Introduction:A branch of a jasmine milk tea shop in Beijing faced a dispute with a food delivery rider after failing to pack an order promptly following preparation, resulting in the rider waiting over ten minutes. The incident, once exposed, sparked widespread online discussion, highlighting the tensions between merchants and riders under the delivery platform’s order preparation rules. Following intervention by the brand, the branch has temporarily suspended operations. This article delves into the details of the incident and explores common issues and improvement suggestions for tea beverage delivery services.
Recently, a video showing tea shop staff delaying the packing of an order, causing a delivery rider to wait for an extended period, went viral on social media. The incident occurred at a jasmine milk tea outlet in Beijing. The rider, seeing a “meal prepared” status on the platform, arrived to pick up the order only to find that while the drink had been made, it was not yet bagged for takeaway.
The anxious rider asked the busy staff inside, “If you’ve already made the drink, why am I still waiting?” The staff responded, “If I had extra arms, I definitely would have packed it for you.” When the rider suggested packing the drink himself, the staff retorted, “You pack it? Do you even know how?” After over ten minutes of standoff, the argument escalated, and the video quickly drew public attention once circulated.
According to the operational rules of the delivery platform, the delivery timer starts the moment the rider accepts the order. The time taken to prepare and pack the beverage is entirely the merchant’s responsibility. However, once the merchant clicks “meal prepared,” any subsequent delay in delivery results in penalties and liabilities falling on the rider—this is the main reason the rider appeared so frustrated in the video.
After learning about these rules, many netizens expressed sympathy for the rider, deeming it unreasonable for merchants to mark an order as “prepared” without actually packing it. Comments included: “You marked it as prepared but didn’t pack it, so the rider can’t deliver the order and gets penalized,” “You shouldn’t mark it as prepared if it’s not packed,” and “If you’re not going to pack it, then don’t mark it as prepared.”
Industry insiders pointed out that during peak order times, some tea beverage outlets may, due to brand performance pressures, click “meal prepared” before the drinks are fully processed, just to maintain preparation rate statistics. Additionally, some staff are concerned that if someone other than employees handles the packing, they might face disciplinary action from the company if caught on surveillance, which makes them hesitant to allow outsiders to assist with packing.
As the incident continued to gain traction online, a media outlet contacted the official customer service of Jasmine Milk Tea. The response was: “Regarding the issue you reported, we are currently investigating and will further improve store services. Thank you for your supervision.” This indicates the brand has acknowledged the matter.
Reviewing user comments on the delivery platform, it can be seen that after the video went viral, many customers left negative reviews, and the branch is now shown as being “temporarily closed.” Media attempts to contact the store via the platform’s phone line were unsuccessful; mall management also stated that the branch is temporarily shuttered and is coordinating next steps with the brand.
This incident not only reflects the dual pressure placed on both merchants and delivery personnel by the operational mechanisms of delivery platforms, but also reminds tea beverage businesses that amid their busy operations, greater attention should be paid to the details of the order preparation process and the quality of customer service. For consumers, in addition to taste, the efficiency of service and the smoothness of order preparation are equally key factors that affect the overall experience.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
