CaféMedia MTL

How do cafés earn money from advertising?

Updated June 2026
Short answer

A café earns money by letting brands place branded coasters and placards on its tables. The café keeps 80% of each placement — $400 to $1,200 per 30-day campaign — for about five minutes of work a week, and it's free to join.

What a café earns

Cafés keep 80% of every placement, which works out to $400 to $1,200 per 30-day campaign depending on the café. The platform keeps 20%, with no hidden fees. Multiple tables and back-to-back campaigns mean multiple payouts.

How café owners get paid

Payment comes in two parts: half when a campaign activates, half when it completes, paid out automatically. There's no invoicing and no chasing.

How little work it takes

Joining is free, and hosting takes about five minutes a week — placing the coasters and snapping one photo for proof. Café owners keep full veto over which brands appear in their space.

  • Keep 80% of every placement ($400–$1,200 per campaign)
  • Paid half at activation, half at completion
  • About 5 minutes a week (one photo)
  • Free to join, full veto over brands

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a café actually make?
Up to $1,200 per active 30-day campaign, and cafés running multiple campaigns or with several locations earn multiple payouts.
Does it cost anything to join as a café?
No. Joining is free. Cafés earn from placements with no upfront cost.
Do café owners control which brands appear?
Yes. Hosts keep full veto and approve every brand before anything is placed on their tables.

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