The ‘embarrassing’ cafe act that my friends are doing to save cash

"On one side, I'm mortified because it's so entitled. But on the other, it's kind of genius?"

In a city where the cost-of-living crisis is spiralling, I’ve noticed that some of my friends have started resorting to some rather unconventional tactics to save cash.

On one recent occasion, I was grabbing brunch at a cafe with my friend Sofia* on the Northern Beaches of Sydney when she whipped out her pre-prepared overnight oats and began munching on them like it was totally normal.

She had even been considerate enough to bring her own spoon. 

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The offending oats. Image: Supplied.

RELATED: Mum's cheeky hack to score free 'babycino' at cafe

The overnight oats ordeal

“Ummm.. what are you doing?” I asked, mortified, albeit slightly envious of her money-saving hack. 

Meanwhile, I had just nonchalantly ordered a $30+ breakfast, somehow forgetting the economic crisis we are in. 

“Oh, I’ve started doing this all the time,” she replied matter-of-factly, “no one ever has an issue.”

But as she continued chatting away, I noticed the barista shooting daggers at our table, as if we had just taken money straight out of the till. 

And in a way, that’s exactly what my mate had done, right? 

Eventually, a waiter came over and politely asked her to put it away, and she obliged… although there was a lot of huffing and puffing involved. 

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Fascinated to find out more about her quirky habit, I spoke to her a bit later in the week.

“I just didn't want to spend $20+ on breakfast, I wanted a coffee from a cafe and that was it,” she told Kidspot. 

“I figured it wasn't a sit-down restaurant, so I could get away with it because it’s such an informal setting but I definitely won’t be going back there.”

Instead, she'll take her oats elsewhere because she doesn’t plan to give up her cost-saving hack anytime soon.

“I'll continue to BYO breakfast to cafes,” she said. “For sure.”

“Everyone’s doing it. I went out the other day to a coffee shop and my friend had brought their own opaque water bottle and was drinking an iced coffee they had made at home.”

It might seem unethical, but Sofia says it's clear why some people, including herself, do things like this. 

“People are paying more attention to what they eat and drink nowadays, but they still want to go out and socialise. So, bringing your own food means you can do both but still know exactly what’s in the things you’re consuming because you made it. It’s just cleaner,” she said.

“Also, cafe food is just so ridiculously expensive,” she added. “It was something like $15 for a bircher pot but it takes $2 to make my own oats at home.”

For anyone wanting to try this budgeting strategy for themselves, Sofia advises you to “order your coffee in a takeaway cup.”

“That way, if they ask you to stop eating your food, you can just grab your coffee and go, or move to some nearby outdoor seating.”

We may have won trivia, but not the staff's hearts. Image: Supplied

RELATED: Woman stunned at cafe's 'illegal' act 

The DoorDash dilemma

In the same week, I witnessed yet another friend’s approach to avoiding pricey menu items.

My partner and I joined one of our couple friends for our local brewery’s trivia night, and I, anticipating the lacklustre menu, ate before I came.

But our friend Oliver* had a more... creative solution in mind. 

Half way through the second round of questions, he discreetly pulled out his phone, ensuring the quizmaster wouldn’t think he was Googling the answers, and ordered DoorDash.

“I'm a vegetarian and they only had one vegetarian thing on the menu which was a tiny mushroom burger which I didn’t want. It would probably be super greasy so I wanted to get something that fit within my diet and health goals,” he told me a few days later.

“I knew I was being sneaky, but the risk was worth it to get a dinner I’d actually enjoy and wouldn’t cost a bomb,” he explained. “The Subway I ended up getting cost just $5 for a Foot Long because I used a special offer. The burger was around $25 and didn’t even come with chips.”

He says judgement from the bar staff wasn’t a concern for him because “it wasn’t a formal enough venue to warrant them making a scene.” But if one of them were to come up to him, he said he “might have been a little bit embarrassed” at first, but “would have told them they needed a better menu.”

“Of course, it’s their right to make their own rules for their business, but at the end of the day, the pricing of their menu is an indictment on the increasingly unbearable cost of living in Sydney.” 

And like Sofia, it’s not the first time he’s pulled this stunt, either, and it won't be the last.

“Occasionally, I might bring a takeaway Fishbowl poké bowl into a cafe if I don't like the food there, but my friend really wants to eat at a particular place,” she shared.

“If you're going to do this, just make sure someone from your table buys something, don’t have obvious takeaway packaging and make sure to sit in a conspicuous place!”

Hospitality workers weigh in 

To get a different perspective, I asked a waiter I knew if they had noticed an increase in this kind of behaviour.

“I’ve definitely started seeing it crop up a little more,” they said. “While my manager would go out straight away and tell them off, I try to be a little more understanding.”

“Times are tough and people are doing what they can to get by, so who am I to embarrass them?”

But another cafe worker told Kidspot she had a “no tolerance” policy for this sort of thing. 

“It’s rude,” they said. “You wouldn’t do it at a fine dining restaurant, so why do you think it’s okay at a cafe? We’re still a business trying to make money, and it’s also hard for us too in this economy.

“When this happens, I tell people, ‘I can see you’re eating food not from our restaurant. We have a wide range of food on the menu and are happy to cater to any dietary requirements if need be.’

“To clarify, we never have a problem if parents bring in food for their babies and toddlers. They bring in their own plates or use ours, which we accept. If it means the adults can enjoy their meals then so be it. But anyone else, no way.”

Final verdict

It’s clear that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, not just individuals but businesses who are feeling the squeeze as well.

So, I’m not quite sure what the answer is here.

I guess it’s a delicate balance between looking after your own finances but also respecting the businesses that provide a space for us to socialise. 

I think I’m leaning more towards the, ‘It’s dodgy, but I understand it’ camp - but in saying that, maybe next time I’ll just organise a walk with my friends instead. 

Originally published as The ‘embarrassing’ cafe act that my friends are doing to save cash