What is considered a dream by most operators recently became a nightmare for an Australian influencer and baker-owner whose cookies & matcha drinks received so much demand, that they had to temporarily pause their newly launched Sydney operations. 

This influencer’s online clout (of millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram) translated into real-world demand when they expanded their operations to a new location, with lines snaking down the mall, stock sold out daily and every other post generating a rush of foot-traffic. Within two weeks, however, they announced a “temporary pause” to the new operation. Staff sickness, difficulty sourcing enough quality ingredients and an unpredictable demand spike created an unsustainable workload for a small crew.

While the influencer’s honest Instagram reel struck a chord, it highlighted how quickly effective marketing and the power of a super fan army can turn into operational strain. This leaves operators with a question: how to prepare for when things go well?

What went wrong

• Unpredictable demand and long queues: Effective marketing drove more orders than a small team could fulfil, and there was no way to throttle or schedule the flow

• Ingredient shortages: Without a clear view of stock, the team didn’t know they were about to run out until it actually happened

• Staff burnout: Working long hours without breaks (like the 17 hour shift that the influencer cited in her reel) and rushed service could mean slipping standards for customers

Solutions that protect quality and ease the load

Keep menus honest and manage limited production

Overselling creates stress and erodes trust on both sides of the counter. Abacus POS lets operators control when menu categories or entire menus appear online or in‑venues. Deep inventory integration ensures that items are automatically marked “sold out” across menus & POS devices when stockouts happen. Customers only see what’s actually available, which means no one can order a matcha cookie after it’s gone and staff don’t have to apologise. 

Features like ‘Special Products’ also let you set the window for ordering and collection, and allocate a fixed number of items across locations. By matching orders to supply, the brand could have kept menus up-to-date without disappointing fans and without the team having to lift a finger.

Spread orders and control the rush

Instead of everyone showing up at once, digital ordering can spread demand. Pre‑ordering allows customers to place orders in advance and pick up at a chosen time, giving the kitchen breathing room to prepare. Offering delivery, especially through commission-free direct delivery powered by Liven would also have helped. Together these options would have reduced the crush at the kiosk, helping them keep up their standards without feeling overwhelmed.

Light‑weight coordination for drinks and last‑minute orders

Baked goods were one of the brand’s USPs and are made off‑site. But their drinks were viral too and last‑minute finishes still need coordination. 

This is where a Kitchen Display System like KDS Go can help. KDS Go runs on any tablet or phone and shows incoming orders instantly. Staff can bump off drinks as they’re completed and get real‑time alerts for modifications. It’s overkill for pre-made cookies, but for matcha, coffee or assembling boxes, a simple KDS would keep everyone on the same page without paper dockets.

Stay ahead of stock

Procurement solutions that are deeply integrated with POS, like Zeemart integrates with Abacus POS, ensure that each sale automatically updates inventory levels, right down to modifier-level. Because stock levels update in real time, the team knows when flour, matcha or packaging is running low and can reorder easily without any manual effort by filling to par. This helps prevent the overwhelm the influencer described when key ingredients are suddenly running low and everything needs to be prepped from scratch.

Catch demand without pressure

Pausing doesn’t mean losing momentum. Tools like Liven’s Brandollars let you sell prepaid credit that can only be redeemed at your venue. Operators decide how many to issue and when, and they’re fully integrated with the POS and payment systems. The venue could have offered credit for a future reopening, allowing fans to support them now. Because redemption rules are programmable, they could control when those credits are used and avoid another sudden surge.

Takeaway

Much respect to this owner-baker who paused to protect their brand and their team, and to ensure customers continued to receive the quality they fell in love with. 

With the right tools, an operator can keep quality high while giving people room to breathe. When they return with a bigger team, better equipment and possibly a larger space, having systems like these in place will help them scale smoothly: customers get a fair chance to order, staff aren’t run ragged, and the product stays uncompromised. 

That balance, delivering excellence without burning out staff, is where tech like Liven’s will add real value. If you have unique problems you faced, or want to know how Liven’s solutions can make a difference to your business, let’s chat.