Interesting responses to my original query, thanks. I suppose what I had in the back of my mind was, as 'Spud' put it, 'whether coffee shops don't have a symbolic attraction for this subset' (YPs) 'that goes beyond pure utility.' But I can see they have practical attractions as well.

Sean reaonably suggests I should overcome my natural laziness (and stinginess) and actually try sampling FH cafe culture myself. But it sounds as if I did so I'd be less likely to find the FH intelligentsia smoking Gitanes (only at the tables on the pavement, of course) and arguing fiercely about Heidegger (which was the picture I sort of had in my mind) than a kind of open plan office with everyone at separate tables tapping away at their laptops. Doesn't sound all that tempting!