All cards · October 22, 2026 · from the year 2031
China's cafés put the screens away and the neighbours came back.
Chengdu, China · 2031 (5 years ahead) · café culture · embroidered textile, plum, ochre and cream
Why this card
Starbucks China's new 'no order, no seat' policy signals a push to make cafés real gathering places again rather than grab-and-go counters. I chose 2031 because this kind of social shift needs a few years to mature into neighbourhood third places. The embroidered interior shows a full, lingering café where people stay, talk and play, with no phones in sight.