[0]: Dolce Vita, they don't have a website, but here is a link to them on Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dolce+Vita/@30.3043196,-97...
Australian cafes make out like bandits these days. They're basically breakfast/lunch restaurants that serve great espresso based drinks, mostly don't offer wifi and have no problem moving customers along if they stop buying drinks so they can cycle the table space for new customers.
A few years later I noticed that there were some franchises springing up with the same model, but the entry prices were insane. Might as well start a McDonald's!
Anyway, my point is that perhaps the expectations in the US are regional and in some locations, the model you're describing might work.
Of course I am just one anecdote. They could be doing amazing.
* Espresso costs about 1 euro, 2 for cappuccino, 2.5-ish for almost any croissant/pastry.
* Customers come in order/pay, stand at a bar to have their drink, all done in about 10 minutes max.
* Staff consists of a middle-aged barista with a bow-tie who pulls flawless espresso shots like a locomotive and a surly lady who handles the money + orders.
* In the evening, add a waitress and serve a limited menu of aperitivo and some specialties.
The expectations are, of course, different in the US. I think there are ways to make it work (1), but yeah, if you want to have that special chilled-out shabby-chic space typified by independent early-90's coffee houses, be prepared to make meager precarious wages at best. Virtually all of NYC is off-limits for such enterprises now because of rent.
(1) For example, this new place in Philly, informal lunch/cafe during the day, trendy byob at night: http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/craig_laban/20170430...