[jalisco555]

I think Panera has the right idea here.

[advance_copy]

Get an iPass account and you can use the WiFi in every McDondald's and Starbucks in the country. It also works at just about every airport, good hotel, and most major chain bookstores. Plus, there's a local dial access line from just about everywhere.

[DUMBGRUNT]

From article:
"The palace’s spiritual successor is the cafe that sends out a welcoming blast of free, unlimited Wi-Fi"

The successor to the movie palace is more likely the shopping mall.

[sockmonkey]

Has Starbucks always charged for wifi?

I've never been in a Starbucks, but with all the hoopla I've always heard about it's wifi, I had no idea they charged for it. Dummy me.

[billorites]

I got back recently from a month in Guatemala.

Free WiFi in the Guatemala City airport, free WiFi everywhere in Antigua.

Never did I have to pay a centavo for access. Usually, there were unprotected networks, tons of them, avaiable for poaching.

It's a come-on used to attract customers to hotels, restaurants and bars. And, it works!

For the price of a wireless router, $50, a small business owner can offer a service that people have come to, not expect, but demand.

[tje]

I have a notebook with the Verizon Wireless Broadband service.. I can pretty much connect anywhere with decent bandwidth (latency is a little high at times). My company pays for it though..

[Mark was here]

There is Panera Bread right down the road from me. We went in there and saw a list of things on the wall and I had no clue as to what they were selling. So we went around the corner to this new Moes, and it was lame, a burrito that was 3/4 cold rice.

So what is a good thing to order at Panera?

[sittnick]

Caribou Coffee, which unfortunately, is almost as liberal as Starbucks, provides the first hour free. That seems like a reasonable compromise.

[reg45]

The Panera's near us, offer free Wi-Fi and I love their panini sandwiches. It's a much better deal than Starbucks, especially when you are not a coffee drinker.

[dleecomeback07]

The main problem with WIFI access being free is not that you're using WIFI it's that the people usually buy one cup of coffee or whatever and sit and take a table up for hours.

You're paying for taking up a table more than using WIFI.

[nevergore]

Geez...I thought this was about wireless broadband but the thread has turned into a Cooking Channel show on where to gget the best breakfast...

Just get a Aircard for your notebook.

I spend $50 a month for my Aircard (Cingular 3G network) and never worry about a connection anywhere. Even though I have a LAN connection at home, I still use my aircard on my PC....

No additional charges anywhere...not in hotels...airports ...or coffee shops...

[Mr J]

The answer for Stubby's, IMO, is free Wi-Fi during off-peak hours.

[goldstategop]

Wi-fi isn't really free. When you check into a hotel, the cost of providing Internet service is folded into your bill.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Screamname]

Starbucks; The coffee place with a name that sounds like a gay bar.