People who 'work' at cafe tables

[BeagleMum1]

Why do cafe's allow this? I'm sitting in a cafe and over half the tables are being sat at, by a single person on laptop, 'working'. These tables could seat up to 4 people. Some have bought a cafe drink but others are just sitting there without a drink or food.

They are table blocking and at busier times, will prevent other customers who might buy more drinks / food from getting a seat. AIBU?

I live in an area with quite a few independent and chain coffee shops nearby. Interesting to note in the last few months most of the independents have signs up saying that coming into to use our electricity is not permitted and table use is restricted to 90 minutes - I tend to go out for a walk and grab lunch from one of them and they have never been busier and seem much livelier than the did when they were full of laptops

Also on the flip side, being on the other end of a call when someone is working in public is difficult. A colleague gave a presentation last week when he was obviously in a cafe (you could hear from the background noise) and we could hardly make out what he was saying. So much so my boss had to take over which he wasn’t too happy about.

I think if one person sits at a table for four - regardless of what they are doing - it’s unreasonable. But I don’t think people going to work in cafes is unreasonable, no.

I take my laptop into cafes and sit at a table for two only (as there is never a table for one at my local) and for me it’s part of trying to get myself out of the house as I’m unwell and have been housebound for large periods of time since I was 23 (I’m 29 now).

Some people go there because it’s there only time to get away from home or because they need to (I.e they can’t work at home with kids). And for me it’s because when I feel better I try to make the most of being well 🙂

I do always order a few things though and wouldn’t dream of sitting there and not ordering anything

Yes, because the cafes that don’t want this have rules about it (no laptops at the table etc)

All of our high streets have an extraordinary number of cafes these days, I’m guessing it works for them to have people working during quieter week days. Lots of them turn off Wi-Fi Fri - Sun.

As a side point, you do appear to be very angry for no reason, given that cafe owners could stop it if it didn’t suit their business, and if it does suit their business.. that’s their business.

We were having lunch in a cafe on the King’s road in Chelsea a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful day and people were queuing to eat lunch outside. There was a man who was sitting at a prime table nursing one drink while on his laptop for at least an hour. He was completely oblivious and the staff finally had to ask him to move.

Why not get a job in an office if you don’t want to be at home all day?!

One cafe near me has a sign up that during busier times (12-2) they have a no laptop/working policy as the tables are needed for people buying meals. It’s a very popular and always busy cafe that you quite often have to wait in a queue to be seated over the lunch period. But later on - mid afternoon - or early morning they’re fine with it. I guess cafe managers can make sensible choices if customers are table blocking. Perhaps if they’re generally quieter then they’re happy and it might encourage passers by who might need someone where to check their emails for an hour to pop in.

Meh, that's just about whether people have manners/basic awareness or not. Nothing to do with laptops.

If someone is rude and not aware of others then they will be that person regardless of whether they have a laptop with them or not.

Someone nursing one lemonade for two hours while they read a book (waiting for a train, for example) when there's a queue of people aren't magically un-rude just because they don't have a hated laptop.

People who take up a table for hours chatting without buying anything are much ruder than someone who uses a laptop but buys lunch.

Where I live, I regularly see groups of mums take their toddlers into cafes, bring in outside food, let their kids run riot and smear food everywhere. That's clearly taking the piss a million times more than any laptop worker yet no one would dream of saying people shouldn't bring toddlers to cafes.

There's one place that I had to stop using because they decided to ban laptops after 5pm (I mainly work in the evenings) but there's a local art class that uses the space for free. So once a week about 20 people pile in, take up a lot of space, take up chairs, and I've never seen a single one of them purchase so much as a coffee. Just use the space for free without giving the venue a penny. I've also seen language groups using the space for free, not buying anything. It's a bit shit that they're all welcome when they don't spend any money and are a distraction and take up a huge amount of space, but I'm not allowed to buy dinner and a glass of wine, do a bit of work on my tablet, or even just read on a tablet, then leave after less than an hour. Their choice of course just a bit shit.

Some people are just rude. A percentage of rude people sometimes use laptops. Many rude people don't use laptops. The common denominator here is not laptop use, it's people.

Well that’s your experience. I know plenty of people who find cafe working makes them the most productive. Works for me at times depending on what I’m working on. Just because something doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean it does or should apply to everyone.

Cafes often don’t provide enough single or two people tables so whether your working or dining alone you have no choice but to take up more space than you need. I don’t see cafe working as any more selfish than if I go and meet a friend, chat for two hours but buy one drink.

