ost people I know have some kind of a side project. It might be performing in a local theatre group, being a part of a crafting community, writing a novel or playing in a band. This thrills me – it’s all very awesome stuff and people should definitely do as many creative things as they can fit in their short and wonderful lives. The problem is that many people don’t have the space to meet people to do this, so they end up meeting in cafes. Cafes don’t generally love this but it’s kind of unavoidable. If you find yourself sitting for hours in cafes and using them as your own personal work space, here are a few ways you can continue to do it without pissing off the owners…
Order stuff regularly
You don’t need to be ordering a $7 juice every 5 minutes but one coffee or tea every hour is reasonable, if they’re not too busy. If you think about it in terms of renting a desk, it’s super cheap. $4 for a coffee and a desk is an absolute bargain, even if you don’t feel like having another coffee just order a tea.
Don’t occupy a table at lunch time unless you order lunch
Cafes make money from people buying food and if you’re stopping a family of four from sitting down and ordering four meals you’re costing the cafe about $100. Occupying a whole table at peak hour for a $4 coffee is a bit rude, so just keep that in mind.
Read the vibe
Read the vibe. If the tables are mostly empty and the cafe is really chilled out it shouldn’t be a problem. I used to work in a massive cafe that was in a warehouse and I could sit there all day and they didn’t care. But I still regularly ordered coffees because cafes cost money to run and it’s polite to do that. I’ve also worked in cafes where they bring the bill the second you’re finished – which is also fine. Just read the vibe and play by their rules.
Don’t get grumpy if they bring the bill
It’s a business and it’s not their job to provide you with all the ammenities of an office for an indeterminate amount of time. It’s kind of like having someone to stay at your house and you have no idea how long they’re going to stay for and whether or not your should charge them rent. They either have to leave, or pay rent. The same logic applies to working in cafes.
This week on Straight and Curly, Kelly and I are discussing the benefits of working in a Coffice – a coffee shop office. We look at the science of why this works for some people, why it doesn’t work for others and how to do this without annoying the owner of every cafe near your house.
Speaking of podcasts, this week on Sweet Teen Club, Stacey and I are chatting about the most disturbing book of our youth – Flowers In The Attic. If you felt like you needed therapy after reading that book, you need to listen to this.
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Do you work in cafes? Do you find it awkward as hell? Or do you manage it okay?
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6 Comments
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Must say, I would be miffed if I couldn’t get a table at a cafe because it was full of people using as their office. Our local council is redeveloping some public land near us. There will be parkland and a digital hub, which apparently people are crying out for. I had to look up what is a digital hub. I expect they will also put a coffee shop there! Xx
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I’m the same! There’s a guy at my local who sits there all day, orders nothing and bites his nails really loudly the whole time. He’s the worst.
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I went to Toby’s Estate in Brooklyn for a decent coffee in week 2 of my stay in NY a few years ago and 75% of the peeps had their laptops open, there was heaps of points to charge your devices and there were only long communal tables. It was the most incredible vibe. So happy and productive, staff chilled, great coffee and snacks. Everyone was welcome, mamas & babes, hipsters, slick execs, tourists desperate for a Melbs coffee like me!
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WE would have died without Toby’s estate in the states. Mr Smags is a full on coffee addict. We also love Blue Bottle – that coffee is out of control!
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It amazes me that someone could sit in a cafe and NOT order at least one coffee an hour. Maybe I just have a coffee problem.
I think Australia tends to be pretty relaxed about people using cafes. In the US, with the tipping system and all, they rely on high turnover to make money. Europe seems pretty relaxed too. Japan is the cruisiest though. I’d teach private English lessons in cafes and if I had back to back lessons, would try to order a second coffee. It was like they didn’t want to take my money!
I’d add to the list – do not ask staff to mind your stuff (like if you need to have a toilet break etc). It’s not their job, and what do you expect them to do? If someone takes off with your laptop, chase them down the street? I usually pack up my laptop and take it with me but keep some notes or whatever on the table so no one moves in on me.
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I regularly (ie, usually once a week) go to a beautiful cafe to work – either reading scholarship or editing my own papers. The ambient noise + as many coffees as I can afford helps me concentrate. The staff are very supportive and never kick me out, but a few things I do probably help: I sit at the communal table or at the window bar, so I only occupy one seat; I order at least two things (usually coffee and cake, but sometimes coffee and lunch); and I leave if it’s getting really busy. Like you say, it’s only polite – and you don’t want your barista mad at you.
