Can we talk about the shift in coffee shop wifi over 5 years?

I started working from coffee shops back in 2019 at a local spot in Denver. Back then, the wifi was free but you'd get kicked off after 2 hours unless you bought another drink. Now at the same chain, they have a paid subscription for $10 a month that gives you unlimited access and faster speeds. Some folks say it's a fair trade since places got crowded with remote workers. But others argue this kills the whole point of a coffee shop as a cheap workspace. Has anyone else seen this change at their regular spots?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_lisa21d ago

Buddy of mine used to camp out at this place on South Broadway for three hours with a single drip coffee. He'd bring his laptop, run his whole freelance thing from there. Last month he walked in and the barista handed him a card with a QR code for the new paid wifi. He tried to log in with the old password just to see, and it kicked him to a payment page. Now he either goes to the library or just works from home. Says the vibe died when they started treating customers like they were stealing time.

fisher.mason21d ago

@the_lisa I’m pretty sure that QR code thing is actually just their new loyalty program, not paid wifi. My friend fell for it too until the barista explained it’s a free login that gives you a punch card for your drip coffee. So your buddy might’ve missed out, the vibe’s still there.