For those of us who have the pleasure of working remotely, coffee shops are usually our haven. They give us a space to escape and to soak up the company of others when the loneliness of working from home gets the best of us. For some freelancers, working in a cafe or coffee shop is just like working from an office. It gives them somewhere to head to each day and provides them with a dedicated workspace. However, it is also important to remember that coffee shops aren’t just for freelancers—other members of the public will be using them as well. That’s why I’m sharing some common etiquette tips for those of you who are just starting remote work!
Keep All Bags Under The Table
The first one seems like common sense but I’ve seen a ton of cases where people leave their bags on the seat next to them or sometimes behind their chair. If the cafe gets busy, your bag will be taking up much needed seating space or be in the way of someone walking.If someone trips and falls on your bag, they might be within their right to find the right lawyer to try and claim compensation. You don’t want an expensive lawsuit on your hands just because you carelessly placed your bag in the middle of the walkway! So, place your bags under your table. It’s simple! But makes sure you’re keeping the employees and other customers happy!
Go For The Smallest Table For Your Needs
You will only frustrate other customers if you spread out on a table that is a lot larger than what you need. If you are only working on your own with your laptop, just go for a single-person table. After all, you just need to be able to fit your laptop and a coffee on it.
Buy Something
Don’t be that person who goes to work in a cafe and never buys anything. In fact, most coffee shops have started putting a stop to this and preventing people from working if they aren’t willing to buy anything. The general rule of thumb is that you should buy one drink for every hour spent working in a cafe. If you buy a slice of cake as well, you might get away with working for slightly longer.
Use Your Headphones
If you’re someone who needs to listen to music while you work or are required to hop on calls often, make sure to have your headphones in! The people around you do not need to be listening in on your conversations or get to know your music taste (as good as it may be!)
Always Tip
Don’t forget to leave a tip! Waiters and waitresses work very long shifts and for little pay, so as a generous gesture, you should always tip your servers. But that’s not the only reason, though. As you are using the cafe as a workplace, and will be there for longer than other customers, leaving a generous tip behind shows the cafe that you really appreciate the welcoming space they provide you.
Hope this helps!
