Ahh… yes, the coffee shop culture it is. Most students and yuppies find a coffee shop a haven for studying and working on their laptops. But trust me, this sanctuary can sometimes turn into a battlefield, as some ignoramus goers refuse to learn about coffee shop etiquette.

“What? Is there really such a thing?” You ask. Read on!

Being a regular does not equal to VIP treatment. Sure you can get away with some things if you’ve been regularly coming to the establishment everyday for the past year (or years… jeez, get a life!), but that doesn’t mean you own the place. Keep your things from spilling over to other people’s space. If you have notes, books, or spreadsheets with you, keep those that you don’t need in a bag beside you. Let the other paying customers have a chance of sitting and enjoying their coffee. As a regular, you can afford to be friendly and share your seat especially during the busiest hours instead.

This goes as well with electric outlets. Good, if the coffee shop has outlets for each and every laptop user but we all know that’s close to impossible. Fully charge your device so you may use it when the going gets tough. Plug it in only when it needs recharging. I myself, conspire with other laptop users around my table. Since we share one socket, I make it a point to make a deal with them to take turns, say an hour each when the juice gets low.

It’s a coffee shop, for heaven’s sake! Buy coffee, or iced tea, or even mineral water. Etiquette states that an order of coffee an hour is the right way to go about it. If people don’t buy anything, then you won’t have any place to go to next time.