Toronto’s Coffee Party left a bitter taste in the mouths of partygoers over the weekend, with many calling out the organizers.
nowtoronto.com
‘Needs better organization,’ Torontonians spill the tea on viral Coffee Party, organizers say they’ll do better
Toronto’s viral Coffee Party left a bitter taste in the mouths of partygoers over the weekend, with many calling out the organizers for lengthy line-ups and unsatisfactory food offerings at its latest event.
Held at The Well on Sunday morning, Toronto’s daytime wellness phenomenon kicked off its very first outdoor event and fifth installment overall, with promises of all-inclusive flowing coffee, tasty pastries and social activations to the backdrop of pulsing house music.
But the springtime kick-off left quite a few ticket holders feeling disappointed, with many taking to social media to express their frustrations with how the event was executed. One TikTok user called The Coffee Party a “scam,” noting that they waited over an hour and a half for subpar coffee and the pastry table was cleared out very quickly.
“How could your whole brand be coffee and free pastries and then the coffee is so bad and you run out of all the pasties?,” the TikTok user said.
Other online users are also sharing their experiences.
Another TikTok user complained about the long line-up at the entrance, which prevented them from entering the 11 a.m. party until 1:15 p.m.
Toronto’s viral Coffee Party left a bitter taste in the mouths of partygoers over the weekend, with many calling out the organizers for lengthy line-ups and unsatisfactory food offerings at its latest event.
Held at The Well on Sunday morning, Toronto’s
daytime wellness phenomenon kicked off its very first outdoor event and fifth installment overall, with promises of all-inclusive flowing coffee, tasty pastries and social activations to the backdrop of pulsing house music.
But the springtime kick-off left quite a few ticket holders feeling disappointed, with many taking to social media to express their frustrations with how the event was executed. One TikTok user called The Coffee Party a “scam,” noting that they waited over an hour and a half for subpar coffee and the pastry table was cleared out very quickly.
“How could your whole brand be coffee and free pastries and then the coffee is so bad and you run out of all the pasties?,” the TikTok user said.
Other online users are also sharing their experiences.
Another TikTok user complained about the long line-up at the entrance, which prevented them from entering the 11 a.m. party until 1:15 p.m.
“My friend went and was super disappointed, said the concept is great, execution is awful,” one Reddit user said.
“Honestly kinda disappointed with today’s event. Everything that was promised and advertised in the ticket listing didn’t happen and it was way too crowded to even get a single coffee,” one Instagram user commented under The Coffee Party’s post.
“It’s a cool concept, but definitely needs better organization and planning for the future.”
WHAT DOES THE COFFEE PARTY HAVE TO SAY?
When The Coffee Party co-founders and friends Matty Tsoumaris, Zohaib Aziz and Matthew Campoli teamed up with The Well to throw the community-conscious event, they never imagined the negative response.
“It was very surprising to see some people not enjoy the amount that we’ve put into it and the experience, but it’s 100 per cent heard,” Tsoumaris told Now Toronto on Monday.
“Hearing what our guests have to say is noted, and we’re definitely going to continue to get better… we’re going to do our best to fix whatever pain points they had and involve them to help us do so.”
Campoli addressed the lengthy lines, adding that the team had clearly communicated on all platforms that there would be a very limited number of tickets available at the door due to the high demand event already deemed as sold out online, and said that wait times or entry could not be guaranteed for non-ticket holders.
“All ticket holders were processed within the first hour of doors opening, but the high turnout and excitement led to long lines from those hoping to still get in without a ticket,” he clarified.
In the four-hour timeframe of the event, more than 4,000 cups of coffee were served, along with upwards of 3,000 pastries. Aziz described the feat as “incredible” within the short amount of allotted time, and insists that while they appreciate the outpouring of supportive feedback from the community, they’re also closely listening to where they can improve.
“Of course we hear the comments that we’ve seen on TikTok… we love that. We want them to know we’ll keep getting better and keep making these experiences a lot more smoother for our attendees and for our community,” Aziz echoed.
The morning event, which quickly grew from an initial 250 attendees at its first Nov. 16 installation at Baro Toronto to 1,400 at its most recent, promotes fitness and community, providing people with an opportunity to mingle and make connections without staying out late or relying on alcohol. Prior to Sunday’s rave, The Coffee Party hosted a pilates class, and during the party, attendees could try their hand on the on-site pickleball court. The organizers assure that this event has become something Torontonians have craved for a while, and stressed their commitment to maintaining the community spirit and focus on wellness.
“The purpose of this is to bring people together… giving them an outlet that we feel people haven’t had in a very long time,” Campoli said.
“Its created an impact so deeply for a lot of people. A lot of people have been sober and haven’t been able to do much, because they just don’t want to be in an environment where there are pressures… So, people are really, really passionate about what we’re doing.”
Despite the bad reviews, The Coffee Party is looking onward and upwards to the next few events in the lineup. On May 4, they’ll host another installation of the event centred around a charity run in partnership with
Red Bull Wings for Life. And in June, a Coffee Party Festival is on the horizon at Stackt Market, which organizers assure will hone in on what the essence of the brand is all about.
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