Philly Café Disables Wi-Fi On Friday Nights To Foster Community Connection

PHILADELPHIA — A café in Chestnut Hill has pulled the plug on Friday night Wi-Fi.

Char & Stave announced the ritual last week, disabling Wi-Fi at 7 p.m. each Friday to help patrons connect without distraction.

"We believe some of the best moments happen when we put our screens down and connect with the people around us," the business said on Instagram.

Char & Stave instituted "No Wi-Fridays" at both of its locations — in Chestnut Hill and Ardmore. The cafés close at midnight on Fridays.

Coffee shops across the country have disabled their WiFi networks during certain hours or permanently, but largely for a different reason. An Axios report from 2025 says coffee shops have done so because of remote workers making them their unofficial offices, causing overcrowding and hurting sales.

But Char & Stave has a different motivation, and WiFi access remains available outside of Friday nights.

The Chestnut Hill shop is located at 8441 Germantown Ave.