Coffee shops have limited space. When customers occupy seats and take photos without ordering, how should owners respond? Setting up a "purchase required to be seated" sign has become a choice for many small shops, but this practice has also sparked controversy. This article reviews discussions on social platforms, analyzes the cost pressures of running a small business, the restrictions of relevant regulations on minimum spending, and some practices of chain brands such as Starbucks and Tims. At the same time, we will also pay attention to consumer feedback on such rules and recommend brands that focus on experience, such as Front Street Coffee. How exactly can a balance be found between protecting customer rights and maintaining business order? This is worth thinking about for every coffee lover. [more…]

In today's increasingly fierce competition in the coffee industry, it is not easy for independent shops to establish a foothold with a unique trademark. Mano's, a coffee and burger shop in Melbourne that has been operating for many years, was recently forced to change its long-used red background with white text logo to white background with red text after Grill'd, a burger chain giant, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit. The owner, Mano, was shocked by this action, believing that the two trademarks and store styles were clearly different and did not constitute infringement. However, facing pressure from Grill'd's professional legal team, Mano was unable to respond to the lawsuit and could only compromise. Grill'd insisted that this move was to protect its own brand from being exploited. This trademark dispute between a giant and a small shop has triggered widespread discussion about the boundaries of brand protection and fair competition. [more…]

Recently, the "Allergy Sister" incident in Wuhan has sparked widespread attention in the coffee community, and similar phenomena of customers requesting refunds from merchants for various reasons are not uncommon in the food and beverage industry. Some coffee shop owners have reported encountering a customer who repeatedly applied for refunds on the grounds that the drinks' taste was not to their liking, suspected to be an "Allergy Sister alt account." Investigations revealed that this customer had placed orders at multiple shops and repeatedly applied for refunds, citing reasons such as the drink being too bland, too sweet, or too cloying. Some merchants chose to appease the customer to protect their reputation, but others refused to compromise and warned their peers to be vigilant. Such behavior not only harms merchants' interests but also encourages a culture of malicious claims. This article reviews the course of events and explores reasonable ways for merchants to defend their rights when responding to consumer complaints. [more…]

A female customer nicknamed "Allergy Sister" by netizens has been requesting refunds at multiple independent coffee shops in Wuhan, claiming that lactose intolerance triggered an allergic reaction. At first, shop owners agreed out of apology and concern, until some in the trade discovered that the medical certificates were questionable and the accounts were strikingly similar, realizing that this might be a patterned refund claim. So far, more than twenty shops have come forward to confirm refunds, and the number of victims may still be growing. The person involved has deleted her account and cannot be reached, and some shop owners are gathering evidence and considering legal action to defend their rights. [more…]

On October 28, a distressing scene unfolded in a cat café in Wuxi, Jiangsu: a father, because a cat had startled his child, actually kicked the cat down the stairs. After the surveillance footage was exposed, netizens were furious and offered the shop owner advice on how to pursue accountability. However, because the owner had not called the police in time and feared retaliation afterward, he ultimately chose not to pursue the matter further. This incident once again sparked discussion about whether cat cafés should admit children, and also reflected the real-world dilemma of animal protection and the safeguarding of merchants' rights. [more…]

During the New Year holiday, gathering with friends to play cards is a popular pastime for many, and cozy coffee shops naturally become a hot choice. But recently, a customer who invited eight people to a coffee shop entrance to push tables together and play cards was asked to leave by the owner, and then left two consecutive bad reviews, saying the owner "lacks class." This incident sparked heated discussion online: some support the owner in protecting other customers' experience, while others believe coffee shops should accommodate entertainment needs. Should coffee shops allow card playing? Is it reasonable for the owner to refuse customers? This article will sort through the incident and the views of various parties, and explore the boundaries and difficulties in coffee shop management. [more…]

After Starbucks announced to suspend its business in Russia and withdraw from the Russian market last year, the founder of the local famous catering company Pinskiy & Co, Anton Pinsky, and the Russian rap singer Timati collaborated to acquire Starbuc [more…]

In recent years, a growing number of students have been treating coffee shops as study rooms, ordering a single drink and staying for seven or eight hours at a time—a situation that has left many café owners scratching their heads. Faced with the dual pressures of declining table turnover and rising operating costs, owners must both protect their reputation and find effective management strategies. On social media, discussions about how to politely encourage long-staying customers to leave are heating up. Some suggest posting time-limit notices, others choose to adjust the ambiance or require refills, and some shops have borrowed from Hong Kong's practice of implementing a two-hour seating limit. This tug-of-war over café space usage and consumer rights reflects the real dilemmas facing the food and beverage industry today. [more…]

After Starbucks exited the Russian market, its trademark protection in Russia may face termination. The owner of Stars Coffee, which acquired Starbucks' Russian assets, has filed a claim with a court seeking to terminate the protection of Starbucks' trademarks. This move aims to reduce trademark infringement risks and pave the way for store expansion. This article will provide a detailed introduction to the background, progress, and possible impact of this event. [more…]

A coffee shop operator in Guangxi recently publicly recounted his experience: he purchased a La Marzocco PB espresso machine from a well-acquainted "coffee champion," and after only one year of use, the boiler exploded. When he applied to La Marzocco China's official after-sales service, he was told that the machine had no record in the system and was a "grey import" sold through unofficial channels. The shop owner believes the other party deliberately concealed the sales channel, and has sent a lawyer's letter and reported the matter to the police. This dispute quickly fermented within the coffee community and also drew practitioners' attention to how to distinguish genuine La Marzocco espresso machines from grey imports. Front Street Coffee reminds all colleagues that when purchasing equipment, one must make sure to buy through officially authorized channels, and not risk a big loss for a small gain. [more…]

