An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name. The fee for using a computer is usually charged as a time-based rate.
The online café phenomenon was started in July 1991 by Wayne Gregori in San Francisco when he began SFnet Coffeehouse Network

Sf net

SF NET Coffee House Network was created by Wayne Gregori in San Francisco, CA in July of 1991. The network consisted of coin operated, public access computers installed in 25 Bay Area coffee houses...

. Gregori designed, built and installed 25 coin operated computer terminals in coffeehouses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.