In October 2025 Akhbarona reported a national row: Moroccan cafés putting up "ممنوع الدراسة بالمقهى" signs, no studying in the café. Owners say students hold a table for hours over one order; students say they have nowhere quiet to go. At Kuma Marrakech in Gueliz we made the opposite call: here, you're allowed to study.
The photo went round social media: a sheet of paper taped to a café wall, in Arabic and French, "no studying in the café". On 21 October 2025 Akhbarona ran a story on it and the debate went national. Every Moroccan student has an opinion, usually a strong one.
We've taken a side and we own it. But before explaining why, both sides deserve a hearing. For what Kuma actually offers, see our page on the café to work and study in Marrakech.
Why do some cafés ban studying?
For a simple economic reason. According to the café owners quoted by Akhbarona in October 2025, students hold a table for hours over a single order, often the cheapest thing on the menu. A table tied up all afternoon means other customers who never sit down.
It's worth saying without contempt: a café pays rent, wages and electricity. In Turkey, Daily Sabah reports that cafés in Istanbul and Ankara brought in minimum spends, time limits and even paid sockets, citing exactly those costs. The owner who puts up a sign doesn't hate students. They're doing the maths.
What do students say?
That they don't have much choice. SNRT News described it in June 2026: a noisy home, no desk, coworking that's too expensive, and the need to see other people working to keep going. For many, the café is the only quiet room they can get into.
Akhbarona's readers proposed solutions rather than bans: organise the seating better, or create a "students' corner". On Reddit r/Morocco (August 2024), locals summed up the norm most students already accept: at least two orders through the day and a tip, and as long as there are seats free, no problem.
What students reject isn't ordering. It's being shown the door.
How do cafés in other countries handle it?
They regulate more than they ban, with mixed results. The table below collects cases reported by local media:
| City | What was introduced | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff (UK) | Wifi code valid for 90 minutes on weekdays, no laptops at weekends | Cardiff Journalism, 2023 |
| Vancouver (Canada) | No laptops at weekends | Global News |
| Leeds (UK) | No laptops on Saturday and Sunday, an announcement followed by bad reviews | Yorkshire Evening Post |
| Istanbul and Ankara (Turkey) | Minimum spend, time limits, paid sockets | Daily Sabah |
| Washington (US) | Wifi and laptops switched off to free up brunch tables | Axios, May 2025 |
The Leeds lesson speaks for itself: a ban announced bluntly costs reviews. In Morocco too, SNRT News (June 2026) notes that some managers are instead testing dedicated work areas, rules for calls and set deals for people who stay a long time.
What should you do if a café won't let you study?
Leave politely and go elsewhere. That's the advice that keeps coming up on Reddit r/Morocco (August 2024): if you're asked to order again or leave, switch cafés rather than argue. House rules belong to the house.
- Look for a sign before you settle in.
- Ask the waiter whether working is fine, especially around lunchtime.
- Order through your session and leave a tip.
- Go for cafés that guides name for working: our guide to study spots in Marrakech lists several.
Where can you study in Marrakech without being thrown out?
With us, among others. Kuma Marrakech, at 12 Rue Khalid Ben El Oualid in Gueliz, made the opposite choice to the sign: here, you're allowed to study. The high-speed wifi is free, there are plenty of sockets, and the room is open from 10am with no afternoon break. During the day, the whole room is non-smoking: the right time to study in peace.
We won't pretend it's charity. Our bet is that a student who's made welcome comes back, with friends, for a brunch, crepes, waffles, a milkshake or a mocktail. We'd rather build that habit than chase it away. A menu designed for students is coming soon: follow us on Instagram to hear first.
Kuma is a few minutes' walk from Rue Yves Saint Laurent and the Majorelle Garden. If it's your first time in the area, our guide to eating near the Majorelle Garden will help you find your way.
FAQ
- Why do some cafés in Morocco ban studying?
- For economic reasons. According to café owners quoted by Akhbarona in October 2025, students hold a table for hours over a single order, which keeps other customers out. A café pays rent, wages and electricity, and some chose a "no studying" sign over a softer rule.
- How long can you stay in a café to study?
- There's no official rule. On Reddit r/Morocco (August 2024), locals describe the norm: at least two orders through the day plus a tip, and while there are free seats nobody hurries you. At lunchtime, give up a big table if the room is full.
- What should you do if a café refuses to let you study?
- Leave politely and pick another place, as locals advise on Reddit (2024). House rules belong to the house. Several cafés in Gueliz are known for working, including Kuma Marrakech, where studying is welcome.
- Where can you study in Marrakech without being thrown out?
- At Kuma Marrakech, 12 Rue Khalid Ben El Oualid in Gueliz: here, you're allowed to study. Free high-speed wifi, plenty of sockets, and a room open from 10am that is fully non-smoking during the day, a few minutes from the Majorelle Garden.
- Does Kuma have a student menu?
- A menu designed for students is coming soon at Kuma Marrakech. To hear as soon as it launches, follow us on Instagram. In the meantime, the daytime menu has brunches, crepes, waffles, milkshakes and mocktails from 10am.
