This is a first for me. I’ve never brought my work and settled into a coffee shop before, but I’ve seen the young adults in corners of plenty of Starbucks with their computers and their headsets on. Today, I’m one of them. It’s enough to make me feel thirty again.

I decided to get the heck out of dodge this morning. It was getting depressing being at home with the cold and the wet outside. My insides were starting to feel like the outside–dull and dank. And I wasn’t getting anything done.

There’s a new soundscape in your average coffee shop: the hiss of steamed milk, the whirr of the espresso machine, and the low hum of a Zoom call someone forgot to mute. Welcome to the modern workplace, where the cubicle has been replaced by a corner table, and the company dress code now includes sweatpants and earbuds.

I’ve been watching this quiet revolution unfold from behind my own cup today. Every day, cafes across the country become mini coworking spaces–places where freelancers, remote workers, and entrepreneurs stake out their favorite spots like pioneers. The woman in Chicago by the window’s deep in spreadsheets. The guy with the beard in Boston is on his fourth video call. And someone near the bathroom at a Starbucks in New York has been writing the same screenplay since April.

I didn’t realize donut shops have such distinct rhythms throughout the day. When I first arrived late this morning, the place was packed. There were groups of women chatting at tables, and a couple of men socializing at tables in various corners, and people who were passing through seeing long lost friends and stopping by to chat. I see this more in Jamestown, NY than anyplace I’ve been in the world. Everyone knows everyone else here. I think it’s lovely. It’s what they call community.

Of course, not everyone’s thrilled with the new office culture. Ask any cafe owner how they feel about remote workers and you’ll likely get a smile followed by a long pause.

There’s gratitude, of course. Remote workers can be loyal customers. They show up early, tip well, and sometimes even bring in their own little parade of colleagues or clients. But there’s also a quiet tension that comes from a table occupied from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. by someone nursing a single $3.75 oat milk latte.

Cafe owners are running a business, not a library. Every booth turned into a pop-up coworking space is a booth that isn’t turning over during the lunch rush. And there’s only so much small talk a barista can make while pretending not to overhear your quarterly marketing review or your therapist’s soothing voice on speakerphone.

Still, most cafe owners tread lightly. Because they know the game has changed. Coffee shops aren’t just selling caffeine anymore. They’re selling ambiance, reliable Wi-Fi, and the illusion of human connection–without the HR department.

Where else do people hang out with their digital devices and a commitment to working for a few hours?

Believe it or not, a little research told me the Seneca Casino is a thing for remote workers around here, but the problem is can you be honest about it? “Hey, honey! I’m going to the casino to get some work done. See you in a few!”

People find quiet corners at high tops when the bar is closed at the casino in mornings and afternoons, or the coffee shop on the second floor. One guy recommended the lobby. I guess it’s not true you can hear the “ding, ding, ding” in a casino from every seat and some people wrote that they even hold meetings in some of the quieter casino spaces.

The county libraries are a good spot and some remote workers find a warm seat at Wegman’s cafe. And there are some great coffee spots in our county–cozy spaces that smell good with comfortable seats.

There was a time when a coffee shop was just a place to sip and socialize. Now it’s also a boardroom, a writing nook, a classroom, and occasionally, a daycare. But maybe that’s okay. Maybe what we’re seeing isn’t the decline of cafe culture, but its evolution–into something a little chaotic, a little overcaffeinated, but still very human. And if you’re lucky, you might just get the corner table near the outlet.

Tomorrow I’ll try the library. Mostly because they don’t sell donuts there.