What is pushing coffee shops to open earlier?

Independent cafes are opening earlier, some by six in the morning, because customers want coffee before work. The shift follows the coffee-in-the-morning, alcohol-at-night habit among younger drinkers. Shops that once opened late now compete for the first cup, since chains, convenience stores, McDonald's and Starbucks already serve early commuters.

Operators report complaints that nearby cafes open too late for a seven or eight o'clock americano. To capture that demand, small shops trade the slow-life image for early shifts, while some stay open late for night workers. This change in american coffee culture reflects how customer schedules, not tradition, now set business hours for both independent shops and any american coffee brand.

Once upon a time, opening a coffee shop was seen as an ideal choice to escape the 996 work culture and enjoy a slow life. However, when they actually step into this industry, many shop owners find that reality is completely different from what they imagined—getting up early becomes an unavoidable daily routine. In recent years, independent cafes have been opening earlier and earlier, with some even lighting up at six in the morning to welcome customers. What is driving this wave of involution over early-morning coffee? How are chain brands and small private shops each responding? From the consumer habit of "coffee in the morning, alcohol at night" to the late-night needs of certain professions, the survival model of coffee shops is quietly changing along with customer demand. This article will take you through the story behind the changes in business hours in the coffee industry.

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Have you ever fantasized about saying goodbye to 996, quitting your job, and opening your own coffee shop—freely managing your time, flipping through books, savoring coffee, tidying up the shop, and leisurely spending the whole afternoon... Just thinking about it feels wonderful~ But when you truly devote yourself to the coffee business, you realize that reality seems to be completely different—why do you still have to get up early just like when you were working?

Why are coffee shops opening earlier and earlier? In the past, many private cafes chose to open later, but with the popularity of the "coffee in the morning, alcohol at night" trend in recent years, a large number of young people have gradually developed the habit of having a cup of coffee before work. Many customers report that the coffee shops near their homes open too late, and if they want a cup at seven or eight in the morning, they can only buy from chain stores like convenience stores, McDonald's, and Starbucks.

A cafe operator also mentioned hearing a customer complain in the shop: "In the past, if I wanted an Americano in the morning, it was either KFC or I had to wait until I got to the office and order delivery, but many shops show they don't open until after 10. I really don't understand why coffee shops open so late?"

So, in order to compete for office workers' first cup of coffee, many private cafes, thinking "if we can't do business at night, then let's grab the morning slot," began quietly engaging in involution over opening hours. Many coffee shops moved their opening time to before eight, and some even opened at six to welcome customers.

On social media, a coffee shop owner who "led the charge" tried a test of opening at 6:30 to see what effect it would have. The result was unexpected—within just half an hour, 13 delivery orders came in. Because this situation had not been anticipated, staffing was insufficient that day, and around 6:50 the owner was surrounded by five delivery riders. The owner was also very surprised, not expecting that so many people needed caffeine early in the morning!

Image source: Xiaohongshu user Xu Da Miao Sooky

Speaking of involution over business hours, one has to mention those chain coffee brands that stick firmly to the early shift.

As early as 2018, Luckin adjusted the business hours of its nationwide stores, extending them from 7:30-18:00 to 7:00-20:00. On weekends, hours were extended from the original 9:00-16:00 to 8:00-18:00, and further extensions would be made depending on the situation of different stores. Another giant, Starbucks, usually opens at seven, with closing time depending on the specific location.

Whether chain brands or independent cafes in the community, in order to let customers grab a freshly ground coffee on their way to work and maintain a good reputation, even if they are not too willing to get up early, they have actively joined this competition over early-morning coffee. In addition to office workers' high demand for caffeine, this is also related to the growing number of people who have developed the habit of drinking morning coffee in recent years, causing coffee shop business hours to be moved earlier again and again, even for branches inside shopping malls.

In addition to opening earlier, some coffee shops even follow convenience stores in operating 24 hours a day, so that even if you open a delivery app in the early morning, you can always order a cup of coffee delivered to your door. Owners of this kind of all-night shop say: "In the latter half of the night, customers with special professions such as doctors on duty and police officers often need coffee delivery."

At a time when the coffee industry is developing rapidly, the "survival model" of coffee shops is constantly adjusting to changes in customer demand. Who knows what direction the involution will take in the future?

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.