Introduction:Manner made its first foray into Changchun by opening a three-month seasonal pop-up store at Vientiane City. The launch coincided with the weekend, drawing a massive influx of customers to the outlet, leading to an instant surge in orders that overwhelmed the system—forcing the official mini-program to go offline, and even causing shortages of certain items such as milk. As a result, many customers had to wait for over three hours. This article details the reasons behind the craze, the operational specifics of the store, customer feedback, and future prospects.

Manner Coffee has made its inaugural entry into the northeastern Chinese city of Changchun, setting up a pop-up store at the well-known Vientiane City shopping mall. The outlet will be open for three months, operating from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM—the same hours as regular Manner locations—and will remain in business until February next year, covering the entire winter tourism and ice-snow season boom.

The drink menu at this pop-up is consistent with that of regular Manner stores, featuring classic espresso-based beverages and seasonal specials. Customers can order popular items such as Americano and Latte, as well as seasonal creations. Since this marks Manner’s first appearance in Changchun, many local coffee enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating the opportunity to try its flavors firsthand.

The opening day fell on a weekend, attracting a large number of residents eager to experience the new store. Many customers initially planned to pre-order via the Manner official mini-program and then pick up their drinks on-site. However, before noon, some users noticed that the pop-up store was already listed as “closed” on the app, preventing further orders. It was later revealed that the overwhelming volume of orders that day far exceeded expectations, prompting the system to temporarily take the store offline from the mini-program to alleviate online pressure and stop accepting new orders.

According to eyewitnesses, orders started pouring in the moment the store opened. At that time, only two to three baristas were on duty, handling everything from taking orders, attaching labels, brewing, to packaging. Even with all hands on deck working non-stop, the coffee machines kept churning out orders, resulting in stacks of drinks piling up in the pickup area and long queues forming along the customer pickup route.

The overwhelming demand not only led to excessively long wait times for drinks but also caused shortages of supplies—including paper bags, cup lids, and other auxiliary materials—due to inadequate stock. Even the most basic supply, milk, ran out, forcing the temporary removal of some classic espresso-based milk coffees from the menu. Some customers reported that even when they returned on Monday, some items were still not fully restocked.

To ensure the smooth completion of current orders and maintain order in drink service, the store decided to temporarily disable mini-program ordering and would reassess reopening it later in the afternoon. According to posts on the official social media account, during the weekend, the waitlist often exceeded one hundred cups at various times, with some customers facing a queue of over 150 orders ahead of them—estimating a wait time of at least one hour or more.

Some customers opted to postpone their purchases due to the long wait times, planning to return on weekdays when the crowds were lighter. Nevertheless, many others, after waiting for over three hours, finally got their much-anticipated coffee, stating that despite the lengthy wait, it was worth it to enjoy Manner’s classic flavors. They expressed hope that the pop-up might become a permanent store in the future, becoming a daily option for local coffee lovers.

The enthusiastic turnout at Manner’s Changchun pop-up not only reflects the brand’s high level of anticipation in the area but also highlights the importance of operational readiness and supply chain management for new store launches. Whether the store will extend its operation or transition into a long-term location remains a development worth following.

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