If You're Not Following These 9 Critical Etiquette Rules When Working At A Cafe, You're 100% Annoying Everyone Around You

Look, we’ve all been there — sprawled out at a cafe with our laptop, sipping something lukewarm while riding the WiFi like it’s free public transit. But the truth is, it’s not actually free. Somewhere behind the counter, a barista is judging you for taking up that two-top with a single black coffee for three hours.

So, how much do you need to order to balance freeloading and good manners? Are there different rules for weekends vs. weekdays? Of course. Is it busy? That matters too. But don’t worry — there is an imperfect formula to avoid becoming that person (you know, the one who doesn’t tip and asks for “just water”).

1.Weekend work is for WeWork.

On a slow Tuesday, you’ve got some leeway. If there are more than two empty tables, you can coast for a bit after the morning rush. Maybe answer some emails, maybe map out your dreams. But on Saturday? Pack it up. The baristas have coffee to make, orders to fill, and you are in the way. They’re trying to turn over tables. People are there to have a chat, spill the tea (figuratively, hopefully), and touch some grass. If you’re working on the weekend, go home or invest in a workspace.

Ashley Lasrado, manager of Threefold in Coral Gables confirms the rule. “Listen, if it’s the week, and we’re slow, that’s fine. But Sunday brunch? Get the right idea. Order some food, and then leave. Our tables have a time limit. And I mean who’s working on a Sunday? If you’re grinding that hard,” she says while air-quoting the word grinding, "stay home.”

Now, here’s where it gets weird — what you’re working on actually matters. Lasrado acknowledges that reading a book buys you a bit more free time and is generally less offensive than typing away at your computer. Similarly, if you’re a writer, artist, or doing something creative (not influencing, sorry), you might get a pass. Something about a person scribbling in a notebook just feels acceptable.

2.Take the temperature of the room.

If you walk in and see a sea of glowing MacBooks and people in deep focus mode, congratulations, you've found a freelancer-friendly haven. Settle in, sip your latte, and get some work done.

But if you’re the only one typing away while everyone else is laughing over lattes and brunch, you might want to rethink your plan. Some cafés are meant for socializing, not silent grinding. And if you catch a few side-eyes from the staff or patrons? That’s your cue — shut the laptop.

3.Use the two-hour rule.

If you're planning to camp out for an hour or two, a single coffee is fine. But if you’re settling in for the long haul (three hours or more), be a decent human and order a second drink — or better yet, grab a snack. Pastries are your best friend here; they’re usually cheap, quick to eat, and make you look like you’re actually contributing to the cafe’s bottom line. Even if you’re nibbling on a croissant for hours, it at least looks like you respect the space.

4.Meetings are a hard no.

Look, no one wants to hear your boss drone on about Q3 KPIs. If your laptop speakers are blasting the tension of a team meeting — or worse, if you have AirPods in and are talking way too loud — congrats, you’ve just become that person.

Michael Beltran, executive chef and owner of Ariete Hospitality, doesn’t mind the occasional Zoom meeting, so long as the patron is polite: speaking quietly, using AirPods, and has graciously tucked themselves away in a corner. BUT, he draws the line when guests start making demands. “If you're on a Zoom call and say, ‘Hey, can you lower the music?’ — nah, man, go fuck yourself. This is not your office, you know?'”

Now, an in-person business coffee meeting? That’s a different story. A quick 30- to 45-minute chat over lattes? Acceptable, even kind of sexy and chic. But the moment you start laying out spreadsheets, circling back, and leveraging synergies, you’re pushing it. A coffee shop is not your personal conference room, and if you’re out here running your empire from a corner table for hours on end? That’s not “grindset.” That’s just gauche.

5.Make a seating sacrifice.

If you're setting up shop for a work session, take the bar seat. I know, I know, back support is nice, and those cushy chairs look tempting, but let’s be real: tables are for people actually socializing. You, on the other hand, are locked into your screen, riding the free WiFi wave. That means making the noble sacrifice of perching on a stool instead of hogging a prime two-top meant for people who actually want to talk to each other.

Think of it as the unwritten freelancer tax: you get to work in a nice café, but in exchange, you don’t claim the best real estate.

6.If you're sitting down, pay up.

If you’re in a sit-down café with table service, the expectations are way higher. You’re not just taking up a seat, you’re taking up a server’s paycheck. They need table turnover to make tips, so if you’re settling in for a long haul, you better be ordering like you mean it. A single coffee and a three-hour stay? Absolutely not. If you're sticking around, get a full meal, something with protein, something substantial. A side salad or a lonely croissant won’t cut it. No plans to actually eat? Then pay up and move on.

Now, if it’s an order-at-the-counter situation, you get a bit more freedom, but don’t abuse it. You might not be costing anyone tips, but coffee shops still rely on customers actually buying things. If you’re planning to turn a two-top into your personal office, don’t just nurse the same cold brew for four hours.

7.Chain vs. independently-owned business matters.

Now, if it’s a Starbucks or another big corporate chain, full steam ahead. These places were designed for loitering; there’s constant turnover, and nobody’s really clocking how long you’ve been there. As long as you’re not taking up prime real estate during a rush, you can get away with a single drink and a long stay. Still, a mid-visit snack never hurts.

But if you’re in a small, independent café, the kind with artisanal pour-overs and beans sourced from a single farm in Guatemala, you need to support the business. These places aren’t running on billion-dollar corporate backing; they rely on regulars who buy things. If you’re going to hunker down for hours, throw some extra cash their way. Get that fancy gluten-free Danish with mulberry jam. Try the seasonal special. At the very least, make it clear you appreciate the space.

8.Do "The Great Outlet Hunt" before you order.

Next time you walk into a coffee shop, look around before you settle in. Are there outlets everywhere — tucked under counters, lined along the walls, maybe even built into the tables? That’s a green light. The owners probably expect people to work there, and you can breathe easy knowing you won’t be met with passive-aggressive sighs from the staff.

But if you’re doing Olympic-level gymnastics just to find a single outlet, take the hint. A lack of outlets is not an accident — it’s a strategic move. The café isn’t designed for all-day laptop marathons, and you should probably respect that. If you’re desperate, bring a fully charged battery pack or prepare to be that person sheepishly asking the barista if there’s “maybe one in the back somewhere.”

9.Remember the "regular advantage."

How much leeway you get depends entirely on your relationship with the café. If you’ve built rapport, AKA, overtipped in the beginning to secure your place as a valued regular, you might get an unspoken extended-stay pass. Maybe even an extra pour. You’ve earned your spot, and the staff knows you respect the space.

But if the barista greets you with a blank stare? Play it safe. You do not want to be that person — the one the staff talks about the second you walk out the door. Because yes, they notice. And yes, they absolutely roast the serial freeloaders.  “We definitely do talk about patrons, especially the bad tippers,” confirms Jenna Harris, barista at Books & Books Cafe. “How are you going to sit at the counter for three hours, order the most complicated $10 drink, and not even tip me a dollar?”

It’s like middle school all over again, except instead of trying to sit at the cool kids’ lunch table, you’re just hoping your name isn’t on some unspoken blacklist of café offenders.

All you cafe workers out there: What's a rule that you follow to keep your fellow cafe-goers (and baristas) happy? Tell us in the comments.

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