What does high price coffee on high-speed rail actually reflect?

Guangzhou Railway Group's high-speed rail milk tea brand "That Girl" sells four products at 26 yuan each, drawing criticism over taste and packaging since launch. On November 16, the head of Guangzhou EMU Catering Co., Ltd. said pricing followed a full calculation of production, sales, and transport costs and complies with departmental pricing rules, and pledged to improve quality based on passenger feedback.

The operator said pricing referenced cup sizes and price levels of similar branded tea drinks in the Pearl River Delta, noting that rail operations cost more than ground stores. The product reportedly sells 3,000 cups daily and often sells out. China Railway's official account announced the launch on November 14. Whether the response turns public opinion around remains to be seen.

The high-speed rail milk tea "That Girl" launched by Guangzhou Railway Group has sparked widespread discussion since its debut, with its 26-yuan price tag, taste, and packaging design all becoming focal points of criticism from netizens. In response to the controversy, the head of Guangzhou EMU Catering Co., Ltd. responded on November 16, stating that the pricing was determined after comprehensive consideration of production costs, transportation links, and the special operating environment of high-speed rail, in compliance with relevant departmental standards, and promised to continuously optimize product quality based on passenger feedback. Whether this high-speed rail milk tea, which sells 3,000 cups daily and frequently goes out of stock, can turn its reputation around is worth watching.

Regarding the public opinion storm surrounding Guangzhou Railway Group's high-speed rail milk tea "That Girl," on November 16, the operator gave an official response to the controversial topic: the product pricing was comprehensively assessed and falls within a reasonable range, and they also stated they would begin improving quality.

The head of Guangzhou Railway Group's Guangzhou EMU Catering Co., Ltd. explained in the response that the prices of the four milk teas currently available were determined after comprehensive calculation of costs across production, sales, and transportation. The pricing referenced both the cup sizes and price levels of similar branded tea drinks in the Pearl River Delta region, and fully took into account that the operating conditions of high-speed rail are more complex than ground-level stores, with correspondingly higher operating costs. Therefore, the final pricing complies with the pricing regulations of the relevant administrative departments.

As for the "unsatisfactory taste" issue reported by consumers, the head also responded: they will seriously absorb the valuable opinions and suggestions put forward by the vast number of passengers and netizens, continuously iterate the high-speed rail milk tea product series, focus on improving drinking quality, and strive to create a high-speed rail milk tea that fits passengers' beautiful travel experience.

On November 14, the official WeChat public account of "China Railway" published a post titled "High-Speed Rail Milk Tea Launched!" which introduced: China Railway Guangzhou Group Co., Ltd.'s Guangzhou EMU Catering Company took the lead in bringing milk tea into the high-speed rail setting. The product packaging features the image of a high-speed rail catering attendant, and it is named "That Girl," an idea originating from the Hong Kong-style milk tea made on-site in train cars last year.

It is understood that since sales began in mid-October 2021, the high-speed rail milk tea has sold an average of 3,000 cups per day, and has occasionally gone out of stock. The current series includes four flavors: Sunny Snow Jasmine Fruit Tea, Golden Lanka (Hong Kong-style) Original Milk Tea, Pearl Milk Tea, and Red Bean Milk Tea, priced at 26 yuan per cup.

The article "High-Speed Rail Milk Tea Launched!" also specifically mentioned: to accommodate the drinking needs of high-speed rail passengers, "this milk tea has also reduced the tea concentration and sugar content."

However, the market response after the launch of "High-Speed Rail Milk Tea" was not as ideal as expected. Judging from netizens' comments, the proportion giving favorable reviews of its taste was not high; instead, criticism kept pouring in.

The "High-Speed Rail Milk Tea" at 26 yuan a cup was first criticized for being overpriced. Some netizens said bluntly that spending 26 yuan on a cup of milk tea is, to be honest, not cheap. Other consumers who tried it after hearing about it complained: "The taste of the 26-yuan milk tea is worse than a one-yuan packet of Xiangpiaopiao tea bags"; "The milk tea tastes weak, like it's been diluted with a lot of water."

Other netizens thought the packaging design was not attractive enough;

Still others complained that the name "That Girl" makes male customers feel awkward holding it, and female customers feel uncomfortable drinking it, suggesting the name should be more everyday and down-to-earth.

Taste itself is a very subjective matter, and everyone's flavor preferences differ, but when even the name, packaging, and price all come under criticism, it becomes rather thought-provoking.

Regarding the various controversies over the high-speed rail milk tea, the person in charge has stated that adjustments will be made. Whether this product can win back consumer recognition remains to be seen.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.