Why Loud Videos in Coffee Shops Keep Causing Conflict

Coffee shops in Suzhou and Hangzhou have seen repeated arguments after middle-aged and elderly customers played mobile phone videos at full volume without earphones. Staff who politely asked them to lower the sound or use earphones were met with insults, and in some cases near-physical confrontations. The incidents highlight a growing clash between short-video viewing habits and the quiet atmosphere cafes need to maintain.

The Suzhou case spread widely on social media after a bystander filmed it. Security staff and other guests who tried to mediate were also verbally abused. Front Street Coffee notes that coffee manner matters here: loud audio disturbs people working, studying or talking, and it erodes the calm environment a cafe is meant to provide. Shops face a real persuasion challenge.

Recently, several incidents involving middle-aged and elderly people playing mobile phone videos out loud in coffee shops and sparking arguments have drawn attention. From Suzhou, Jiangsu to Hangzhou, Zhejiang, similar scenes have played out repeatedly: elderly individuals turn their video volume up to the maximum, disturbing nearby customers who are working, studying, or chatting. When staff and other guests step in to remind them, they are met with prolonged verbal abuse and even near-physical altercations. This phenomenon reflects the tension between middle-aged and elderly short-video users and the public's need for quiet, and it also puts coffee shops in a dilemma when trying to maintain order. Front Street Coffee reminds us that enjoying coffee requires a quiet and comfortable environment. Playing audio out loud in a civilized manner not only affects others but also ruins the atmosphere a café should have.

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Recently, a netizen uploaded a video on social media showing an elderly customer playing mobile phone videos out loud in a coffee shop and quickly getting into an argument with people nearby, which sparked widespread discussion.

According to Red Star News, this scene took place in a coffee shop in Suzhou, Jiangsu. An elderly person sitting in a seat was scrolling through videos on her phone with the volume turned all the way up and no earphones, seriously disturbing other customers who were working, studying, or talking in the shop.

After noticing this, store staff approached and politely asked the elderly person to turn off the video sound or suggested she wear earphones to watch. Unexpectedly, this reminder infuriated the elderly woman, who shouted, "I want to listen, I don't have earphones."

The staff then explained to the elderly person that the coffee shop needed to remain quiet and that playing videos out loud would also affect other guests, but the elderly woman completely ignored them and even fiercely insulted the gentle-toned staff. During this period, security personnel and nearby affected customers all tried to step in and persuade her, and they too were subjected to the elderly woman's verbal abuse.

The person who filmed the video said that the elderly woman kept cursing at the staff who repeatedly explained and at several groups of people who came to persuade her for thirty to forty minutes. The filmer said they truly could not stand it anymore, so they decided to record the elderly woman's behavior and post it on social media.

In response, many people analyzed that the reason the elderly woman played videos loudly was, on one hand, because hearing declines with age and she had to turn the volume up to the maximum to hear clearly; on the other hand, most elderly people are not in the habit of carrying earphones and are not used to using them, so they choose to play sound out loud.

However, while understanding is understanding, most netizens still believe that the elderly woman's behavior in the video seriously disrupted public order, affecting both other nearby customers and the normal operation of the coffee shop. Moreover, her verbal abuse toward those who tried to persuade her was truly infuriating, and netizens criticized her behavior as highly inappropriate.

As more and more middle-aged and elderly people become addicted to short videos, the phenomenon of them playing videos loudly in public places is also common, causing considerable trouble for people who prefer a quiet atmosphere.

According to Sing Tao Global News, in early September at a Starbucks store in Hangzhou, another quarrel broke out over playing mobile phone videos out loud.

Witnesses at the scene said that on that day, a customer, unable to bear an elderly person at the same table playing videos loudly, spoke up to remind them to turn off the sound and not disturb others, but was then insulted by the elderly person.

Witnesses also revealed that at the time, if not for other customers and store staff intervening, one of the elderly men was about to rush forward to argue and might even have gotten physical with the customer who reminded them. It was only when someone was heard calling the police that the two elderly people stopped cursing, picked up their things, and hurriedly left.

In response to middle-aged and elderly people creating disturbing noise in coffee shops and other public places, some coffee shops post notices such as "No playing video sound out loud," hoping to reduce uncivilized behavior.

But both staff and store operators say that for some people who are unwilling to listen to advice, no matter how conspicuous the reminder is, they will ignore it, while attempts by staff or other customers to persuade them are like adding fuel to the fire, only angering them and inviting verbal abuse, further intensifying the conflict between both sides. More passersby say that in the face of this situation, apart from verbal persuasion, there is basically nothing that can be done, and perhaps the only option is to actively avoid it and find another space more suitable for quiet solitude.

Image source: Internet

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.