brisbane cafe's cruel response to local mum's Facebook review

A war of words has erupted between a local Brisbane cafe and a mum after the mother posted an unfavourable review of the café online. Kylie Lindsay left a one-star Google review about Windsor’s Low Road Cafe two days ago after she went there for breakfast with her partner and her 15-month-old son. However, the family were told that the venue did not offer high chairs. Lindsay stated this in her review. “That is okay — we left and went elsewhere and that is their business prerogative,” Ms Lindsay wrote in the review. “However, when I politely commented on their business page that I was disappointed we weren’t able to dine there and support a local business, I was subjected to name calling and told it was my loss.” Lindsay stated that she received a “quirky but OK” response from the café before being “attacked unmercifully” after she sent another response. “You are an a******e, and when questioned you deleted all of your comments,” the cafe hit back in response to Ms Lindsay’s second response on Facebook. “Your profile tells us you’re a racist too. Keep your one star review. We do not need you.” Lindsay spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/" target="_blank">The Courier-Mail</a> about the incident, saying: “They went to town on me and even complete strangers who dared to stick up for me.” The café owners explained to Lindsay in their original response that they didn’t have high chairs due to the hazard they posed in their small café. “We’ve had accidents where people trip over them. Also people leave them covered in crap and it hurts our feelings,” they wrote on Facebook. “As I pointed out to you this morning, you are more than welcome to bring your pram in.” The Low Road Windsor Cafe are known for being “quirky”, which can be seen on their Instagram page. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv3RckPnRps/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv3RckPnRps/" target="_blank">IS THERE ANYTHING SHE CAN'T WRITE?</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/thelowroadwindsor/" target="_blank"> The Low Road Cafe</a> (@thelowroadwindsor) on Apr 4, 2019 at 11:22pm PDT </div> </blockquote> They replied to Lindsay’s Google review of their establishment two days ago, saying “thanks for your 4,900,000th opinion on the matter”. “You’ve been kicking off on all sorts of social media trying to discredit us because you didn’t get your way, and now you’re here,” the cafe wrote. “We don’t have highchairs. We explained why. We are parents ourselves. Please, for the love of God, have a glass of wine and pop some kind of nurturing essential oil in your diffuser and leave us alone.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/brisbane-cafes-nasty-response-to-facebook-review/news-story/a97de704b0946342dc99b1442bcaecff" target="_blank">News.com.au </a>reached out to the café owners, but a staff member explained that the couple have taken time off. However, a post was made this morning on their Facebook page thanking their customer base for support. “We won’t be talking to any more media about it as we’d be more than happy to move on with our lives and get back to doing what we do best (as soon as we figure out what that is),” they wrote. “We love you all, we love our dumb little cafe and the community you’ve helped us build around it.”

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