Had a coffee shop owner tell me to stop working at his place

I was in this cafe in Chiang Mai for about 3 hours every day for a month when the owner came over and said I was killing his vibe because I took up a table for four by myself. He suggested I either buy something every 45 minutes or find a coworking space down the street instead. Has anyone else gotten the boot from a local spot and found a good way to balance being productive without annoying the staff?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith_carter19d ago

I've noticed this weird shift where coffee shops are becoming more like paid office space than the "third place" they used to be. A barista in Portland told me they have a three hour max on weekends now because too many people camp out with laptops and only buy one drink. It feels like owners are caught between wanting a busy, community vibe and needing to make enough money to stay open in expensive cities. Have you noticed this casual work culture changing how you see local spots?

benclark19d ago

Nah, folks need places to work and coffee shops are perfect for that.

the_elliot18d ago

Haha yeah @faith_carter i feel like i'm part of the problem tbh. i've definitely camped out way too long with one cold brew and a guilty conscience. maybe i need a sign on my laptop that says "i promise i'll buy a pastry soon.