The arrival of the Start of Autumn solar term has once again sparked a consumer frenzy with the annual "first cup of milk tea in autumn" promotion. This year, driven by large-scale distribution of tea voucher and discount coupons on platforms such as Meituan, Ele.me, and JD.com, combined with brands' own promotions, order volumes have far exceeded previous years. However, behind the order surge is extreme pressure on store operations: receipt piles are mountainous, rider capacity is severely insufficient, delivery delays and wrong drink deliveries occur frequently, and customer complaints have surged. To ease the pressure, some stores of brands such as Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, Heytea, and Chagee have had to temporarily close or shut down delivery channels, leaving consumers unable to use the coupons they hold. This annual carnival, while bringing huge challenges to workers, has also exposed the fragility of the instant delivery system under extreme peaks. [more…]

The adorable bear delivery rack jointly created by Starbucks and Meituan has recently been delivered to consumers one after another, but unexpectedly sparked a series of amusing incidents. Some people went to stores to pick up their packages only to find the staff completely confused; some only discovered after assembling it that the promotion had long ended; and some stores even mistook the delivery rack for promotional material and placed it outside the door to welcome customers. This merchandise, which requires meeting Meituan's spend-and-get conditions to reserve for free, won over countless fans with its sensor-activated glowing bear and sturdy fiberboard material, but also left netizens who missed out lamenting, "Big data, you're too late." Those who successfully got their hands on one are now starting to worry: will such a cute rack get swiped if I put it outside my door? The various experiences surrounding this co-branded merchandise reflect the subtle gap between brand campaign promotion and consumer reach. [more…]

The subsidy war among food delivery platforms continues to heat up. After Meituan rolled out free redemption vouchers for Luckin Coffee, a large number of consumers rushed to place orders for "0-yuan coffee." Yet just half a day after the promotion began, Luckin stores across the Jiaxing area were successively shown as temporarily closed, with delivery channels almost entirely shut down. Pickup counters were piled high with drinks, takeaway bags occupied the customer area, staff worked nonstop with no time to eat, and riders even switched to three-wheeled flatbed carts to make deliveries. This sudden surge of overwhelming orders not only exposed the disconnect in communication between the platform and merchants, but also placed enormous pressure on store operations and the delivery process. [more…]

A new round of subsidy battles on delivery platforms has once again ignited the tea beverage market, with Meituan handing out large numbers of tea drink vouchers, while Ele.me and Taobao Flash Sale fight back with hefty discounts. However, after claiming the vouchers, many consumers found that Goodme stores in Shenzhen, Xi'an, Chengdu, Nanning, and other places showed as "resting/closed" or out of stock on third-party platforms, making it impossible to redeem normally. Interestingly, the same stores were still open on the official mini-program, and products included in the promotion, such as lemonade, could still be ordered. The contradiction between stores actually being overwhelmed with orders and appearing "closed" online has led many to speculate that this is a measure taken by the brand to ease order pressure. Consumers have expressed dissatisfaction over the chaotic promotion, orders being automatically canceled, and no stock upon arrival at stores. Front Street Coffee continues to follow industry developments and brings in-depth observations. [more…]

Manner Coffee's seventh-anniversary celebration introduced a limited-edition grab-and-go cup giveaway with takeout orders. The intent was to boost online orders, but it unexpectedly triggered order surges at multiple stores nationwide, supply chain breakdowns, and even intermittent closures. Consumers flooded social media, with some sharing receipts to score freebies and others complaining about orders being canceled without explanation, delivery fees soaring, and stores shutting down outright. This marketing campaign, seemingly full of complaints, actually reveals Manner's ambition to push into the takeout market. From its brick-and-mortar beginnings to aggressive online expansion, the capacity bottlenecks brought by rapid store expansion and semi-automatic equipment are now emerging. This article will sort through the sequence of events and retain relevant recommendations for Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, many users on social platforms have been sharing milk tea orders that include non-drink items such as tissues. This is not a brand promotion, but rather the result of consumers being forced to add extra items to meet the minimum order threshold for delivery. Many chain tea and coffee shops set their delivery minimum at 20 to 30 yuan, while a single cup of drink often costs only around ten yuan, leaving customers who just want one cup unable to place an order directly. They can only add tissues, snacks, or upgrade to a larger size to reach the required amount. Some orders also require a minimum actual payment to qualify for free delivery, further adding to the consumer's burden. Store operators say the minimum order fee and delivery rules are set uniformly by brand headquarters and the platform, and franchisees have no authority to adjust them. This discussion surrounding delivery thresholds reflects the real conflict between the demand for single-person, single-cup consumption and platform operating rules. [more…]

