Restaurant owners should realize that Generation X knows what they want and expects to get it. Born between 1963 and 1977, these are the children of the Baby Boomers. They are the first generation to grow up totally surrounded by technology-computers, remote controls, call waiting, VCRs and technology is the biggest factor in their work and play, says Megan L. Hoffrichter, who recently completed her master's degree and is now program management consultant, Arthur Andersen Performance and Learning, St. Charles, Illinois. Their short attention span is reinforced by the fast pace of television and the remote control, she notes. Cybercafes began opening in 1995 in Europe.
Most cybercafes charge a fee for Internet access.
Certainly Gen Xers are not the only ones who use cybercafes, says Wildes. The so-called Generation Y coming up behind them is just as computer comfortable and many of the Baby Boomers are also quite literate, but Generation X has expectations and they are the ones dictating the style of cybercafes. Many cybercafes offer classes in getting on the Internet, surfing the web or using various software for less computer-literate patrons. They are getting the Baby Boomer population to need and use their services. If cybercafes and other outlets, such as access kiosks, designed to allow easy entry into the Internet become as ubiquitous as pay telephones, business people could stop carrying laptops and simply stop for a cup of coffee and some quality computer time.