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Original poster

Laptops banned in cafe

273 replies

Pricklylikethecactus · 05/05/2024 12:01

A cafe in Canterbury has banned laptops after people asked staff to be quiet when they were on zoom calls, asked for the music to be turned off and generally ruined the atmosphere. They also said that these customers blocked tables, that could be used by more profitable customers as many of these people would just by a £3 coffee and keep the table for several hours.

I’ve worked from cafes from time to time, but always try to make sure I spend a some money periodically-even if it is a cake to take home or an extra coffee to pay my way, but I do see others just paying for a single drink.

Is this cafe in Canterbury right, are these people taking the piss? And do you ever do this and find somewhere to work for several hours and only spend a tiny amount-and why is that ok? These places are trying to run a business after all.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/05/2024 12:03

Good for them!

They are a cafe, not an office. It is annoying to have people hogging tables with their work stuff spread out. Making zoom calls and expecting quiet is just taking the piss!

Scotma · 05/05/2024 12:03

It’s up to the business really?

London city cafe? You’d probably go out of business if you banned laptops.

Family cafe in a small town? Fair enough if you want a busy, child friendly care with an atmosphere!

widgitfidgit · 05/05/2024 12:03

A cafe to me nearly went bust due to people working there. One coffee an hour isn't going to keep the lights on.
They had to put serious rules in place to stop it happening.

Summertimeagain · 05/05/2024 12:04

They're businesses not business hubs so of course they're correct. I meet business associates for a quick chat in a coffee shop but actually sitting down and working on a laptop is madness.

VillageGreenPS · 05/05/2024 12:05

Cafe near me has a few laptop-friendly tables but most are reserved for non-laptop customers. Fair enough.

gamerchick · 05/05/2024 12:05

Good. Hopefully paves the way for anyone else using them as an office to ban them as well.

UnbelievableLie · 05/05/2024 12:06

To be honest I wish more places would do the same. Nipped in for a coffee with my partner whilst waiting for something and the guy on the table next to us was on some sort of online meeting. Had his headphones in and was speaking much louder than anyone else - continuosly. It was very annoying and ruined the experience, most people when talking to one another tend to use quite muted voices but he clearly didn't realise or didn't care.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/05/2024 12:06

Understandable, I no longer have Zoom meetings when at AC/DC concerts. It's just too loud, even when I'm not in the Mosh Pit (whatever that is).

Newbutoldfather · 05/05/2024 12:07

It is obviously up to the cafe, but I don’t get the business model of a cafe which allows a customer to buy a single coffee (£3.50), plug in their laptop and take up a table for hours.

As for demanding quiet for a Zoom call, if that really happened it is beyond cheeky.

There are business hubs where you rent space and can also buy coffee. Cafes shouldn’t need to compete with those.

cranberrypi · 05/05/2024 12:08

sounds reasonable, it is up to the cafe - some cater for workers, some dont want to

Haydenn · 05/05/2024 12:08

I have a feeling this might be like the mysterious people who hang dog poo bags from trees. Everyone will say it’s not fair on the business to have these tables hogged by the one coffee brigade, and no one will admit to being the cheeky fucker who actually does it.

Im intrigued as to the sense of entitlement from people who can see others struggling to find somewhere to sit, or customers leaving because there aren’t any tables, happy in the knowledge that they finished their one coffee an hour ago and aren’t going to buy anything else- just tapping away on their computers? Entitled fuckers

DoAWheelie · 05/05/2024 12:08

The problem is almost all free to access third spaces have been closed now. There is almost nowhere left where you can exist outside of your home or workplace that doesn't come with the expectation of spending money.

I don't blame the cafe for wanting them gone as they need to make enough to stay open but I also don't blame the people doing it either.

sesquipedalian · 05/05/2024 12:08

I think the café is absolutely within its rights. Why on earth would you go to a café to have a work zoom call? It’s utterly unreasonable, and if this is people’s idea of WFH, it’s about time they went back into the office.

BroughttoyoubyBerocca · 05/05/2024 12:08

I think that they are fine to do that, it’s not the vibe they want to give off and I say this as a long standing “work from anywhere” type. I avoid cafes as they are noisy, by far the best locations are quiet pubs, like Wetherspoons or restaurants, I’m a dab hand at working whilst lunching.

Lots of posh(ish) restaurants and bars in the city have a no laptop policy during premium lunch and dinner times.

ArchaeoSpy · 05/05/2024 12:08

on occasion ive sat in tescos, and asda cafés, i know its noisy and i like the atmosphere of the hustle and bustle, i choose to sit there sometimes as it helps me focus with projects as i get easily distracted.

id never expect the cafe to be quite or even quieten the music, if i needed to hear id use headphones with mics.

those customers were omg levels of rude and yes the cafe was right

TwattyMcFuckFace · 05/05/2024 12:10

They've asked staff to be quiet when they were on zoom calls, asked for the music to be turned off and blocked tables.

And you're asking if they're taking the piss?

What do you think? 😳

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 05/05/2024 12:10

It's up to each business.

Many cafes make offers to encourage people to work from their premises.

This cafe would rather not. That's fine.

Allshallbewell2021 · 05/05/2024 12:10

VillageGreenPS · 05/05/2024 12:05

Cafe near me has a few laptop-friendly tables but most are reserved for non-laptop customers. Fair enough.

This makes sense

StripeyDeckchair · 05/05/2024 12:11

Good for them
People working in cafes are frequently (sweeping generalisation alert) loud, arrogant and oblivious to others. It puts others, who will actually spend money, off the cafe & all business owners struggle to make a profit atm.

YouveGotAFastCar · 05/05/2024 12:12

Those people were taking the piss; yes. But overall it depends on the cafe. Plenty near me openly welcome workers. Most don’t stay for several hours from a £3 coffee - they’ll get several drinks, and lunch, at least.

stealthninjamum · 05/05/2024 12:13

There’s a cafe near me that specifies customers need to buy food between 12 and 2. I think it’s a good ideas as the tables can’t be hogged by laptop users buying one coffee in what should be their busiest time. I’m always amazed that people are even allowed to have these open zoom meetings, dp’s company consider his work private and wouldn’t allow him to have a meeting in a public place.

FlabMonsterIsDietingAgain · 05/05/2024 12:13

There are a couple of cafes and pubs near me that have embraced the WFH group and offer essentially day rent for a table, where you pay £20 or so and that gets you the table, a sandwich lunch and unlimited filter coffee/tea.

If a cafe doesn't want that to be the environment they are creating then that's perfectly reasonable and something customers should respect.

Sirzy · 05/05/2024 12:13

DoAWheelie · 05/05/2024 12:08

The problem is almost all free to access third spaces have been closed now. There is almost nowhere left where you can exist outside of your home or workplace that doesn't come with the expectation of spending money.

I don't blame the cafe for wanting them gone as they need to make enough to stay open but I also don't blame the people doing it either.

But why should other people pay for you to have somewhere to work? The costs needs to be covered by someone.

if you don’t want to work from home or in an office then you need to pay properly for an alternative.

DrFroggy · 05/05/2024 12:13

We have a cafe near us that is actually right next to the library - a free space where you can sit for as long as you like on your laptop - but was nearly going out of business due to people doing this. Now they have a few benches for laptops and the rest of the tables you are not allowed. Seems to work well.

Merryoldgoat · 05/05/2024 12:14

I don’t work from a coffee shop but if I did I’d expect to buy a significant amount - at least a drink and snack when I arrived, another drink after maybe an hour and another snack after another hour. Typed out though it still feels light.

I think the idea of expecting to be able to take virtual meetings in a coffee shop is bonkers.