An unannounced JD.com platform subsidy campaign plunged CoCo milk tea stores across many parts of the country into chaos. Four drinks originally priced at 9.9 yuan were suddenly cut by the platform itself to 1.9 yuan, instantly triggering a surge of online orders. Stores had prepared staffing and supplies for a normal day, yet within an hour they were hit with more than half a day's worth of drink output. Employees were thrown into a frenzy, delivery riders swarmed to grab orders, customers received drinks that did not match what they ordered, and even delivery workers had their pay docked for being late. What seemed like a promotion benefiting consumers ultimately turned into a lose-lose-lose situation of complaining staff, quarreling riders, and disappointed customers. Just what went wrong with the communication mechanism between the platform and the stores? Why did the sudden traffic become such a hot potato? This article reconstructs the entire incident and explores the operational hidden risks behind food delivery promotions. [more…]

Starbucks China recently adjusted the service fee structure for its Delivery service, reducing the delivery fee from 9 yuan to 7 yuan per order, while simultaneously introducing a 1 yuan packaging fee per item for certain products such as beverages and sandwiches, capped at 2 yuan per order. Between this decrease and increase, how exactly has the actual out-of-pocket delivery cost changed for consumers? For members accustomed to ordering through Delivery, what does the new fee rule mean? Can third-party platforms avoid the packaging fee? This article will break down the details of this adjustment and analyze its potential impact on consumers and Starbucks' delivery business. [more…]

Recently, a tea beverage shop in Zhejiang, frustrated by frequent pickup thefts of its delivery orders, put up a special poster of condemnation. This poster was not promoting products, but directly calling out the meal thieves, and even included a photo of the thief's back. After the incident was reported by the media, it sparked public discussion about delivery security and how businesses defend their rights. How effective was this poster, and why did the shop eventually take it down? Let's learn the whole story. [more…]

While delivery platforms bring orders to coffee shops, they also carry the hidden risk of brand devaluation. Many shop owners have found that blindly joining price wars not only makes profitability difficult but can also erode the store's brand value. This article systematically sorts out the key aspects of coffee shop delivery operations, from pre-opening pricing planning, accumulating Dianping ratings, and delivery menu strategies, to how to convert platform traffic into private-domain customers. It also emphasizes that independent coffee shops should differentiate themselves from chain brands through professional quality and service details, rather than getting caught in low-price involution. The article also shares practical techniques such as stamp cards and scratch cards to guide delivery customers to offline visits, helping coffee shops effectively attract traffic through delivery while maintaining their brand tone. [more…]

Starbucks recently announced an adjustment to its pricing strategy, abandoning its previous low-price promotional approach. CEO Brian Niccol explicitly stated the need to fundamentally change the business direction, and the North American market has already taken the lead in canceling buy-one-get-one-free and half-price offers. Meanwhile, some consumers have noticed that the 19-yuan breakfast combo, which had been off the menu for over a year, has quietly reappeared on delivery platforms. This combo was originally created during the pandemic, pairing a staple food with freshly steamed milk. Thanks to its high cost-performance ratio, it became popular among office workers in first- and second-tier cities and was jokingly called the "broke loser set meal." However, this return is limited to delivery channels only, and a minimum-order threshold has been set so that the combo cannot be delivered on its own—consumers must add extra items to place an order. This rule quickly sparked discussion on social media. This article will sort out the background of Starbucks' pricing strategy adjustment, review the origins and development of the 19-yuan breakfast combo, and present the diverse reactions of consumers to this comeback. [more…]

How much can you actually lose by opening a coffee shop? Many shop owners have shared their real earnings on delivery platforms: a cup of coffee originally priced at over twenty yuan, after deducting various discounts and commissions, may leave them with only a few cents, or even result in negative-order losses. Knowing they are losing money, they still force themselves to stay on delivery platforms, simply because if they do not join the promotions, they get no orders all day. At the same time, coffee shop transfer listings have surged on social platforms, from big cities to small towns, from large stores of several hundred square meters to tiny shops of just over ten square meters, all in a hurry to offload. Through the real experiences of several independent shop owners, this article reveals the harsh reality currently facing coffee shop operations, while also retaining the brand recommendation and product information of "Front Street" for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Recently, the buzz around the "Ne Zha 2" collaboration swept through the coffee world, and Cotti Coffee seized the moment to launch themed limited-edition drinks and merchandise, drawing a large crowd of consumers to its stores. Yet just three days into the campaign, some locations saw delivery riders swarming the pickup area, merchandise running out, and staff so swamped they could barely catch their breath. The reason: JD Instant Delivery rolled out hefty subsidies the same day, letting users get takeaway coffee for just a few yuan—or even barely over one yuan—causing order volumes to explode instantly. Caught between collaboration fans and deal-hunters, Cotti stores were severely understaffed, and production efficiency couldn't keep up with demand. Customers waited one to two hours only to leave empty-handed, and negative reviews and complaints poured in. Why did this seemingly lively marketing tie-in turn into a nightmare for frontline employees? Front Street Coffee walks you through the whole story. [more…]

