New York coffee shop charges customers for Wi-Fi, sparking debate on social media

A New York City-based coffee shop that requires customers who are non-members to pay for an amenity is sparking a debate on social media.

"If you thought living in New York City was expensive, now we must pay to take our laptops out at coffee shops. That's not free anymore. That's not a free right in our community," Sidnye Unger, a social media creator, said in a recent TikTok video.

Unger shared a video of a new Wi-Fi policy at the Bedford Studio, a coffee shop and "collective workspace" in the West Village.

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"My friend and I were really taken aback by the Wi-Fi charge/membership at the coffee shop," Unger told FOX Business via email.

"I have been [to] places that either have no Wi-Fi, or the password will be on the receipt after you purchase, or even having to continue to get a new password (buying) something every 2 hours," she wrote.

Unger captioned her video, "coffee shops are turning into the next members club." 

She then flashes to a photo showing a sign that reveals the three priced packages that customers who are not members of the studio must pay in order to access the shop's Wi-Fi.

The framed policy says "Laptop use for members only."

"Bedford Studio welcomes everyone to come inside to purchase coffee and relax but requires a membership to work from the Studio as it fosters a productive environment and access to connect with new people and participate in member events dedicated to promoting well-being and career growth," Bedford Studio's website says.

FOX Business reached out to Bedford House for comment.

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On the sign, the coffee shop lists the different offers, which include a day pass, a monthly membership and an annual membership, each with special inclusions.

The day pass costs $10 and includes "access to work from our space" and a 10% discount on purchases in the shop, the sign reads.

The $30 month pass also comes with "invites to member events," while the yearly membership of $300 gets one additional deal of two complimentary months.

Unger said in her video that she understands the need for customers to buy a drink or even a pastry when sitting working, but the fee on top of the additional purchases is where people seem to draw the line.

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"Fast, free Wi-Fi is vital for most Americans. In fact, 60% of our respondents said that coffee shops and cafes need to provide fast Wi-Fi for visitors. If not, they’d turn around and find another place to grab a drink," said HighSpeedInternet.com, an online resource that compares internet providers.

The question whether coffee shops should offer free Wi-Fi seems to be a split decision between social media users.

TikTok creators joined in on the conversation by sharing their thoughts on the coffee shop's Wi-Fi packages.

"We can't exist without paying," one user commented.

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"SUBSCRIPTION BASED SITTING," another TikTok account shared.

"This is why Libraries will always be the OG best public space," one social media user wrote.

While some people appeared to find the policy a form of "late stage capitalism," others were in support of the shop.

"Fantastic cause I hate stumbling into a small cafe wanting to rest/try their space and every table is having full blown conference calls like they’re in a boardroom," a TikTok user commented.

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"Honestly I wouldn’t mind this. people set up multiple monitors for hours in some of the coffee shops near me and all they buy is a $4 drink. makes sense at busy/small places," another user wrote.

"The better solution to this (and what many popular restaurants already practice..) is setting a limit on time in terms of seating. Like 1-2 hours max per table or sitter," one user shared.

Per Diem, a New York-based company that helps businesses create branded mobile apps for restaurants, coffee shops and more said providing free Wi-Fi to customers "has become standard for most coffee shops today."

"For locations in New York, it is essentially required. Offering these amenities, especially in a city where many live in small apartments, encourages remote workers and students to frequent the cafe and stay for longer periods, increasing sales," Per Diem wrote as a part of a case study on laptop-friendly coffee shops.

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Unger said that as the world "becomes more digital," coffee shops have become a place where people enjoy hanging out, working or relaxing.

"In NYC- our apartments aren’t big enough to always work from home or have another room," she said via email.

"If I am paying upwards of $8 on a coffee, it is really hard to justify paying more for the use of my own computer," Unger added.