Introduction:As Shanghai’s COVID-19 situation eases, eligible neighborhoods have gradually resumed in-store dining services starting June 29. Long-quiet coffee shops are finally seeing a return of customers. This article features in-depth interviews with several Shanghai café owners, sharing their stories of perseverance during lockdown — including savoring limited-edition coffee beans alone, staying on-site 24/7 to keep operations running, and the heartwarming interactions that followed reopening. We’ve also compiled the application process and key points for reopening dine-in services, along with practical advice on storing and brewing specialty coffee beans during the pandemic.
After more than three months of waiting, Shanghai’s F&B industry has finally seen a gradual resumption of in-store dining. Starting June 29, as long as the neighborhood is not classified as a medium-risk area and there have been no community transmissions in the past week, cafés can sequentially reopen for dine-in. The news immediately sparked a surge in calls to many coffee shops, with owners fondly recalling moments from this extraordinary period: loyal customers arriving earlier than staff, shop owners finishing entire batches of limited-release beans on their own, some businesses maintaining 24-hour on-site presence, and others still awaiting official approval. This piece takes you into the real experiences of these café owners, offering a glimpse into the reopening process and current situation, along with useful insights on specialty coffee bean care and brewing.
(Ring ring ring)
“Hello, are you guys open for in-store coffee drinking now?”
“Yes, we resumed dine-in services starting June 29!”
“Luckily, we still have such warm-hearted customers supporting us.”
After the announcement, Shanghai’s coffee shops were flooded with inquiries, and every customer was brimming with excitement. One owner recalled: “Every time I answered the phone, I could tell it was a familiar regular. They didn’t just offer encouragement, but also warmly said, ‘You’ve all worked so hard.’ On the 29th, I arrived an hour early to prepare, and to my surprise, an old friend was already waiting at the door. The moment we met, they gave me a big hug — it was truly touching. They said, ‘I was worried you’d be too busy, so I came early as the first customer and to chat with you. I’ve missed your coffee so much these past few months!’ It’s these lovely customers who give me the motivation to keep going.”
“Just making it to reopening day feels like a miracle to me.”
Although some cafés had resumed delivery services during lockdown, the lack of dine-in options meant foot traffic was only about a third of normal levels. Another owner admitted: “The day before the stay-at-home order was announced, I had just roasted a small batch of single-origin beans, planning to offer them as a limited product at a special price so customers could experience their unique flavors. In the end, I ended up drinking all of them myself…” He added: “That same night, I received 50 bottles of milk and two boxes of fresh cakes, but by the time I got back to the shop, the cakes had gone stale in the fridge, and the milk had passed its prime. Add in fixed costs like rent — even with deliveries, it was hard to cover expenses. Making it to reopening feels like sheer luck.”
“Those days getting back to work were the most exhausted I’ve ever been, but I don’t regret a thing.”
The food safety authorities once announced that “businesses able to maintain continuous supply can apply for online delivery services.” This put many café owners in a dilemma — offering delivery often required 24-hour on-site presence. Some reluctantly compromised, facing the challenge of adapting to a drastically changed lifestyle. One owner recalled: “Uncertain about how many delivery orders we’d get, we had four people ‘stationed’ at the shop. Though it’s only about 20 square meters, we were lucky to have a private bathroom — but sleeping arrangements became a huge issue. The women slept on chairs, the men on the floor. With few shops reopened and plenty of group orders, we worked all day without proper rest. Everyone was utterly exhausted (luckily masks and partitions helped). Those days were tough, but I don’t regret a thing. Now that dine-in is back, many of our loyal customers came back on the first day.”
Due to space limitations, we’re only sharing a few snippets of café owners’ stories during this special time. Recently, some Shanghai netizens mentioned that their favorite cafés haven’t reopened for dine-in yet...
In reality, the process of reopening dine-in isn’t simple. First, approval from relevant authorities is required, followed by phased reopening based on shop size. Larger malls and chain brands, due to their scale, were typically able to apply and get approved earlier — which is why 800 Starbucks locations in Shanghai successfully resumed dine-in on June 29.
Meanwhile, most small and medium-sized cafés applying as individual entities had to wait, with reopening dates depending on official approval. As a result, some shops remain closed for dine-in to this day. For example, the much-anticipated Blue Bottle Coffee Yutong branch also went through a “waiting period” before the official Xiaohongshu announcement confirming its reopening on July 1.
During this period, all industry players made tremendous efforts and sacrifices. Although dine-in is gradually resuming, it’s recommended that everyone stagger their visits and avoid crowded spots. Some restaurants and cafés may also implement crowd control — it’s best to call ahead before visiting. Additionally, businesses must strictly follow sanitization and disinfection protocols to ensure the health and safety of both customers and staff.
Though the shadow of the pandemic hasn’t fully lifted, with summer arriving, the city is regaining its vibrancy. Let’s look forward to a better future together, and continue savoring every carefully brewed cup of coffee, feeling the perseverance and warmth within each sip.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