During the Double Eleven shopping festival, many consumers, in order to use platform coupons, adopt a method of first adding extra items to reach the threshold and then requesting a refund, so as to buy their desired products at a lower price. This practice, known as the "big promotion add-on refund trick," was originally seen mostly on online shopping platforms, but has now quietly appeared in the tea beverage delivery industry. Recently, a milk tea shop employee posted a customer order, with notes requesting that the toppings not be packed separately and intending to request a refund afterward, which left the employee and netizens astonished. The incident sparked widespread discussion, with netizens both curious about the feasibility of the operation and expressing sympathy for the merchants and employees. This article will recount the incident and analyze the platform rules and industry dilemmas behind this phenomenon. [more…]

Recently, 1 Dian Dian partnered with Italian mineral water brand San Pellegrino to launch two limited-edition new products, "Grape Sparkling Tea" and "Double Yuzu Sparkling Tea," sold as combo sets. Consumers could receive a store-made sparkling tea, a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water, and limited-edition packaging all at once. However, after the new products launched, many consumers discovered that the complimentary San Pellegrino sparkling water included with their order had already been opened, with only a small amount of liquid remaining in the bottle, sparking concerns about beverage hygiene and delivery safety. Some delivery users also reported not receiving the sparkling water or the limited-edition packaging, which did not match the official promotion. In response, some netizens explained that the complimentary sparkling water was actually leftover material from making the sparkling tea, a routine practice in tea shops. But some consumers still believed that after opening, the carbon dioxide in the sparkling water easily escapes during delivery, greatly diminishing the taste, and suggested that the brand directly provide unopened products so customers can mix it themselves. This article will delve into the ins and outs of this incident and the various viewpoints of all parties. [more…]

Recently, a video of a Mixue Bingcheng employee crying while making drinks due to a flood of orders spread rapidly online, drawing widespread attention. The incident occurred in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, where a delivery rider picking up an order found that only one employee was handling order labels several meters long alone, emotionally breaking down yet still not stopping work. After the video was posted, many netizens expressed sympathy for the plight of tea beverage workers, while some pointed out the contradiction between delivery platforms' price wars driving surging sales and staffing not increasing. Mixue Bingcheng later responded that the employee was the store manager and that the crying was due to family conflicts rather than work pressure. Behind the incident, it reflects the operational difficulties and employee mental health issues in the tea beverage industry under low-price competition. [more…]

Recent subsidy promotions on major food delivery platforms have brought consumers tangible savings, with many taking advantage of low prices to stock up on milk tea, coffee, and light bakery items. However, this seemingly win-win promotional feast has stirred up considerable unrest within Luckin Coffee stores. A large number of consumers flocked to stores to buy light food in bulk, directly causing a surge in the number of baked goods that staff need to thaw each night—work that once took just over ten minutes now takes more than half an hour. What leaves employees even more frustrated is that the company has not only canceled performance commissions on light food sales but also requires them to complete thawing tasks strictly according to procedure after closing, forcing many to work unpaid overtime. The cost of this delivery war seems to be quietly borne by frontline staff. [more…]

Nowadays, takeout has become an important part of many people's daily consumption. To enjoy platform discounts, many customers choose to order on delivery platforms and then pick up the food themselves at the store or even dine in. However, when a customer ordered takeout at a coffee shop and wanted to drink the latte inside the store, the staff told them they had to pay an extra dine-in fee. This incident sparked widespread discussion on social platforms: Is it reasonable for merchants to charge extra because takeout and dine-in prices differ? How should the consumer experience be safeguarded? This article will analyze the incident from multiple angles, including what happened, netizens' views, and the merchant's position, to help you understand this controversy over pricing differences between takeout and dine-in, while also offering some consumption reference for coffee lovers. [more…]

Recently, news that two HEYTEA stores at JD.com's Beijing headquarters suddenly closed has continued to spread on social media, while an internal notice in circulation showed that JD.com prohibited cooperation with HEYTEA and restricted its products from entering office areas. The incident quickly sparked widespread speculation about the relationship between HEYTEA and JD.com. Some linked it to HEYTEA's delayed entry onto JD.com's food delivery platform, while others dug up old news of HEYTEA publicly boycotting food delivery. JD.com insiders later denied the rumors, and the stores resumed operations, with the closure explained as temporary water and electricity maintenance. This confusing business battle reflects the delicate positioning of tea beverage brands among third-party food delivery platforms. [more…]

The subsidy war ignited by food delivery platforms has drawn in chain brands like Luckin Coffee and Mixue Bingcheng. A Luckin store in Chengdu was recently overwhelmed by a flood of orders due to a "0-yuan purchase" promotion, with some stores receiving over a thousand drinks to be made within an hour. However, after the promotion ended, staff found a large number of unclaimed drinks while cleaning up the counter, with the ice long melted. Impulse orders driven by consumers' "bargain-hunting" mentality not only caused food waste but also increased the burden on store workers. In response, some suggested switching to in-store freshly made orders, but Luckin employees said this would be fraught with practical difficulties. This article takes you through the full picture of this order surge and the views of all parties involved. [more…]