Some busy Starbucks coffee shops in New York City have started blocking electrical outlets to discourage laptop users from hogging space, and to free up seats for other customers.
"Customers are asking (for it). They just purchased a latte and a pastry and there is nowhere to sit down in some of these really high-volume stores," said Starbucks spokesman Alan Hilowitz.
He said the decision is made on a case-by-case basis by individual stores, and to his knowledge is limited to some cafes in New York City.
Starbucks offers free Wi-Fi access to all of its customers. While inviting customers to linger can result in repeat purchases, it also can have unintended consequences.
Seating is scarce in some cafes frequented by students, freelancer workers and other computer users who sometimes stay for hours.


据《路透社》8月5日报道，在美国纽约，一些生意红火的星巴克店目前开始采取封堵插座的方法以阻止笔记本电脑使用者霸占座位，从而为其他顾客腾出空位。

星巴克发言人艾伦•希罗维茨说："采取此项措施是应顾客的要求。在有些人流量大的星巴克店里，他们买了拿铁和点心后，却找不到空位坐下来享用。"

他说，该决定是由各个分店的根据具体情况而定的，据他所知，实施范围仅限于纽约的一些咖啡店。

星巴克为所有顾客提供无线上网服务，虽然此举可使顾客滞留并使其重复消费，但一些始料不及的问题也随之而来。

在一些学生、自由撰稿人和手提电脑用户经常光顾的咖啡店里，人们有时一待就是几个小时，导致店内座位很紧张。

• discourage [dis´kʌridʒ] vt.使泄气，使沮丧 (初中英语单词)
• linger [´liŋgə] v.逗留；留恋；拖延 (初中英语单词)
• scarce [skeəs, skers] a.缺乏的；稀有的 (初中英语单词)
• computer [kəm´pju:tə] n.计算机；电子计算器 (初中英语单词)
• electrical [i´lektrikəl] a.用电的；与电有关的 (高中英语单词)
• pastry [´peistri] n.面制糕点 (高中英语单词)
• nowhere [´nəuweə] n.无处；不知道 (高中英语单词)
• limited [´limitid] a.有限(制)的 (高中英语单词)
• access [´ækses] n.接近；通路；进入 (高中英语单词)
• spokesman [´spəuksmən] n.发言人 (英语六级单词)
• inviting [in´vaitiŋ] a.动人的 (英语六级单词)