HelloCantaloupe t1_jdnnwko wrote on March 25, 2023 at 7:30 PM

I could be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure DC zoning limits seating at coffee shops to 18 seats as they are classified as prepared foods shops. This applies to places without a kitchen / full menu of food. If a place serves food and has a kitchen, they are entitled to more seats.

Praxiscat t1_jdo0qxn wrote on March 25, 2023 at 9:04 PM

DC zoning limits have a large number of issues which strike me as outright arbitrary. This is one of them.

ActuaryPersonal2378 OP t1_jdnphnv wrote on March 25, 2023 at 7:42 PM

That's really interesting! I wasn't aware of that, but thanks for sharing. DC zoning is a whole other beast, but that makes a lot of sense.

LuciusAurelian t1_jdoj6ac wrote on March 25, 2023 at 11:24 PM

Zoning delenda est

foreverurgirl t1_jdqug3v wrote on March 26, 2023 at 1:59 PM

You are mistaken. Occupancy is a function of size and number of restrooms…

It’s more that it’s not profitable for people to just be parked not spending a lot all day.

HelloCantaloupe t1_jdrpp7j wrote on March 26, 2023 at 5:47 PM

You are welcome to Google, but I first learned about the 18-seat limit for prepared foods shops (which are most coffee shops…) via this Wash Post article from several years ago.

“Their business was categorized as a prepared-foods shop, limiting it to 18 seats, but the space could hold much more.”