UK’s Ziferblat Cafe Charges by Time, Not Food

Ever walked into a coffee shop wishing you could hang out all afternoon without watching your wallet drain every time you refilled your cup? What if the price wasn’t tied to how many lattes you bought—but simply to how long you stayed?

Ziferblat, the UK’s first time-based cafe, charges just 3 pence (about 3 RMB cents) per minute. You can eat all the biscuits you want, drink unlimited tea, and surf the internet freely—all while paying for time, not consumption.

How Ziferblat Works: Clock In, Help Yourself

Located in East London, Ziferblat hands every guest a clock when they arrive. When it’s time to leave, you return the clock and pay for the minutes you spent there. Forget table service. Here, you help yourself to the kitchen, make coffee with professional machines, and even wash your own dishes—or someone else’s.

The space is thoughtfully designed: mismatched tables and chairs, a unique piano, shelves of books. Everything encourages guests to treat the place like their temporary living room.

Why Charge by Time, Not Food?

Russian-born founder Ivan Mitin opened his first Ziferblat in Moscow and has since expanded to eight locations across Russia, serving around 30,000 customers each month. He brought the model to London aiming to build not a cafe, but a “free space” where people feel like “micro-tenants.”

“People here aren’t customers—they’re guests in a shared home,” Mitin told the Daily Mail. The idea is that everyone contributes, whether by making coffee, tidying up, or washing dishes. Surprisingly, many do. Some even clean up after others, creating a surprisingly functional (and social) micro-community.

What You Can Actually Do There

Ziferblat offers more than just caffeine. Guests have access to:

• Unlimited tea and self-brewed coffee
• All-you-can-eat biscuits
• Free, high-speed WiFi
• A kitchen to prepare your own food
• Piano, books, and plenty of seating
• Even resident cats to pet while you work or relax

You can bring your laptop, meet friends, read, or just lounge—just remember, time is ticking, and it’s what you’ll pay for.

What Do Visitors Think?

Reactions online have ranged from amused to amazed. Some users joke about the concept (“3 pence a minute? Only in East London!”), while others wonder about the finer details (“Do you get charged for dishwashing time?”). Despite the teasing, many appreciate the novelty—and the freedom to stay as long as they like for a simple per-minute rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to stay at Ziferblat?

Ziferblat charges 3 pence per minute (approximately 0.3 RMB or less than 0.05 USD). There is no charge for food or drinks—you pay only for the time you spend in the cafe.

Do I have to make my own coffee and clean up?

Yes. You can use professional coffee machines to brew your own coffee and tea, and are expected to wash your own dishes. While cleaning isn’t mandatory, the cafe encourages a community approach, and many guests voluntarily wash up—even other people’s dishes.

Can I bring my own food?

Yes. The cafe allows you to prepare your own food in the shared kitchen, and also offers unlimited biscuits. There’s no restriction on bringing outside food.

Is there free WiFi?

Yes. Ziferblat offers unlimited and free high-speed WiFi to all guests.

Are there any hidden fees?

No. The only cost is the per-minute rate of 3 pence for time spent in the cafe. All food, drinks, and utilities are included at no extra charge.

Is this just a London thing?

Ziferblat started in Russia and currently has several locations there. The London branch is its first in the UK, and the concept remains unique in the British cafe scene.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Long Cafes Sits

For long afternoons at a time-charged cafe like Ziferblat, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for bright citrus and floral tones, or Colombia Huila for caramel and almond sweetness to pair with tea or biscuit breaks. Both single origins shine in pour-over or drip and develop nicely over a relaxed session. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.