I tend to look at it as a split; if the shop has extra space left, and tables, having half the tables full convinces walk-by traffic it's a good spot, and they do *more* business. If you see an empty service industry business, it's sketch, but one that's regularly healthily full? Game *on*.

If every last table is always full with people working, it's a disaster, because even regular customers will just walk by without buying anything. I've stopped going to one or two spots to drink coffee because I can't get a seat, and everyone's on a fucking laptop using it as a personal office.

If the shop's full don't camp there. If the shop is not full, it's an everyone-wins setup.