A "bottom less" cup of anything is the venues' problem. Where I am living, "bottomless" is only operative if you buy a meal. Otherwise, first refill is free, second re fill is full price again.....etc.

FOOD, not music, is the restaurant business. Beverages,(and finger food maybe) not music, are a Coffee Houses' business. Both should charge enough for their wares to cover their own costs, so that any musicians involved either get the cover charge or split it with the venue.

Both have a right to expect customers to pay for the wares offerd, and both have a right to do a Cover Charge if there is music involved on a particular night.

Waaay back in the '60s I frequented a Coffee House that had NO cover, and provided an Open Mic every night they were open. Musicians PAID for their comestibles just like everybody else. Hot water was free, a tea bag was a buck.

How long your tea bag lasted was up to you, but when you wanted a new one, it was a buck. Period. Coffee was one refill, then another buck. (This was way before lattes and cappucino)

Gods, how I miss Coffee Houses. I would start one here, but I know it would not fly..........(Redneck Kuntry, ya know?) We do have a coffee house of sorts......very Yuppie, open 5 AM to 3 PM 5 days a week......lattes with bagels and cream cheese........it's a "Housewife" thing. My kind of music just wouldn't go over well there.

Hell, I don't even have a St. Pat's Day gig.........