Remote workers and digital nomads are bad for cafes
Listen to the story (Indian accent)
Some cafes are having trouble with customers who work on their computers all day.
Some of the customers are digital nomads. They like to work in different places around the world. They use cafes like an office. But now, they are not so welcome in some cafes.
Cafe owners see that some customers sit at tables for a very long time but only buy one drink. The owners are annoyed when customers do that because it’s bad for business.
So, many cafes are doing things to make these digital nomads and remote workers leave. Some cafes turn off the WiFi or put up signs that say you can't work on your computer when it's busy.
Some cafes say computers are not allowed. Other cafes tell customers they have to pay to use their computers.
The cafe owners want to make money. But they also want the cafe to be a nice place for people to meet and talk.
One cafe owner in Barcelona said that some people work all day on their computer after buying just one small coffee. This is not nice for owners and workers.
Vocabulary13 words
- Cafe
- coffee shop;
- Have trouble
- When you find something hard to do; there's a problem or something that's causing difficulty
- Customer
- A person who buys things from a store or business; client
- Digital nomad
- someone who travels and works using a computer and the internet, instead of having a regular office
- Place
- A location or area; somewhere
- Around the world
- worldwide; in many places in the world; in many countries
- Welcome
- When someone is welcome, it means they are happy to have you visit
- Owner
- the person who has something; the person who has the right to control something; the person who has something and can decide what happens to it;
- Annoyed
- Feeling bothered, upset and/or frustrated;
- Remote worker
- This is someone who works on a computer from home or another place, not an office
- Leave
- to go away or stop being part of something;
- Allowed
- permission to do something; it’s OK; permitted; you may; you can
- Make money
- earn money; make a profit; gain or acquire money
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Some _____ are having trouble with customers who work on their computers _____ day.
Some of the customers are _____l nomads. They like to work in different places around the world. _____ use cafes like an office. But now, they are _____ so welcome in some cafes.
Cafe _____ see that some customers sit at tables for a very long time but only _____ one drink. The owners are annoyed when _____ do that because it’s bad for business.
_____, many cafes are doing things to make these digital nomads _____ remote workers leave. Some cafes turn off the _____ or put up signs that say you can't work on your computer when it's _____.
Some cafes say computers are not _____. Other cafes tell customers they have to _____ to use their computers.
The cafe owners want to _____ money. But they also want the cafe to be a nice place for people to _____ and talk.
One cafe owner in _____ said that some people work all day on their computer after buying just one _____ coffee. This is not nice for owners and _____.
Discussion questions
- Should cafes have special rules for people working remotely? Why or why not?
- Do you think it's OK for the cafes to turn off the WiFi or not allow computers?
- Can you think of ideas for the cafe so digital nomads and cafe owners can be happy?
- What do you think about working remotely?
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