If you walk into a coffee shop in 2025, you’ll likely see a constellation of glowing screens between cappuccinos and croissants. Laptops feel as essential to café culture as baristas – yet owners and guests are asking a pointed question: Should coffee shops go laptop free?

From “Cagongjok” to Coffee Campers

In South Korea, the phenomenon for decamping to a coffee shop with your computer has a name: cagongjok—a portmanteau of “café,” “gongbu” (studying), and “jok” (tribe). It roughly means “people who study at cafés,” and it’s sparked heated debate as some guests turn cafés into long-haul workstations. Even large chains are reacting. In August 2025, Starbucks Korea introduced a policy banning bulky items—after customers began bringing full desktop computers (even printers, if you can believe it) into stores.
Looking in through a coffee shop window one sees people at a table with open laptops and cups of coffee

Friends working with computers in a Coffee Shop by Pexels _ Pixabay

The U.S. Context: Remote Work Meets the Third Place

Stateside, the tension is familiar. Coffee shops have long doubled as study halls and makeshift offices—roles that expanded with after COVID gave rise to more remote workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 35% of employed people did some or all of their work at home on days they worked in 2023, up 11 percentage points from 2019 (BLS, 2024). For many, a coffee shop became the “home away from home”—a third space that isn’t home or office, but somewhere in between.

When Laptops Change the Vibe

Owners point to two pressure points: table real estate and atmosphere. A guest nursing one drink for hours can choke turnover during peak times. Meanwhile, a sea of Zoom calls can shift the shop’s mood away from convivial chatter toward something more transactional. As the Detroit Free Press noted in March 2025, the surge in remote workers can dampen the social, leisurely feel some cafés cultivate.
A person holding a cup of coffee in their hands at a coffee shop table with an open laptop on the table.

Working with Laptop from Coffee Shop by Jovana Stojanovic _ Getty Images

Arguments for Banning Laptops

Reduced Turnover Long stays can block multiple potential sales per seat.
Diminished Atmosphere Screen-focused rooms feel less social and welcoming.
Sales Impact “$5-per-hour” tables can’t sustain margins in busy shops.
Operational Costs Wi-Fi, outlets, and electricity add up.

Arguments Against Banning Laptops

Revenue & Loyalty Students and remote workers can be core, repeat customers.
Flexible Alternatives    Laptop-free zones, time limits, or peak-hour Wi-Fi cutoffs can be a happy medium instead of blanket bans.
Inclusivity Not every laptop user camps; full bans can alienate casual guests.

What U.S. Shops Are Trying

  • Laptop-free policies in some communities (see this perspective via Michigan Daily).
  • Clear laptop-friendly positioning in dense markets, where guests actively seek work-friendly cafés (e.g., NYC roundups and the LA Times list).
  • Offline or “screen-light” cafés—a small but growing counter-trend noted by Perfect Daily Grind.

A Quick Historical Note

As AOL dial-up died and public internet cafés declined, laptops and fast mobile data shifted connectivity into our pockets—and onto café tables. Today’s debate isn’t about whether people go online at cafés, but how shops manage that reality.

What Roasters Say (Our Poll)

In our poll, 77% of roasters said shops should not be internet-free zones. A sample of comments:

“It disturbs other patrons—enjoy the coffee and your community.”

“We love being a space for students and remote workers.”

“Can’t stay in business selling $5-an-hour cups of coffee.”

“Our laptop- and cellphone-free policy is a welcome break for patrons.”

“Why dictate what customers do if they aren’t bothering anyone?”

“Time limits or zones are fair—balance is key.”

So…Should You Ban Laptops?

There’s no universal answer. Some cafés thrive as laptop havens; others flourish as screen-free sanctuaries. The right policy depends on your neighborhood, foot traffic, seating, menu, and brand. The goal is a balance of revenue, guest experience, and community.

Sources & Further Reading

Editor’s note: With more employers pushing Return-to-Work in 2025, café traffic patterns may shift again—watch your peak hours and adapt policy to fit your community.

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Rob Sulkow
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