If you’re like me, you can easily find yourself holed up in a coffee shop for hours on end. Your vanilla latte was finished hours ago, the people around you have come and gone, and yet you’re still stuck to your seat, scouring Facebook, finishing up a term paper, and memorizing chemistry notes simultaneously.

Don’t get me wrong: coffee shops are great places for individuals of all kinds to work in, and for good reason too. Along with an abundance of delicious drinks and pastries, coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi, peaceful ambiance, and a sense of community. But even though you might not have noticed you’ve been there for hours without moving an inch, café owners and baristas do. It’s important that you practice good coffee shop etiquette – don’t be the asshole who buys the cheapest thing on the menu and then stays for four hours hogging up all of the bandwidth. If you’re planning on spending all day tomorrow at Starbucks, keep in mind a few tips to ensure you avoid getting kicked out (or at least given the stink eye).

1. Buy something every one to two hours.

This is especially important if you’re planning on staying for more than a few hours. A coffee shop is still a business, even if you consider it something else. It doesn’t matter what you purchase – just buy something. After all, you’re getting service, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, restrooms, and comfortable seating. The least you could do is make an hourly trip to the register, especially if you’re in the shop on a busy day.

If you’re hanging at the café around lunch or dinner time, it’s also common courtesy to buy something to eat as well. Be respectful and don’t try to sneak in your own outside food either. Again, they are in the food business, and if you’re bringing in your own sandwiches instead of buying from the shop, then they’re losing money.

2. Tip your barista.

It’s also important that you tip well, especially if you’re not planning on buying a lot of drinks, or if you’re staying for an exceptionally long time. And if you leave good tips every time you order something, chances are, the baristas will treat you even better!

3. Watch your Wi-Fi limits.

Some coffee shops may impose limits on their Wi-Fi, especially if they have very little seating, to ensure that customers don’t stay for too long. Customers are given access keys with a certain time limit with every drink purchase. Once the time is up, you’ll need to either buy something else, or leave. Other cafes may be slightly looser with their rules – they might simply ask that you limit your usage, in which case, you should be respectful and heed this. Don’t assume that you’re allowed to stay for an indefinite amount of time, though, especially if the Wi-Fi limit isn’t strictly enforced. Employees won’t say anything, but they’ll know.

On that note, also be mindful of how much bandwidth you’re taking up. This means don’t download large files, such as movies or entire albums, because this takes away the resources for the other people in the shop, slowing down the Wi-Fi connection and making everyone miserable. If you’re just dying to stream that last season of Breaking Bad, maybe you should just stay home.

4. Be respectful to those around you.

This is a coffee shop, not your own apartment. That means you’re in a public setting, and one in which there are lots of individuals who are there to study and work. Remember to keep your area clean. If all you have to throw out is an empty cup and some napkins, then make the effort to bring them up to the counter or trash can. This not only makes the baristas’ jobs easier, but also shows courtesy to those seated around you.

Also, make sure you keep your workspace small, to allow room for others to utilize the coffee shop comfortably. No matter how empty a shop might be, it’s rude to claim an extra chair for yourself just so you can put your backpack on it, especially if there is limited seating. Keep your things close to you, and leave everything else on the floor. Don’t be a freeloader and take up an entire table and all the outlets, either. If the shop starts to get busy, pull your things together and offer the empty seats to other people.

If you’re listening to audio, it is imperative that you plug in. Although it’s not a library, many consider a coffee shop a quiet place to work in regardless. It’s perfectly fine to hold a conversation with others while in there, but if you’re listening to music or looking up videos, please put in your headphones. Also, if you’re taking a phone call, it’s best to go outside. Make sure you ask someone to watch your belongings before stepping out, and make it quick. You’ll be saving everyone a lot of trouble by respecting this rule.

And finally, here are a few final things that you shouldn’t do:

• Don’t hold group meetings for projects or collaborations at the coffee shop, especially if they’re going to last for a long time, and if it’s going to get loud.
• Don’t stay the entire day. If you really need to work the whole day, move to another coffee shop after a few hours.
• Don’t use the bathroom without buying something.
• Don’t forget to say thank you. The staff puts in a lot of effort at keeping everyone comfortable and happy, so be nice and take a few seconds to acknowledge their hard work.

Trending Articles: