[15] In China, 85 °C Bakery Cafe stores are advertised as being from Taiwan, but the chain's main company (Gourmet Master Co. Ltd) is registered in the Cayman Islands.

In the 2011 fiscal year, for example, such dividends received by Wu Cheng-hsueh amounted to more than NT$10 million in tax revenues lost to the Taiwanese government.

[13][17] In August 2018, an Los Angeles branch of Taiwanese-owned 85 °C Bakery Cafe served Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen and gave her an "enthusiastic welcome".

[19]: 77 The chain's statement "distancing itself from pro-independence sentiments" angered Taiwanese people, who accused 85 °C of "bowing to Chinese pressure".

The department believed that this behavior violated the Consumer Protection Law of the People's Republic of China and imposed a fine of Renminbi 150,000.

[22] From 2009 to October 2014, in Sydney, Australia, 85 °C Bakery Cafe paid four workers (three Taiwanese nationals on Working Holiday Visas and one PRC Chinese exchange student) only 56% of the lawful minimum wage.

In January 2021 this enforceable undertaking was allegedly breached in a new claim by the Fair Work Commission which cites a fake student trainee program was a scheme to underpay foreign workers.