Client cancellation: how one post caused a storm around Kulikov

One post, one cup of coffee — and one local scandal, once again exposing old grievances. A store belonging to the Kulikov confectionery chain found itself at the center of public discontent after a customer complained about rude treatment by staff. At first glance, it seemed like a minor incident, but the reaction was overwhelming.

The author of the post on the social network Threads, a girl under the nickname arailin2, complained about the rudeness of the barista and the mockery of Kulikov employees. The store responded and apologized to the girl, and the conflict seemed to be resolved.

But the internet was not ready to let the story go. Dozens of stories from users claiming that they had also encountered “arrogant” and “disrespectful” behavior at the chain's establishments surfaced under the posts. Kulikov itself has remained silent, but the scale of the reaction showed that coffee had nothing to do with it — this was no longer about the drink.

It should be noted that this is not the first time a brand has been targeted for cancel culture — a public boycott with image consequences. In addition, as one commenter on the post rightly pointed out: “If people hadn't been harboring resentment, the post would have just sunk. But it was the last straw.”

Attention to Kulikov is heightened by the fact that the company has been criticized in the past for its one-sided staffing. However, its hiring policy has since changed. Nevertheless, customers continue to complain about a certain atmosphere of arrogance that infects new employees.

The phenomenon of such situations lies not so much in the conflicts themselves as in the public response. Large local brands become symbols, and demand for them is higher than for an ordinary coffee shop. And in the era of “reposts instead of complaint books,” any mistake can become a trigger.

Today, Kulikov, one of the prominent players in the capital's market, has found itself faced with the need to rethink not only its service standards but also its public reputation. In an environment where customer trust can be more valuable than any marketing, the brand will have to rely not on the baked goods it is so proud of, but on respect.