Starbucks Korea urges patrons to cease bringing desktop computers into their cafes; instituting a nationwide prohibition on printers, power outlets, and partitioned desks.
In a move to maintain a communal atmosphere and ensure accessibility for all patrons, Starbucks Korea has implemented a ban on bulky office equipment such as desktop PCs, printers, power strips, and desk dividers in its cafes. Starting in 2025, this ban aims to curb the trend of customers turning cafes into full-fledged personal offices, known locally as "cagongjok" (cafe + work/study).
The 'cagongjok' are a small but persistent group of customers who have been using Starbucks cafes as quasi-WeWork spaces. This trend has grown in popularity in South Korea, particularly since the number of coffee shops operating in the country has almost doubled since 2015, reaching 100,000.
The ban, which does not seem to apply to laptop usage, is a response to issues such as noise, space occupation, and disruption of the store ambiance caused by customers setting up extensive workstations. These workstations, often featuring bulky desktop setups and isolating office pods, can be costly for coffee shop owners. According to industry research, a single coffee only covers 1 hour and 42 minutes of seat time before it becomes unprofitable for owners.
Starbucks Korea aims to foster a pleasant and accessible environment for all customers, not just those working long hours with heavy equipment. The signs put up in every branch urge customers to make room for their fellow coffee drinkers and not to abandon their tech clutter at shared tables for long periods.
The ban has been reported by The Korea Herald, which also cited the massive cafe boom in South Korea as reported by Statistics Korea. The image of the anti-social setup featuring a bulky-looking desktop setup and an isolating office pod, spotted in a Starbucks in South Korea, has been shared on social media for mirth-making and/or incredulous impact.
Despite the ban, other 'cagongjok' have been spotted bringing printers, which are typically bulky, and power strips to feed their numerous electronics. The origin of the system unit in the bulky-looking desktop setup is not specified. The customers who bring their home offices into Starbucks cafes are referred to locally as 'cagongjok,' a portmanteau word blending the Korean words for 'cafe' and 'study tribe.'
This ban is not the first of its kind in the coffee industry. In 2019, a Starbucks in New York City began enforcing a four-hour limit on laptop usage in its cafes to encourage turnover and prevent customers from taking up space for extended periods. As the trend of using cafes as study and workspace continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how other coffee chains respond to this challenge.
The ban on bulky office equipment in Starbucks Korea in 2025 is aimed at transforming cafes from makeshift home-and-garden workspaces back to relaxing lifestyle hubs. Despite the ban, some persistent 'cagongjok' still bring bulky items like printers, disrupting the intended lifestyle of a communal, vibrant cafe atmosphere.