Like others have said, it must be over all more profitable for the cafes otherwise they would make rules about ordering or move people on etc

The commute obviously especially if you have other responsibilities like the school run.

Not to mention, why would anyone give up their whole entire existing career (which they may well have been pursuing for decades, have achieved a high level of success in, be a high earner, etc.), give up all their flexibility (eg can accept medical appointments in the middle of the day, go swimming in the middle of the day, go on holiday whenever they like) just to get some shitty, probably low paid office job?

No one in the real word would choose a crappy office job over earning loads of money and having complete freedom and flexibility just for the chance to get out of the house.

Following from above...

And not because they want to move job, but because someone else is too afraid to ask to sit opposite them at a cafe

Cafes often don’t provide enough single or two people tables so whether your working or dining alone you have no choice but to take up more space than you need.

This is one reason I favour the John Lewis cafe when in town. Pricey they maybe but they have loads of small tables for two so I never feel I’m taking up more space than I’m entitled to.

They probably like the fact I buy food and drink for them a few times a week.

If my local cafe didn’t want me working there they wouldn’t have installed high speed internet recently. 😂

Pretty sure it’s regulars like myself who keep the place going rather than someone who pops in every few weeks to catch up with their mate.

There was a cafe where I used to live that said anyone working had to sit at the bar seat on the stools with no back. I didn’t go in there and spend my fifty quid a week or so.

If trains actually had decent size trays in the non-table sections I’d sit there… but while the tables are only in the four sections then that’s where I’ll sit!

I did most of an Open University degree while commuting to work every day on the train, sitting at a table!

If I’ve paid the same as everyone else for a ticket then I honestly don’t really give a shit if someone thinks I shouldn’t sit at a table.

I had to work on my laptop with a seat back train "table" last week. Never again! I'm definitely making sure I have a table seat booked next time. The other three seats are up for grabs!

I have an office job that requires me to work two days a week in the office and three from home.

Theres a whole load of reasons I go and use a cafe but don’t want the expense of driving to the office:

• I’m a bit lonely and want to be around other people (I live on my own)
• My retired neighbor is doing noisy DIY
• I need to run an errand in town so I might work there for a bit while I’m there
• My cat is being a dickhead
• I fancy a change of scenery
• My ADHD is playing up and I’m struggling to concentrate
• I need a bit of inspiration and sometimes mixing up the location can help

As a restaurant worker - yes it gets on our bloody nerves. Taking a table for two hours or more and just buying a coffee? Buy lunch or fuck off. And don’t bring your sodding dog with you.

I can’t understand how cafes aren’t losing money from these ‘customers’ given astronomical energy prices. Stringing out a £3 coffee with 2 or 3 appliances plugged in and charging!

Thanks for the reminder of cafes being an option OP, I've got some uni assignments to work on tomorrow and I will now gladly head to a nice cafe with my laptop in tow. 😂

Yes, everyone should be considerate of others in shared spaces. But good gracious, leave it to the managers/owners to worry about whether they are spending enough money for the time they are there! You really do seem disproportionately indignant about these, despite your claims otherwise. Maybe pick up a hobby that isn't the public equivalent of curtain twitching and hand-wringing.

**this!

This grinds my gears. Don't these people understand that the covers are literally the revenue, if you hog one you are screwing the cafe. If you do this and think it's fine, stop.

Doesn't bother me as I just sit on the table with them. The same goes for trains. Most people on laptops don't mind.

Next time, ask if you can sit nearby, most people are generally very open to it.

So if I've paid the "workday" rate of £12.95 that my local cafe advertises to use their space and WiFi with unlimited drinks, I'm not allowed to sit and work there because you don't think it's right?? I'll have a word with the cafe boss and they'll them you don't think in their workday offer is acceptable.

That's different. If the place had a promotion that encourages this, then you all means take advantage of it. Our local had a WFH deal with brunch and bottomless coffee.

Independent and small coffee shops don't like it so much.

Someone earlier mentioned cafes being quiet, but it isn't really quiet when you start having groups of people having conversations around you.

Does the local library not appeal of you want peace and quiet? Free Wi-Fi, tea, coffee and biscuits for a small donation.

Mn can be fickle sometimes. Years ago, I asked mn about meeting a future private tuition student in a public place like a cafe and I got comments like "Well, I don't think the owner will be too pleased about you conducting your business on the premises!" and laying into me about not buying anything.

Anyway, in my defence, it was a brief prelesson interview, and of course drinks were bought. The tuition took place at my house Anyway.