Introduction:During the Spring Festival, many consumers discovered that ordering a hot latte from Manner Coffee meant waiting for over an hour. It turned out that some stores were relying on just one barista to handle all processes—from taking orders, brewing, to packing and delivering—resulting in chaotic scenes and delayed service. This article delves into the high-pressure working conditions faced by baristas before and after holidays, the staffing challenges, and the reasons behind poor customer experiences, while also providing practical advice to help readers understand the operational hurdles of coffee shops and set reasonable expectations.

In cold weather, a steaming cup of hot coffee not only warms the hands but also becomes a trusted companion for many when out and about, as well as a popular photo opportunity on social media. However, recently, many customers ordering from Manner Coffee have encountered long wait times, with some even waiting over an hour just to get their ordered hot latte.

Some customers reported that during the Spring Festival, when visiting certain Manner outlets located within large shopping malls, they were surprised to find only one barista working behind the counter. This single barista had to take orders, refill coffee beans, operate the coffee machine, deal with complaints from waiting customers, process refunds, and quickly pack drinks for the ever-growing crowd of delivery riders. Throughout the entire process, the barista had almost no time to rest.

Even with all their effort, it was difficult for that one barista to keep up with the surge in orders. Many customers arrived at the store based on the estimated pick-up time given by the official mini-program, only to find their drinks still in the queue for preparation, with the actual wait time far exceeding expectations—sometimes even surpassing an hour.

Many customers expressed confusion, believing that scheduling just one barista during such a peak order period like the Spring Festival was unreasonable. “With so many orders during the holidays, why not assign an extra person to help?” “One barista having to deal with a bunch of delivery riders and impatient customers is really too much,” netizens commented, voicing dissatisfaction with the brand’s holiday staffing arrangements and hoping for improved service efficiency and overall customer experience.

In fact, this situation is nothing new for regular Manner customers. Before the Spring Festival holiday, some netizens shared photos of handwritten notices at certain Manner stores. It was revealed that due to staff illness and inability to communicate verbally with customers, a handwritten note was prepared to inform every visitor of the situation. Many netizens were moved by this heartfelt note, praising the staff member’s dedication, but it also sparked more discussions: Why were employees working while sick? Was it because the brand hadn’t arranged sufficient backup staff, leaving employees unable to rest properly even when unwell?

Many loyal customers noted that recently, they often saw only one employee at Manner outlets handling everything alone. Watching the staff sweating profusely behind the counter, many consumers felt sympathy but didn’t want to add pressure by rushing them, so they chose to sit inside for a while or leave to walk around nearby before returning later to pick up their orders.

Occasionally, when a staff member was surrounded by delivery riders asking about delayed orders or complained to by impatient customers, some regulars would step in to mediate, gently explaining, “Manner staff really work hard during the holidays.” While this understanding was heartwarming, it also reflected consumers’ helplessness regarding the brand’s current operational state.

Many netizens left comments expressing dissatisfaction with the common understaffing issues at Manner outlets during holidays, calling on the brand to take customer feedback about long wait times seriously—especially during festive periods when order volumes spike—and to properly allocate manpower by increasing the number of on-duty baristas, thereby improving overall service efficiency and customer satisfaction.

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