Coffee Shops give "Hospitality" a new meaning

The British coffee shops of the 17th and 18th centuries offered more than food and beverages. They were centers of political and philosophical debate, frequented by artists, philosophers, intellectuals, merchants and financiers. Because the entry fee was set at one penny, the coffee houses were dubbed “penny universities” in which, it was said, a man could “pick up more useful knowledge than by applying himself to his books for a whole month.”

The wide social influence of these coffee houses can be appreciated by two interesting examples. Jonathan’ Coffee House in Change Alley, London, was one such popular coffee establishment. It was frequented by stockbrokers, and eventually became the London Stock Exchange. Similarly shipowners and marine insurance brokers visited Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House on Lombard Street. It later became the centre of world insurance and the headquarters of Lloyds of London.

It was the coffee houses of England that started the custom of “tipping” waiters. People who wanted good service and better seating would put some money in a tin labeled “To Insure Prompt Service” (TIPS). From this came our modern word “tips”.

The coffee houses of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries provided a new dimension to prevailing attitudes regarding “hospitality” and in a sense, were the forerunners of our modern hospitality establishments offering a wider experience than the mere basic products of traditional innkeepers.

Source: www.realcoffee.co.uk