I have often compared a PC to a library or--even worse--a mortuary. Your points above describe both to a tee.
The OP states he has never visited a PC before. Therefore, he has no firsthand knowledge of what his hard-earned $45 will buy. Not much, in my estimation. Quite a lot, say a few of you. We owe it to him to tell it like it is.
Free papers:
Minimal value, assuming your hotel didn't already give you one.
Free coffee tea and most other beverages:
That's worth a buck or two.
Open bar for those who really drink:
Alcoholics may recoup their forty-five bucks.
Light snacks that vary through the day:
Garbage wrapped in cellophane.
But mostly the relaxed secure convenient atmosphere:
Maybe, if you're Adrian Monk.
WITH FREE INTERNET & LOCAL PHONE SERVICE:
Worth a couple of bucks at best.
And the friendly courteous very helpful staff:
Laughable.
Don't get me wrong; I do go into PCs (especially when traveling with the Statuesque Mrs. RNE), but only for the free booze or to meet friends--as we did in SEA during the much ballyhooed 777 flight (great bunch of flyers, them)--but I cannot justify CO's price of admission--particularly not the day rate! We owe it to the OP to tell him that most people in a PC didn't pay (their
own money) to be in there. That says it all.
RNE my friend, I'm with you about 95% but allow me to give you my perspective as someone who does pay with my own money. Everything you've said above is very close to the truth but your description of the staff. That's where the value is for me. I don't drink (for the most part) while traveling. I've got my BlackBerry for internet access and email. The food is little more than peanuts and pretzels. Newspapers? Come on. If you're buying a PC membership for the newspapers I've got a shrink I need to introduce you to. All of that aside, I do like the (relatively) quieter atmosphere but the staff is where the value is for me.
Anytime there are delayed flight issues or I want to go standby or I need to make sure I'm on top of the upgrade list or ...... the staff at the PC (esp CLE) is wonderful when compared to the average gate agent (esp EWR).
Is it worth $45? No stinking way. But as someone who uses it to kill time before a flight, gets competant help during irregular ops, and (being a Plat) only pays $275 (I think) for probably 50 visits a year, yeah it's worth it.