To ask how long it’s acceptable to sit in a Costa or similar to work?

[Curious2021]

Obviously I’d buy a coffee/cake but what’s the kind of acceptable time limit?

I’m off work over summer and often go and sit in a coffee shop with a book or magazine by myself. I tend to get coffee and a cake, then another coffee, and sit for about an hour.

My “rules” are that I never go until after 2 so the lunchtime rush is over, and if it gets busy with people waiting I will leave.

I'm not averse to parking by the Costa drive thru with my coffee and utilising the free WiFi, but wouldn't hog a table

I did see a man asleep in Costa earlier and the staff didn't wake him, so I assume there isn't a time limit?

I wrote my dissertation in Costa Coffee and Starbucks. It's many years ago- I used to buy a huge hot chocolate every hour. And maybe a two lots of biscuits/ cakem I'd be there for 5/6 hours at a time.

As a student 20 years ago I'd go to one 10-5 to revise during exams.

I'd have a pot of tea on entry, and get a free refill (offered more than once),
Buy lunch,
Buy and afternoon coffee and cake.
Probably spending £20 a day.

I always tidied my table when it got busy, and shared with others when necessary. Other students were thrown out but I obviously spent enough money to keep them happy.

I think it's a bit cheeky to sit in a cafe/coffee shop for a long time without buying much to eat or drink.

Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable staying more than 35 mins but I suppose some people would say that if the coffee shop isn't crowded it's OK.

Obviously. They have an IP record. When did your paranoia first start?

@Benjispruce3

Why would you? Just work at home surely.

Because it is really really lonely doing nothing but sit at your dining room table for hours and hours on end. I used to go last summer just to see other people and it really helped my MH.

I can't do it now as I've moved to a security cleared job so public wifi is a no-no, but I am now allowed in the office whenever I want so I'm not suffering from lack of human contact any more.

An hour or so per coffee or drink, there’s no top limit. You got there and sat down so it’s your table so long as you don’t take the piss. EG 4 person table and 1 coffee for 4 hours

It's not an office.

I used to co-own a coffee shop and we went by the general rule of thumb of a purchase an hour. People weren’t just working they were also using the WiFi, electricity and charging mutliple devices never mind using the facilities. Any less than that and you were a CF who would be asked to leave.

I think it’s selfish

As long as you like, so long as you're buying something every hour. Nobody cares that you're 'taking up a table', so long as you're spending money.

@Toomuchtrouble4me

I think it’s selfish

What is selfish about it?

If nobody is waiting for a table, why does it matter if someone sits there for several hours as long as they're spending money?

I'd say as long as you want as long as you are buying things at a regular interval

Our local Costa has regulars working in there with laptops. And students. They are there a long time !

As long as you are buying something regularly, then knock yourself out.
Saying that, My local 'Spoons does £1.25 for bottomless tea/coffee. I used to spend hours in there doing drawing with my one cup.

I would have words with an employee that lost their laptop in a cafe. It would not be ok, regardless of insurance so don’t talk rubbish. Students studying have a different vibe than wfh ers staring at their screen in a place that’s meant for conviviality. So have some self awareness. Snd pay up. A drink an hour is not ok.

If there are free tables, stay as long as you like. If it fills up, leave. I would say half an hour if it's busy and full.

I find this so sad:

I'm aware this makes me sound very grumpy, but I don't like the idea that cafes become a free common room /study space for students who want to nurse a single coffee for 3 hours, same for people wanting to use cafes as offices, and same for a certain group of mums who sit for ages clearly not drinking anything and with no intention of buying anything else.

@Benjispruce3

Why would you? Just work at home surely.

To try and break up the utter monotony of working from home? To draw some boundary - however think - between one’s home and one’s workplace?

Loads of pubs round here are still offering work spaces for 5 hours with lunch, drinks, WiFi & sockets for £10, I'd much rather do that than use a cafe or coffee shop because they are offering the service

@SchrodingersImmigrant

As long as you keep buying stuff

This

Our managers encouraged use of cafés, due to work being community based, and travelling back and forth to home between clients is impossible for some. Totally impractical and open to data protection problems, and obvious lack of privacy if clients ring, which they frequently do. It was a "solution" dreamt up to make us feel unreasonable and old fashioned, for complaining about losing our local offices. To suggest it in Covid times, is even more ludicrous. For those who could practically do this, there is obviously associated costs. I would feel uncomfortable and "watched" - but that's just me.

Never mind what is acceptable. If they aren't happy with it I am sure they will let you know. If you are buying items then there will be no problem. I would probably stretch it out to a drink every hour or so if I needed to stay there for the long haul and wanted to feel comfortable and not have eyes hawking me. If it gets very busy then Im sure you will get the death stare if you aren't re filling enough. Again though, if it is against their policy and what they are comfortable with I am sure they will let you know.
Sit with your back to the staff in the corner somewhere and get large cup of tap water to go with your hot drinks :-)

If this was a small struggling business I would probably handle this totally differently but Costa I care little for.