[Nyororin]

Thanks for the clarification. It sounded like you were lumping them together with the more "service" type places. (キャバクラ, hostess club, and the like)... When they`re really just overpriced cafes with a chance of getting a girl in a maid costume to maybe feed you a spoonful of something (if you`re lucky). Usually it`s just some cutesy submissive greeting with the maid outfit server pretending you are very important - and nothing else.

A waste of money for most of it, but at the same time it can be an amusing and unique experience without any overt sexuality and cost obligations as in a キャバクラ/hostess club.

They usually are top notch in food quality, and obviously in general service (as that is the whole point). If you just want a good cup of coffee and a place to sit down for a while though, I agree there are better places. But there is nothing wrong with just getting a cup of coffee and relaxing - you don`t have to pay for the maid to come over and talk to you, or spoon feed you, or any of the other silly cutesy services they offer. A maid cafe can actually be cheaper than a regular cafe in the same area if you don`t want any of the service frills - of course, without the frills there is no reason to go to one.