On Cafe Etiquette When Working Remotely
Unwritten rules I've gathered from coding in cafes as a remote developer
One Americano, Six Hours
Honest confession: I once sat in a cafe for six hours on a single americano. $3.25. That's $0.54 an hour. Cheaper than a coworking space. The place had open seats, fast wifi, and good AC. But walking out, I thought: "Was I being a jerk?"
That thought kicked off my personal cafe etiquette code.
Set a Minimum Order Standard
My rule: one drink per two hours. Six hours means three drinks. If that feels expensive, just work from home. A cafe isn't an office. It's a business that sells beverages, and every seat you occupy is revenue the owner needs for rent.
Reality doesn't always cooperate, though. Get into a coding zone and suddenly three hours have passed. So I set a 2-hour phone timer. When it goes off, I go order. Decaf if needed.
Don't Monopolize the Outlet
A MacBook charger takes up one outlet, locking out everyone else. But honestly, charging is essential. Below 50% battery and I get anxious. (Developer-specific anxiety? Device dependency? Not sure.)
My compromise: I carry a small power strip. Plug it into the cafe outlet, plug my charger into it, and the remaining spots are open for others. Haven't seen anyone else do this. But when the person next to me asks "mind if I use the outlet?" and I point to the strip, the reaction is always positive.
Seriously, No Video Calls
This isn't etiquette — it's common sense. Yet somehow people take Zoom calls on laptop speakers in cafes. Everyone hears the meeting. Background noise bleeds into the call. Once the person next to me was discussing what sounded like a confidential project on speakerphone. Awkward.
Quick phone calls, sure. But if you have scheduled meetings, don't go to a cafe that day. I broke this rule once — during a standup, cafe BGM leaked in and someone asked "are you at a cafe?" (Meetings go on the calendar before cafe days now.)
The Art of Seat Selection
Taking a two-person table alone wastes a chair. I try for single seats or bar counters. During lunch hour (12:00-1:30), people come in to eat, so I try to step out. I built a pattern: take a short walk at noon, come back after the rush.
I prefer window seats. Reason: less screen glare, monitor is easier to read. (Actually it's the vibes.)
Being a Regular Changes Things
Hit the same cafe two to three times a week and staff recognize you. "Americano?" before you even order. Once that happens, there's more latitude. Sitting for a while draws less side-eye. Regulars get a pass.
But it's a two-way street. As a regular, I feel pressure to spend more. "Just americano again? Should I get a pastry?" Croissant, $3.50. (Suspicious this is the cafe owner's psychological strategy working on me.)
Why Cafe Coding Works
At home, the couch calls. The bed calls. The fridge calls. Cafes have none of that. Moderate ambient noise (actual research supports cafe white noise aiding focus), the mild accountability of other people's presence, the smell of coffee.
But the real reason is "the commute feeling." Working from home, I lost the psychological switch that comes with changing locations. Home is rest, cafe is work. That distinction affects productivity.
Writing this from a cafe right now. Second americano. Three hours in. Meeting my own etiquette standard. Probably.