Introduction:A bubble tea shop in Zhejiang has repeatedly had takeout orders stolen by unknown individuals. Frustrated, the shop owner posted a warning sign featuring a photo of a suspect’s back, urging people not to pretend to be delivery drivers or customers picking up orders. The incident has sparked public discussion on takeout safety and how shops can protect their rights. This article details the sequence of events, the effectiveness of the shop’s countermeasures, as well as common anti-theft misconceptions and practical advice in the industry.
Recently, a bubble tea shop in Zhejiang posted an unusual sign at its entrance after multiple incidents of takeout orders being stolen by unidentified individuals. Rather than advertising products, the sign directly addressed thieves — and even included a photo of a suspect’s back — pleading, “Please do not pretend to be a delivery rider or a customer picking up an order.”
It is understood that since mid-to-late June, the shop has experienced several cases where finished drinks were taken by people disguised as delivery personnel or customers. Initially, only a small number of drinks were occasionally stolen, but the situation later worsened, with the most serious case involving four drinks being taken in one instance, resulting in a loss of over NT$100.
The shop owner told the media that although they had reported the incidents to the police, the surveillance footage inside the shop only captured the suspects’ backs, making it impossible to clearly identify their faces, which hindered police investigation. With no other options, the owner posted this sign on June 27, hoping to deter potential thieves.
In reality, the sign had a noticeable effect, and there have been no further reports of stolen takeout orders recently. However, on the day of the media interview, the sign had already been taken down. A staff member explained that the property management company believed the content of the sign might affect the appearance of the area and requested its removal.
Industry insiders point out that takeout order theft is not an isolated issue in the bubble tea business. Especially during peak hours when order volumes are high and staffing is limited, employees are busy preparing drinks and may overlook verifying the identity of those picking up orders, giving opportunists a chance to steal. It is understood that some stores with high order volumes may experience several such thefts per month, with some shops even losing more than ten drinks in a single day.
Faced with such situations, most bubble tea shop owners choose to tolerate the losses, as the amount stolen per takeout order is usually not high. Reporting to the police is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also not necessarily effective in resolving the issue, often resulting in simply having to remake the drinks. However, over time, the accumulated losses and psychological stress still leave many shop owners dissatisfied, leading some to post warning signs or notices in an attempt to deter potential thieves.
Although many netizens support the shop owner’s decision to expose the theft through the sign, believing it helps raise awareness among fellow businesses and serves as a warning, some argue that the wording of the sign is too harsh and may unfairly damage the overall image of delivery personnel. Business owners creating such notices should be mindful of their wording to avoid generalizations.
Experts suggest that bubble tea shops can reduce the risk of order theft by strengthening the order pickup verification process — such as requiring customers to show their order number, verifying the last digits of their phone number, or using unique pickup codes. Additionally, installing clear surveillance cameras that can capture the facial features of those picking up orders is also an important measure for future investigation.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
