Why do buffets often limit time, while cafés usually don't?

Answer: Buffets lose more from long stays

Buffets lose more from long stays ✓ — Correct! At a buffet, long stays usually hurt in two ways at once: table turnover drops while food cost can keep rising. Even cutting peak-hour turnover by about a third can noticeably reduce revenue. A café is different: once a drink is served, the extra cost of one customer staying longer is often much lower, so cafés can tolerate lingering more easily.

Coffee takes longer to serve — Wrong. Coffee service speed is not the main reason. The bigger difference is how the two businesses make money and absorb long stays.

Cafés have no seat pressure — Wrong. Cafés can absolutely face seat pressure, especially at busy hours. They just usually lose less from one person staying longer than a buffet would.