Core Viewpoint - On July 5, Alibaba and Meituan issued large discount coupons for their food delivery platforms, leading to a surge in orders and causing temporary service disruptions due to unprecedented demand [2][3]. Group 1: Consumer Behavior - Many consumers shared their experiences of obtaining substantial discounts, such as "25 off 25" coupons, resulting in "zero-cost purchases" for food items [2]. - Users reported extreme savings, with some items priced at a fraction of their original cost, prompting a rush to take advantage of the offers [2]. - The overwhelming response led to some consumers facing issues with order accuracy and delivery delays, highlighting the challenges of managing high order volumes [2][3]. Group 2: Operational Impact - Meituan's internal data revealed that by July 5, 10 PM, the platform processed over 1.2 billion orders, with more than 1 billion being food delivery orders, marking a record high for the platform [3]. - The spike in orders triggered a server protection mechanism, causing temporary service disruptions in certain areas, which have since been resolved [3]. - Meituan assured affected users that their coupons would remain valid for the following day and that merchant ratings would not be impacted by the order surge [3]. Group 3: Delivery Personnel Experience - Some delivery riders reported significant earnings due to the increased order volume, with one rider earning over 1,000 yuan in a single evening [4]. - However, other riders noted that despite the high number of orders, long distances and order backlogs limited their actual earnings [5].