I had a weird moment with a cafe owner that made me rethink my routine

Yesterday, I was working from a cafe in Bangkok, and the owner kept refilling my coffee without asking. It was nice but made me feel like I had to stay longer. Now I'm wondering if I should tip more or just accept it as local hospitality. How do you handle situations like this where cultural norms clash with your work habits?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_evan1mo ago

So when you're trying to work, where do you draw the line between being polite and guarding your own time? Like, the free coffee or fruit feels great at first, but then it builds this quiet pressure to give something back, maybe by staying or ordering more. It seems like the kindness comes with invisible strings. How do you figure out if you're supposed to just enjoy the gift or if you're actually in a slow barter?

julia8921mo ago

My friend had that happen in Hanoi too, like @webb.victor said... she just started leaving bigger tips to ease the guilt.

webb.victor1mo ago

Yeah the free refills thing is such a mixed blessing lol. Had a similar vibe at a spot in Hanoi where the owner kept bringing over little plates of free fruit. It was amazing but man, I started feeling guilty packing up my laptop after only two hours. Ended up buying lunch I didn't really want just to feel okay about leaving.