Easy Everything internet cafes
 

I've used a number of these cafes over the last few weeks. Their pricing strategy is rather unique, based on simple supply and demand. The more people that are using the PC's (and they tend to have about 500 PC's at each location), the less time you get per your pound (or Deutsche Mark, or whatever currency). Conversely, if not a lot of people are here, you get more time.

I used the Munich facility, located right across from the train station, and got about 90 minutes of time for 2DM (about 90 cents). I was there for a half hour between trains around noon time.

This morning I'm in Glasgow where I get 75 minutes for a pound ($1.45). I saw three of their facilities in London (across from Victoria train station, Oxford Street, and High Street Kensington), and the pound was buying anywhere from 18 minutes to 90 minutes based on time of day. I was going in to the one in High Street Kensington about 10 in the morning and getting about an hour for a pound. 18 minutes was offered for a pound right around 5pm when they were packed.

This is the same franchise that has opened on Times Square in New York City. Has anyone been in there yet?

They also serve refreshments and light snacks. I'm pretty happy with the ones I have been in, particularly being that I have paid 3 pounds for a half hour in the past, at smaller internet facilities, and now I'm getting a full hour for a pound in the mornings.

I did stop at another internet place here in Glasgow last night on Sauciehall Street, a major shopping area, and they wanted 6 pounds an hour, about $9 (and I suspect will not be around much longer charging those rates).

Thanks for your explanation of the supply and demand pricing. I used the one in Amsterdam on the the 19th and received about 75 minutes for about 2.5 nlg. The day before (Sunday) Belle3388 received about 2 and one-half hours for the same price. Still felt that it was a very good value and they had very good equipment. Felt as fast as my cable here at home.

We stayed at the Allen House in Kensington, less than half a block from the Easy Everything and it was a real treat to have such fast and inexpensive internet access access 24/7 and I really enjoyed the atmosphere which was bustling with (mostly) young people at all hours of the day and night.

What a great concept.

While I like the convenience of logging on from my room, I have also had some very interesting experiences seeking out internet cafes in foreign countries and even in here in the USA.

My favorite was in a very old building facing the town square in Fuengirola on a Saturday night. The entire square was filled with tables and people (whole families) who sat, ate, drank, talked and just enjoyed one another's company throughout the evening. My daughter sat at our table and made individual sketches a group of young girls (age range 5-7) who took great delight in posing for her. In no time at all we had made friends with many of their parents and grandparents who were delighted with the sketches of their little ones. I felt like I had stepped back in time 60 years, but was still only a few steps away from my internet connection to the world.

As luck would have it, FlyerTalk was down that evening.

I really like the concept of the easyeverything internet cafes, but was not impressed by the "cheek by jowl" feeling I got while using their machines. They really cram in the customers, thus cramming in germs and viruses. They don't use those keyboard covers like our public library does, that allows one to spray them down after use. I'm not a germ-phobe, I don't believe in anti-bacterial washes, but tons of people go through there and leave new
and exciting viruses.

So, in my experience, they do have cheap rates, but I got two whopping colds in two short visits to London, which may or may not have been caused by my visits to the easyeverything cafe.

A side note, apparently they want to charge for the washrooms at the Victoria branch, 25 p or somesuch, people didn't want to pay, so they started urinating on the building and in doorways of adjacent businesses. This did not bring great publicity to the easyeverything chain.

so, if you are going, maybe a handwashing after is not such a bad idea.

lala

Yes! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

See also
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/001371.html

Time of day makes an enormous difference. It's 0753 on Tuesday morning and I'm at the cafe at High Street Kensington, just hanging out here until about 0930 when I have to get the Tube out to Heathrow.

Right now £1 ($1.45) buys 2.5 hours. The best I've done between London and Glasgow cafes this last week, going later in the morning, has been about 75 minutes for £1, but on the other hand you're not likely to see me out the door at 7 in the morning when I am on vacation to take advantage of the additional time offered this early.

In the middle of the night (i.e. 4am) for you insomniacs they offer about 4 hours for that 1 pound. The best thing is that your time is good for a couple weeks. Go in at a good time, store up some value and use your
"time" later. Also, as you're sitting there, and the time per pound increases, so does your current balance. In other words, while sitting there surfing the 'net, you can be gainining hours! Great gimmic.

I'm in New York City for an 11 hour visit today, and have found my way over to the Easy Everything internet cafe just off Times Square. Right now, just after 1000, $1 buys 90 minutes.

The Munich easy everything, and perhaps others, have changed the pricing arrangement.

First of all, all purchases must be made from vending machines and the machines don't give change.

Second, you can still buy time by the hour (not sure if it is still demand based) but most of the ticket sales seem to be "period" based.

For EUR 0.50 you can buy a "one logon" pass, which is really just a ~45 minute pass. Additionally you can buy daily, weekly and monthly passes. Now here's the catch -- they've takin a cue from airline pricing -- the earlier you buy the ticket, the cheaper it is. For instance, a monthly pass for June might cost EUR 5.00 in march, EUR 10.00 in April, $15.00 in may, and $20.00 in June (I don't remember exact prices, but you get the idea)

Have you seen the new drink vending machines that have "environmental" pricing? When the temperature goes up, the price goes up.. Some have sound cards to entice you in different ways to buy that soda - "Man, you look hot - a CocaCola would sure taste goooood right now".. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

The Easy Everything Internet Cafes are very nice resources to have available when traveling. The last time I used the Times Square/New York City location, it seems as though they had discontinued food & beverage sales.

It would be nice if they would offer automated kiosks which would vend the tickets. I'd prefer not to stand in line and deal with surly clerks.

If anyone is interested, their web site (not surprisingly) is:

http://www.easyeverything.com/

http://www.easyinternetcafe.com/


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Michael Steinberg
Editor
BizTrip
http://www.biztrip.com

[This message has been edited by businesstraveler (edited 04-06-2002).]

The NYC location does have automated kiosks for ticket purchases now. They also had refreshments and muffins, but I can't recall seeing anyone behind the counter when I walked in this morning. I couldn't use the full 90 minutes, so I gave the remaining value to the person sitting next to me as I left to head out to the Bronx.

The one in Rome last year was a great find for us. We will be in both London and Paris in a few weeks. Does anyone know if you can use the same ticket code between countries?

No, you cannot use the same ticket between countries.