Recently, a cat café in Guangzhou experienced an incident where a customer was bitten by a cat in the store. After seeking medical treatment, the customer demanded more than three thousand yuan from the business for medical expenses and emotional distress, but the owner refused. The business claimed that the risks had been clearly stated in the group-buy package and in-store notices, and that the customer, being an adult, should not hold the store fully responsible; the customer side argued that the business had failed to fulfill its safety obligations. Both sides stuck to their own accounts, and the negotiation reached a deadlock. The incident has attracted widespread attention: when someone is scratched or bitten by a pet in a cat café, how exactly should liability be divided? As coffee lovers, when enjoying the pleasure of petting cats and drinking coffee, how can we protect our own safety? Front Street Coffee reminds you that choosing a legitimate cat café and understanding the relevant guidelines is the best way to enjoy your time interacting with cats. [more…]

During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Bing Dwen Dwen became a mascot pursued by the entire nation, and the craze of "one Dwen Dwen hard to find" spawned various homemade and commercial imitation behaviors. A Manner coffee shop in Shanghai was fined a thousand yuan by market regulators for making latte art coffee resembling Bing Dwen Dwen, sparking industry attention to the boundaries of commercial use of Olympic symbols. This article reviews the penalty details of the incident, the legal basis, and typical cases from the same period, helping coffee practitioners clarify the line between creative latte art and infringement, and avoid inadvertently crossing intellectual property red lines. [more…]

Cafes are supposed to be quiet, comfortable spaces, but many owners have found that some customers' behavior is truly unbearable. So one seemingly "unreasonable" rule after another has emerged—from banning diaper changes to prohibiting stinky tofu, each rule hides a real story. This article rounds up the bizarre experiences of cafe owners in various places, and how they use humor and gentleness to set rules that both preserve the in-store environment and retain a human touch. Amid fierce competition, how can independent cafes balance personal expression with customer relationships? This may be a question every industry professional needs to think about. [more…]

In Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, a café that uses authentic Starbucks cups, napkins, and coffee remains open as usual despite facing legal action. This unauthorized store bears the Starbucks mermaid logo on everything from its signage to in-store details, enough to pass as the real thing. The owner, Amin Makhsusi, tried to apply for official permission but was rejected, and ultimately decided to open on his own, claiming connections to local powerful figures. Starbucks is trying to stop this infringement through a lawsuit, but the case was suspended due to alleged threats. This incident reflects Iraq's severe trademark piracy problem, where offenders often act with impunity because they are protected by powerful groups. [more…]

The extraction time for a cup of Americano actually escalated to the 12315 complaint platform? Recently, a netizen ordered an Americano at a coffee shop in Shenzhen and believed that the barista's extraction time exceeded 90 seconds, far beyond the 40-second standard in their understanding, so they demanded a refund and complained to 12315, also requesting that the merchant remove the product from sale. This incident sparked heated discussion in the coffee community: Is there any hard-and-fast rule for the extraction time of espresso? Is it reasonable for consumers to complain about a shop based on their personal standards? This article will recount the incident, sort out the industry reference range for espresso extraction time, and explore the boundary between consumer rights protection and product standards. [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…]

Recently, the UK's Daily Mail exposed a case of theft by a café employee: a staff member, without the knowledge of either the owner or customers, secretly replaced the store's card machine with his own device while at work, diverting customer payments into his personal account. The scheme came to light when a customer noticed that a meal priced at £42.1 had actually been charged £94. Over several months, the employee stole approximately £4,000 in total, was arrested by police, and fired. However, the court ultimately sentenced him to 12 months of community service and 120 hours of unpaid work, with no prison time and no requirement to repay the café's losses, only a £200 fine. The case has drawn attention to the abuse of employee authority and the protection of consumer rights. [more…]

A cup of takeaway coffee sparked a dispute over ten thousand yuan in compensation, landing a coffee shop in an agonizing predicament. The customer claimed that after opening the coffee, it spilled onto a laptop, causing the screen to go black, and demanded ten thousand yuan in compensation from the shop, while leaving negative reviews on major platforms. After reviewing its own surveillance footage, the shop confirmed that there were no issues with the packaging or sealing of the order, and the photos provided by the customer also showed that the inside of the takeaway bag was perfectly clean. Who should be held responsible in this dispute? How should businesses respond to such complaints? This article will recount the sequence of events, present the perspectives of the shop, the customer, and netizens, and explore how businesses in the service industry can reasonably protect their own rights and interests. [more…]

Summer jobs are supposed to be a way for students to earn pocket money and gain social experience, yet 14 students in Meicheng, Meizhou, encountered an absurd situation when applying for summer work at a coffee shop: before even starting the job, they were charged deposits ranging from several hundred to over a thousand yuan by the shop owner. What's even more frustrating is that most of them never worked a single day, yet getting their deposits back proved extremely difficult. This incident not only exposes the risks of recruitment information on social platforms, but also serves as another reminder to job seekers: it is illegal for employers to charge work deposits. [more…]

Taking photos at coffee shops has long become a daily routine for many customers, but accidents caused by this practice happen from time to time. A coffee shop owner recently encountered an exasperating yet almost comical scene: two young women entered the restroom while taking photos in the shop, and shortly after, a loud crash was heard. After the two hurriedly left, the owner discovered that the entire washbasin had broken off and crashed to the floor. Surveillance footage showed the two had entered the restroom to take photos, but that area happened to be a blind spot in the camera coverage, making it impossible to confirm what had happened. Netizens speculated that a customer may have sat on the wall-mounted washbasin, causing it to give way under the weight. The incident sparked widespread discussion, with many expressing sympathy for the owner, while others suggested relocating the washbasin or posting a notice to prevent similar situations from happening again. [more…]