A Bengaluru cafe’s decision to charge customers Rs 99 per hour for using its premises as a workspace has sparked a debate on remote work etiquette, with social media users divided over whether cafes should function as informal co-working spaces.

The discussion began after a Bengaluru-based professional shared his experience on LinkedIn, questioning whether the cafe’s pricing policy addressed the real issue of customers occupying tables for extended periods.

LinkedIn Post Triggers Debate

Karthik Suroju said he noticed a prominently displayed sign at the entrance of the cafe informing customers that using the space as a workspace would cost Rs 99 per hour.

Curious about the policy, he entered the cafe expecting to find people working on laptops. Instead, he found the establishment largely empty.

Sharing his observations on LinkedIn, Suroju wrote, “Nobody was sitting there working. Not one person. I think the sign is solving the wrong problem.”

While acknowledging the challenges faced by cafes when customers occupy tables for hours after ordering only a single beverage, he questioned whether openly charging for workspace created the right impression.

“Cafes genuinely can’t absorb someone nursing one coffee for five hours. Fair enough. But pricing the awkwardness out loud doesn’t invite people in. It repels them,” he wrote.

Internet Divided Over Policy

The post prompted widespread discussion, with many users offering differing views on whether the policy was justified.

Some argued that businesses cannot be expected to serve as free co-working spaces and said customers who occupy tables for several hours while making minimal purchases reduce seating availability and affect revenue, particularly in high-rent commercial areas.

Others felt the hourly charge could discourage genuine customers before they even entered the cafe.

Alternative Suggestions Emerge

Several users suggested that cafes could adopt alternative approaches instead of charging an hourly workspace fee.

Among the proposals were introducing a minimum spending requirement, creating designated laptop-friendly seating areas or imposing time limits during peak business hours to improve table turnover while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.

Growing Challenge for Urban Cafes

The discussion has once again highlighted the challenges faced by cafes in India’s major cities as remote working becomes increasingly common.

With commercial rents remaining high in neighbourhoods such as Bengaluru’s Indiranagar, cafe owners continue to balance the expectations of customers seeking comfortable workspaces with the need to ensure sustainable business operations through adequate table turnover.

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