Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#1

Post by zdw » Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:39 PM UTC

Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers
fortune.com

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#2

Post by pstuart » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:00 AM UTC

Seems like an opportunity for a coworking-lite space -- rent a seat/desk spot for 1 hour blocks.

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#3

Post by jalapenos » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:03 AM UTC

I feel genuinely sad for anyone who's in such a desperate spot that they're doing this

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#4

Post by pfannkuchen » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:15 AM UTC

jalapenos wrote: post #3

I feel genuinely sad for anyone who's in such a desperate spot that they're doing this

What makes you think they’re desperate? IME people from Asian cultures sometimes have ways of thinking that strike at least me personally as basically alien. And then my brain interpolates their motives wrong based on biases that are shaped by western versions of politeness etc.

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#5

Post by worthless-trash » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:18 AM UTC

pstuart wrote: post #2

Seems like an opportunity for a coworking-lite space -- rent a seat/desk spot for 1 hour blocks.

With starbucks delivery, starbucks printing, etc.

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#6

Post by SparkyMcUnicorn » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:20 AM UTC

pstuart wrote: post #2

Seems like an opportunity for a coworking-lite space -- rent a seat/desk spot for 1 hour blocks.

I somehow doubt that people are lugging a desktop and printer around the city, only to set it up and work for 1 hour in Starbucks.

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#7

Post by shinycode » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:50 AM UTC

People bring printers to Starbucks… really ? I’m kind of surprised it feels like an abuse to me o_O it would never cross my mind

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#8

Post by recursivecaveat » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 5:59 AM UTC

pstuart wrote: post #2

Seems like an opportunity for a coworking-lite space -- rent a seat/desk spot for 1 hour blocks.

They actually have exactly that for gaming: a "pc bang" like a internet cafe. I wonder if it has been tried in earnest for co-working. You would think it is an easier business so long as the demand is there.

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#9

Post by miohtama » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 6:04 AM UTC

The solution is to bring back cybercafes, or cafes which were set up up to go online. Such culture existed in the 90s but was then ended by the widespread online accessibility by home ADSL and later mobile internet.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/worlds-first-ever-cyber-cafe...

Re: Starbucks in Korea asks customers to stop bringing in printers/desktop computers

#10

Post by bryanhogan » Tue, Aug 12, 2025, 6:05 AM UTC

Having lived in Korea, I have always enjoyed the cafe culture. Starbucks there is known for accepting you to work there. Although I haven't seen anyone bring a printer yet, some do bring extra stuff such as a stand for their laptop that take up a lot of space.

The only thing this article mentions is that Starbucks prohibits people of bringing stuff that would take up more than a single seat, which seems reasonable?