A man’s claim that American coffee shops were superior to European ones due to their laptop usage positivity totally backfired. Amid growing reports of coffee shops across the European continent implementing a total laptop ban in their venues, the man’s viral rant sparked outrage.

Taking to their X page (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday (June 24), a man going by the username “Levelsio” ignited some heated debate after posting an image of a sign placed in what is alleged to be a French café forbidding the use of laptops.

The sign, which received over 8.8 million views, cited “massive abuse” and, consequently, laptops were “no longer permitted in [the] shop.”

The X user wrote in the caption: “In Europe, many don’t allow laptops anymore.”

A man’s claim that American coffee shops were superior to European ones due to their laptop usage positivity totally backfired

Image credits: Caleb Minear/Unsplash

Image credits: levelsio

“In America they usually do and people are working on something cool!”

A handful of people seemingly agreed with Levelsio, as a person commented: “What I learned over 30 years of running my own company is that new ideas are viewed very skeptically throughout Europe. 

“The mantra is: ‘Change is bad!’”

Reports of coffee shops across the European continent implementing a total laptop ban have grown

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Image credit: gotitatguineys

Another X user wrote: “Europe is turning into a retirement spot.”

However, many other observers not only ridiculed Levelsio for reducing the entire continent of Europe into one problem in one particular country but also pointed to the “laptop squatters” impacting business.

Someone argued: “This is because people buy one coffee and take the table for hours with the laptop.”

“Laptop squatters” have become a problematic phenomenon in Europe’s most touristic spots

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Image credits: Janesca/Unsplash

A netizen quipped: “Cafes are for having a small coffee and 4 cigarettes in the mid-afternoon not working on your bulls**t startup that sells underpants for dogs.”

The viral image seemed to have resurfaced from an initial rant posted on the Digital Nomad Reddit community two years ago.

Sharing the same sign, a Redditor wrote: “It’s happened several times already this past month alone.”

Many observers ridiculed Levelsio for reducing the entire continent of Europe into one problem in one particular country

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Image credits: ManojG7

“It’s almost becoming a thing in Paris. 

“Has anyone else encountered laptop hostility at cafes and coffee shops elsewhere as of late?”

As it turns out, the use of laptops in coffee shops has become a problematic phenomenon that has increased, particularly in Europe’s most touristic spots, over the years.

“This is because people buy one coffee and take the table for hours with the laptop,” someone argued

Image credits: Roman Kraft/Unsplash

Image credits: Joshua Rodriguez/Unsplash

For instance, in Spain, remote workers and their laptops have become undesirable customers, Euronews reported in May 2024.

According to the news outlet, bars and cafes in Valencia, Santiago, and Barcelona have been cracking down on digital nomads who overstay their welcome.

Owners have reportedly said that teleworkers have been hogging tables for hours, sometimes for the price of a single coffee.

As a result, coffee shops and snack bars from Paris to Berlin have already established rules for so-called “laptop squatters.”

The viral rant continued to ignite heated debates

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