Coffee Shop and Laptop Etiquette

Headed to New York City tomorrow for fun, business and some good coffee. Have been noticing more and more coffee shops in New York are limiting the use of free wi-fi.

Some people head into the shops first thing in the morning and leave around 5pm. And all they buy is one latte?

I can understand why shop owners are changing the rules. After all their shops are a business, not a non-profit organization.

I was taking a friend to lunch at one of the local coffee shops here in San Antonio. We couldn't find a table except outside. With the 100 degree weather here recently outside just wasn't one of our choices. But what amazed my friend was a number of the people in the coffee shop had packed their own lunch. These same individuals were eating their lunch without the shop owner getting a thin dime. Not fair, folks.

Found some good suggestions for laptop etiquette in the Houston Examiner from Becky Lam.

I. During the café’s peak hours, grab a latte or cup of coffee with a little something to munch on. It’s not exactly polite to stake out that entire table for an hour or more with only a 12 oz. drip or glass of water while lunchers wait around for seating.
II. The coffee shop is not a charging station. If you are plugging in, it better be because your laptop’s battery life is nonexistent. It’s a sign you are staying too long if you’re running through a fully charged battery.
III. Treat your local cafés as though they were your neighbors. They are giving you a place to get away from distractions at work and at home while letting you use their wi-fi, no less. Return a friendly favor by getting to know your baristas and cleaning up after yourself.
IV. Don’t forget to buy something. Being the most obvious point, these coffee shops survive to serve you and your laptop thanks to your patronage. Keep them going.
V. And as a side note, ask for a “for here” mug as well. It automatically shows your intention to stick around and produces less waste too!

Good tips and a way of thanking the shop owner for providing the service. Buy more than just one latte and keep wi-fi going.

Not the usual grind,

The Coffee Guy