Photo courtesy of Joanna Lee
Related Articles
In a recently published article titled “No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users,” the Wall Street Journal reports that the practice of limiting or eliminating wi-fi among neighborhood coffee shops in the city of New York is a growing problem, especially in these rough economic times. Though this has been enforced in some places for years now, we can’t help but worry that San Francisco might be increasingly susceptible to this as well.
In a society where laptop toters and cafes run rampant, it is inevitable that the two have married in what seems to be either a joyful union or a dysfunctional relationship. Coffee shops would love to have your company, but lingering for the free internet connection is sometimes considered unwelcomed behavior. To avoid being like the house call who overextends his/her stay, be aware of where you are and who’s around you.
Remember these things:
- 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!
The bottom line: Do your part to keep coffee shops in San Francisco laptop friendly environments. These courteous gestures and other (much more obvious) manners are good guidelines for any wi-fi café-conscious citizen. Good etiquette can go a long way and will hopefully help to deter the anti-laptop trend that plagues New York from cross continental travel.
Comments