We asked cafe owners how long customers should sit with one drink for

What’s the proper etiquette for sitting in cafes? (Picture: Getty Images) How long is too long to sit in a cafe? At one new spot in London, Corgi Cafe, there are no rules, and laptops are not only welcome – they’re encouraged. The cafe, by Corgi, an AI-native insurance startup, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and was created to give ‘people who want to work hard’ a place to go. As remote working becomes the norm, many have started lugging their laptop to coffee shops and hunkering down. But is it actually ok to stay for hours on end? This has proved a hot topic online, as a tourist recently confessed to spending three hours in a UK cafe and only ordering one drink the entire time. In a post on Reddit, they explained they were from South Korea, where this behaviour is standard, but wanted to know what the proper etiquette is in the UK. People were divided, with some claiming it’s fine to stay if the place isn’t busy, but others saying it’s only acceptable if you buy more food and drink. What do cafe owners really think? Metro asked those in the industry to settle the debate… It’s become the norm for remote workers to bring a laptop and sit all day in cafes (Picture: Getty Images) It’s annoying Sean Kyne, the owner of Alde Cafe in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, isn’t keen on people hogging tables in his business. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. ‘Frankly, it’s annoying,’ he admits. ‘We’re a cafe, not a meeting place, and we rely on turning the tables regularly. ‘We make a point of asking [people] if they’d like more drinks and then giving them the bill if they say no. I know it sounds rude, but we’re a business.’ According to Sean, an ‘hour or so’ should be the limit for staying if you’ve only ordered a drink. ‘I’ve never considered it anything other than taking advantage to sit and buy one coffee and use a place as one’s office. ‘I know I’m supposed to say we’re a community cafe, and everybody’s welcome, but at the end of the day we’re a functioning business, and we have to make money ‘Hospitality is a tough business, and if people want the cafe to be there, then it’s about understanding why owners like me aren’t too keen on tables used as offices.’ He adds: ‘I’m actually a very relaxed owner, but some things get on my nerves.’ If you’re only ordering one drink, cafe owners say you shouldn’t stay for hours (Picture: Shutterstock / Mut Hardman) The unspoken rule Marianne Brammer has been running HJEM, a cafe with two locations in Kensington, for the last nine years, and has noticed this becoming more of a problem for small cafes. She says she’s been trying to get around it at HJEM by not offering WiFi to guests, although this doesn’t completely deter people from getting their laptops out and hunkering down. It’s also sparked some tension. ‘Some people get angry about that and write a bad review on Google as a result, but we just have to accept that the negative voice is loud and wants to be heard and stick to our policy.’ But she notes it is a balancing act, and sometimes when the cafe is quiet, she doesn’t mind having a few computer users, as it’s ‘better than no guests at all’. ‘We are fortunate that many of our guests are regulars, though, so we know that they do support the business overall.’ Marianne went on to reveal that her cafes have an ‘unspoken rule’ which is that if it’s super busy then regular guests know not to occupy tables for hours. ‘This seems to work a lot of the time, but sometimes we do have to ask guests to be more respectful of this. It’s a tender issue, though, as you don’t want to push people away but you also cannot afford to lose business because a few people take up the space for hours with no significant spend.’ I don’t mind guests coming in to relax Burak Demirelli, the owner of Fred Bakery, which has two locations in London, says he’s very happy for guests to ‘relax and enjoy their time’ in the cafes. ‘If someone has ordered a drink or something to eat, staying for over an hour is absolutely fine, especially during quieter periods. If the cafe bakery isn’t busy, we don’t mind guests staying a little longer.’ He continues to say they don’t have a ‘strict’ minimum spend rule – they just hope customers will be ‘considerate’ and ‘support’ the business by buying something. How long do you think it's acceptable to sit in a cafe for? Sign up to Metro's The Slice newsletter for your guide to what's on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways. It’s unacceptable It’s not just happening in the UK either. Chris Retallick, the co-owner of Boxwood Coffee Roasters, which has a cafe in New Jersey, USA, says staying for hours and only ordering one drink is ‘not acceptable’. ‘It can cause a real problem for the business, especially during busy times at the cafe when other customers are waiting for tables. We can’t have someone sitting there for three hours on the weekend with a cup of coffee while there’s a wait for people who want to eat brunch,’ Chris explains. ‘With average customers making $5 to $10 (£3.76 – £7.51) purchases, cafes rely on turning over tables as often as possible, even more so than restaurants.’ In a bid to combat this, Chris says his cafe is limiting WiFi and laptop use, so people aren’t able to work in the space for a full day. ‘Each customer gets a receipt with a Wi-Fi password that’s valid for four hours on weekdays.’ Deals of the Day Save over £700 on Simba's top-rated mattresses in this limited-time sale Topman’s new-season collection has arrived and prices start at just £10 An Instagram mattress left me with back pain – this one completely changed my mind From £700 MacBooks to discounted iPhones, the best Apple tech for studentsb Save 25% on red light therapy masks, sauna blankets and sleep gadgets in Bon Charge sale He adds: ‘One of the first specialty coffee shops I ever visited gave you a Wi-Fi code on the receipt that lasted for 45 minutes when you bought a drink. If you wanted longer access to Wi-Fi, you had to purchase something else.’ Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: McDonald’s menu shake-up sees return of World Heist and new Happy Meal Arrow MORE: M&S is bringing back a retro biscuit selection box from the 50s Arrow MORE: Everyone wants to be a nerd now — here’s how to claim the title for yourself The Slice Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.