PSA: I remember when cafes welcomed digital nomads with open arms and free refills.

These days, it's like they're counting the minutes until you buy something else.

3 comments

3 Comments

Actually that golden age might be a bit of a myth. A few cool spots did the free refill thing to draw crowds, but it was never the norm for most cafes. The math just doesn't work for a small business when one person takes up a table for six hours on a three dollar coffee. It's less about being unwelcoming and more about, you know, staying open. Rent and wages are crazy now, so they have to focus on turnover.

walker.logan2d ago

Totally saw my local spot struggle with that too.

jessek622d ago

Wonder if it's also about the cafe vibe changing, like @walker.logan saw. I mean, when tables are full of laptops, it stops being a social spot maybe. Idk, just a thought.