Your empty seats are costing you money
Grounds fills your quiet hours with verified remote workers who commit to a minimum spend — before they even walk in.
The Problem
Remote workers aren't the problem. The current model is.
We surveyed thousands of remote workers and cafe owners. Here's what the data actually says.
The Table Math Doesn’t Work
A remote worker spends $6 and occupies a table for 4 hours. You could have turned that table 3–4 times. During peak hours, that’s $40–60 in lost revenue. Per table. Per day.
They Feel the Guilt Too
Remote workers know they’re not spending enough. The awkward glances. The guilt. It creates a bad experience for everyone — and they don’t come back.
Quiet Hours Stay Quiet
Your morning rush is great. But 2–5pm? Empty tables, idle staff, fixed costs running. Those hours have real revenue potential you’re leaving untapped.
The Solution
Turn quiet hours into guaranteed revenue
Grounds sends you pre-committed remote workers during your off-peak hours. They reserve a seat, pre-purchase a bundle, and arrive ready to spend.
Guaranteed Minimum Spend
Every Grounds booking comes with a pre-purchased Nomad Bundle — coffee, a meal, and a fair hourly rate. You know exactly what you’re earning before they sit down.
Zero Changes Required
No new equipment, no new staff training. You just mark which seats and hours are available. We handle everything else.
Attract the Right Crowd
Verified, respectful remote workers who follow the rules — no Zoom calls, no multi-monitor setups, no table squatting. We screen them so you don’t have to.
You Decide the Seats
Mark exactly which seats and time slots are open for Grounds bookings. One tap to open or close availability. Your cafe, your rules.
Seat Availability Dashboard
Tap a seat to toggle availability
The Real Tension
Remote workers feel guilty. Cafe owners feel frustrated. Both sides lose.
We asked a simple question on r/remotework: “Do cafe owners actually hate us?” The response was overwhelming — 192 comments, thousands of views, and a flood of stories from both sides. The pattern was clear: remote workers want a place to work, cafe owners want revenue, and nobody has a system that satisfies both.
“Taking up a table when buying a single thing and sitting there for hours is kind of annoying.”
170 upvotes · Top comment
“Not just cafe owners and staff but cafe users too, especially if you use the cafe for work calls.”
156 upvotes · 2nd highest comment
The guilt of lingering, the frustration of low-spend tables, the awkward dance of “should I order another coffee?” — these are real friction points that show up every single day in cafes everywhere. Grounds removes all of it by creating a structured system where both sides win.
57K+
Views
192
Comments
66%
Upvote Ratio
30+
Shares
r/remotework thread data as of February 20, 2026
Live thread
FAQ
Common questions from cafe owners
Join the Pilot
Apply to be a founding partner cafe
We're onboarding 10 cafes in Bali for our free pilot. No fees, no commitment. Just more revenue during your quiet hours.
Terms of Use
Partner Terms of Use
Effective: February 2026
1. Acceptance
By submitting a partner application through this page, you agree to these terms. These terms govern your participation in the Grounds pilot program.
2. Pilot Program Nature
Grounds is currently in a pre-launch pilot phase. The platform, features, and commercial terms described on this page are indicative and subject to change. Participation in the pilot does not constitute a binding commercial agreement.
3. Data You Submit
When you submit the partner application form, you provide your café name, personal name, email address, WhatsApp number, location, and operational details. This information is collected solely for the purpose of evaluating your application and contacting you about the Grounds pilot.
4. How We Use Your Data
Your submitted information is stored securely and used only to: (a) assess your café’s suitability for the pilot, (b) contact you via email or WhatsApp to discuss partnership terms, and (c) improve our understanding of the café market in Bali. We do not sell, share, or distribute your data to any third parties.
5. No Commitment Required
Submitting this form does not obligate you to participate in the pilot or enter into any commercial agreement. You may withdraw your application at any time by emailing hello@grounds.work.
6. Intellectual Property
All content on this page including copy, design, and brand assets belongs to Grounds. You may not reproduce or distribute this content without written permission.
7. Limitation of Liability
Grounds is a pre-launch startup. We make no guarantees regarding revenue, customer volume, or platform availability during the pilot phase.
8. Contact
For any questions regarding these terms, contact us at hello@grounds.work.
Privacy Policy
How we handle your data
Effective: February 2026
1. Who We Are
Grounds is a platform connecting remote workers with work-ready café venues. This privacy policy explains how we collect and handle personal data submitted through grounds.work/partners.
2. What We Collect
When you submit the partner application form we collect: your name, café name, email address, WhatsApp number, location in Bali, operational details, and any optional information you provide in the open text field.
3. How We Store It
Your data is stored in Firebase Firestore, a secure cloud database provided by Google. Access is restricted to the Grounds founding team only.
4. Why We Collect It
We collect this information solely to evaluate partner applications and follow up with you about the Grounds pilot program. We do not use it for advertising or share it with third parties.
5. Your Rights
You have the right to request access to your data, request deletion of your data, or withdraw your application at any time. To exercise any of these rights, email hello@grounds.work and we will respond within 48 hours.
6. Data Retention
If your application is unsuccessful or you withdraw, we will delete your data within 30 days of your request. If you become a pilot partner, we retain your data for the duration of the partnership.
7. Third Party Services
This page uses Firebase (Google) for data storage and Vercel for hosting. Both services maintain their own privacy and security standards. No other third party services have access to your submitted data.
8. Contact
For any privacy-related questions, email hello@grounds.work.