Introduction:When %Arabica’s Hangzhou Tianmuli store created an autumn atmosphere with a floor covered in fallen leaves, it successfully attracted crowds for photo opportunities but also sparked intense discussions about hygiene and safety. This article delves into the commercial aesthetics and practical considerations behind the incident, and provides key points on cleanliness, fire safety, and customer experience that must not be overlooked when crafting seasonal ambiance in food and beverage spaces — helping you master the practical techniques of café atmosphere design.

Is a floor covered in golden autumn leaves poetic or a hygiene risk? Recently, %Arabica’s Hangzhou Tianmuli store filled its interior with a large number of withered yellow sycamore leaves, accompanied by intermittent piano and violin performances of Jay Chou’s “Autumn Leaves,” aiming to recreate the ambiance of an autumn forest. However, it triggered mixed reactions on social media. Some praised its photogenic autumn vibes, while others expressed concerns about dust accumulation, bacterial growth, and potential fire safety issues.

This chain coffee brand, known for its minimalist style, has always attracted social media enthusiasts with its clean lines, all-white design, and iconic percent symbol logo. However, the Tianmuli branch boldly broke from convention, covering nearly the entire space with dead leaves — from the floor, tables, chairs, stairs, and walls to outdoor photo spots, thick piles of dry leaves could be seen everywhere. Even the Christmas tree at the entrance was made of irregular dried leaves, accented with straw piles and burlap sacks of coffee beans, creating a strong wild forest atmosphere.

Many netizens found such a setup hard to accept. Their main concerns included: fallen leaves on the floor easily accumulating dust and bacteria, and if drinks were spilled, they could become breeding grounds for pests. In addition, the large amount of piled-up tree leaves indoors posed non-negligible fire hazards, deterring many customers from visiting.

In response to the criticism, some netizens proposed improvement suggestions, such as laying a layer of leaves on the ground first and then covering them with transparent glass. This would maintain visual beauty, avoid hygiene issues caused by direct stepping, and significantly reduce cleaning and safety risks. After all, for food and beverage businesses, maintaining environmental hygiene is always the primary principle of operation.

According to user posts on social media platforms, many customers who visited the site in person praised the setup, believing that with clever photography techniques, it was easy to capture frames full of autumn charm. Some used a wide aperture for portrait shots, others focused on coffee cups among the leaf piles, and some even tossed leaves in the air and captured dynamic moments. Additionally, the “crunch” sound made when stepping on real leaves was considered therapeutic.

However, as more people came to take photos, the intact leaves gradually got crushed and scattered, some even kicked into corners. The originally leaf-covered floor was exposed, mixed with discarded coffee paper cups, making the overall environment look messy. It led many to lament: “The gap between the actual experience and the visual beauty is quite large.”

In fact, besides the Hangzhou Tianmuli branch, several other %Arabica stores have recently launched autumn-themed decorations featuring maple leaves, mainly to promote their upcoming new product, “Maple Latte.” However, the autumn leaf installation at the Tianmuli store, due to its overly large scale and strong visual impact, ended up overshadowing the new product with the pile of leaves.

In summary, when cafés create seasonal atmospheres, in addition to pursuing visual beauty and social media popularity, they must also take into account cleanliness, fire safety, and the overall customer experience. Only through appropriate decoration techniques and practical considerations can businesses attract customers while maintaining a professional image and operational quality.

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