I don't have friends, but the people at the coffee drive-through have started recognizing me. Can't wait to get apartments together with them soon.

it's called "my place" or "their place", and we make coffee for a cent on the dollar

Of course. How else would we develop the exposition other people will need to understand our narrative?

Does the local pub count

Not everyday but my friend ground have our hangout space that we can go every weekend, which is one friend's shop.

Third spaces were much more common before the 2000s. Coffee shops where you could hang out with friends were actually a thing in the 90s. Open mic nights and karaoke. I remember we had a common ritual at the book store I worked where everyone who closed would meet up at TGI Fridays for late night drinks, TGIF doesn’t even exist any more. I used to meet up with a bunch of friends at Dennys every Thursday night, and then it fucking closed.

In highschool, my classmates and I would hang out at the nearby McDonald's often enough we gave it an informal course code.

There are plenty of cafes now but it's too expensive now for me to hang out at them more than a couple times a month.

My aunt did this in the late 80s and early 90s.

She used to visit the one local burger franchise so much that all the staff knew her and she basically had her own reserved booth. Her husband, 2 kids and her would be there most days a week.

They lived across the country from us, but whenever we stayed with them, we were also at the burger place almost daily.

"Third places" in this day and age, with this carbrained transportation and zoning policy?

Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Dear John, cheers; these places were either in very walkable cities, or their stories were structured so it would be a way-stop in someone's commute or travels.

I dunno, even if we check in first, doesn't anyone else have any effectively semi standing "see you there" meets? (Like, where if someone wasn't going to be there, they'd probably text you.)

Pre texting, I suppose the alternative was either make plans each and every time by calling a few people or, a standing arrangement, like coffee wherever, call me if you can't make it otherwise I'll see you there.

Not anymore but a bit younger, sure. There was one bar and food spot that you would always run into a few people you knew. Your closer friends more often, but all the regulars grew to know each other. Was great fun

These are all set in walkable cities, it makes sense to have a favorite cafe near where you all live.

As a young adult, last year in school and first year out I kind of had this. There was a bar in our town where we went to, not every day but very often. It was a great time!

Large coffees in a coffee shop are about the same price as a pint these days so you might as well.

Unless you've got the motor of course, then don't be a dafty.

Maybe I'm just showing my age but I felt a bit of a gut punch when I asked for two large coffees at the till, and a tenner wasn't enough to cover them. Fuck me.

I'm not alone! My local coffee stand baristas have an insane memory and know all of the regulars by name. I could never have that kind of memory (likely attributed to decades of smoking the devil's lettuce)

I pay a lot more for a large coffee at a brand store (Starbucks, Costa,...) than I do for a pint at my local bar.

Alcohol is fairly inexpensive here. People need to live, somehow.

When more of my friends lived a walkable distance from me it was more the pub round the corner a few times a week. Now people have dispersed a bit, things need to be a bit more scheduled and so we're less likely to fall into a default place

Coffee shops sadly don't tend to be open late so they're not really gonna work as the default place to casually meet mates for anyone in a 9-5 job IMO.

Dude, no joke.

I went back to a coffee shop like months later, i had only been a few times total, and the barista greeted me by name. Wtf. I was floored.

My memory is shit as well and i can't even attribute to any fun activities...