Customers line up outside Yeast, a popular coffee shop in Shanghai. GAO ERQIANG/CHINA DAILY

Resurgence offer

To welcome the coffee industry's resurgence, more than 100 specialty cafes in Shanghai agreed to provide 50,000 cups of free coffee last weekend.

The co-owner of the Gentle Maker coffee shop, who gave his name only as Don, said in a video clip on the coffee industry produced by Shanghai WOW!, a high-end lifestyle media outlet, "We hope that people who like coffee will maintain their confidence in the industry."

In the past week, dine-in services have again been banned in most districts of Shanghai. Apart from some restaurants in the suburbs of Jinshan, Fengxian and Chongming, all other restaurants and cafes can only provide takeout service at present, according to the latest regulations.

Xu, from Buna& Pate, said, "It's a pity that customers cannot dine on the premises for the time being.

"Many specialty cafes such as ours are not only a catering industry but also a service industry. We provide a sense of experience, in addition to meeting customers' demands. This is one of the reasons many customers like to experience the store rather than buy beans and make coffee at home."

Xu Liwen, a freelance writer, spends a lot of her time in cafes across Shanghai. "Being a coffee lover, I'm not only used to sipping cups of delicious coffee during the day-I also enjoy every minute of sitting in cafes," the 29-year-old said.

"Working in coffee shops is inspirational. Some of my favorite seats in these shops are just like a corner of my living room or study. This special experience in a public space is vital to me. I can't wait to spend my day in cafes after dine-in services resume."

Xing Yi contributed to this story.