Introduction:On August 17, 2024, a franchise outlet of HEYTEA located in Wanda Plaza, Luoyang, Henan Province, was involved in a heated conflict between staff and customers due to an ordering issue. Both parties engaged in verbal abuse and threw items from the counter at each other, causing significant chaos on-site. The incident quickly sparked widespread discussion on social media platforms and trended on Weibo. This article provides a detailed account of the event, including witness accounts and the brand’s response, and analyzes the store's emergency closure on the day of the incident as well as the subsequent reconciliation process, offering a comprehensive overview of what transpired.

At around noon on August 17, 2024, a conflict erupted between staff and customers at a HEYTEA franchise outlet inside Wanda Plaza in Luoyang City, Henan Province. According to multiple circulating videos from the scene, the altercation involved not only verbal exchanges but also mutual throwing of items from the counter, such as paper boxes and straws, leading to a messy situation. The incident gained traction online and rapidly became a trending topic on Weibo.

The outlet involved is a franchise of HEYTEA in the area, and the incident occurred around 12:00 PM. Footage circulating online shows that it initially began when a female customer knocked over materials on the counter. Subsequently, tensions escalated as both parties started picking up scattered items and hurling them at each other, accompanied by intense verbal exchanges. Although some bystanders attempted to intervene, the emotions of those involved remained heightened until a third party stepped in to calm the situation.

One witness recalled, “It was the woman who started swearing and she was the first one to throw something.” Additionally, after the video was recorded, other individuals accompanying the female customer arrived at the scene, and the three of them picked up items from the ground to continue throwing, further intensifying the chaos. The witness speculated that the conflict may have stemmed from the staff being busy at the time, resulting in a relatively indifferent attitude that made the customer feel ignored, thereby triggering dissatisfaction.

After the incident, media reached out to a staff member involved, who stated that he was in the back kitchen preparing ingredients at the time and was unaware of the conflict until he came out and saw the dispute already in progress. Shortly after the incident, the involved employee left the store premises.

Regarding the specific cause of the conflict, the store manager, in an interview with the media, mentioned that it arose from a misunderstanding related to an order. He emphasized, “No matter what the issue is, we definitely need to apologize to the customer,” and noted that neither party sustained any injuries. The store subsequently extended an apology to the customer, offered reassurance, and the two sides eventually reached a reconciliation.

Following the incident going public, management at Wanda Plaza, where the involved outlet is located, also stated that the store had closed early that afternoon and entered a rectification period. Plaza staff pointed out that both parties had reached a reconciliation, but they were not at liberty to disclose the specifics of the dispute.

On August 18, according to HEYTEA’s official ordering mini-program, the outlet was marked as being in “temporary closure” mode. Media attempts to contact HEYTEA’s brand customer service for further details regarding the closure and subsequent measures yielded no clear response.

This incident not only draws public attention to service quality and staff training issues at tea beverage brand outlets but also serves as a reminder to the industry about the importance of effectively managing customer flow during peak hours and maintaining good communication. For franchisees, establishing robust response mechanisms and staff training programs is key to preventing similar incidents from recurring.

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