Vent: The new board game cafe in Springfield has a weird rule about game time

I went to that new spot, The Dicey Tavern, last weekend. They have a huge wall of games, which is cool, but they charge a $5 cover and then limit you to 90 minutes per table. The owner told me 'it's to keep things moving for other groups.' I mean, idk, but we were just getting into the second round of our game when they came over. Has anyone else seen a place do this? It kinda kills the vibe.

3 comments

3 Comments

diana8293mo ago

Did you ask if you could pay for another 90 minutes? I ran into a time limit at a cafe once and just paid for a second slot. It was cheaper than leaving annoyed. Sometimes they don't explain that option up front. If they won't let you extend, that's a bad sign and I wouldn't go back. A good spot wants you to finish your game and have fun.

hugo_hayes1mo ago

Yeah that's a really good point about asking upfront. Most places don't mention you can pay for extra time because they figure you'll just leave. I was at a spot last month that had a hard 2 hour limit but when I asked they said I could buy another 30 minutes for two bucks. Totally worth it to finish a game of Catan that was just getting good. The thing is, if they won't let you pay even a little extra to stay, that tells you all you need to know about their business model. They just want you in and out like a fast food place. I'd rather give my money to a place that gets tabletop gamers actually need time to finish a session.

alex_taylor103mo ago

Last month at Boardwalk Cafe they had a two hour limit posted. My group was halfway through a big game so I just went up and asked for another hour. Cost me five bucks extra but we got to finish. Places that won't let you pay for more time just want to churn tables. Why would I go back if they cut my game short?