Why did talisman-wrapped merit coffee start a debate?

A coffee shop near a temple sells drinks wrapped in bright yellow talisman paper handwritten daily by monks, and a share of each sale goes to the temple. Customers receive the same wrapping whether they order a basic Americano drink coffee or the signature specialty drink, but the item is limited to certain time periods and quantities.

The idea split online opinion. Supporters call it creative and emotionally engaging, while critics say it commercializes religion and shows disrespect for faith. The shop sits within a wider trend of young people burning incense and making wishes, and of businesses borrowing concepts like merit, which keeps pushing drinks marketing toward contested ground.

Recently, a cup of "merit coffee" wrapped in bright yellow talisman paper has sparked widespread discussion online. This coffee shop, located near a temple, uses outer packaging for its drinks made from talisman paper handwritten daily by monks, and for every cup sold, a portion of the proceeds is donated to the temple. Supporters see it as highly creative and full of emotional value, while opponents worry it commercializes religion and shows disrespect for faith. In recent years, young people have been enthusiastic about burning incense and making wishes, and businesses have seized on concepts like "merit" and "going with the flow" to attract attention, but the combination of trendy drinks and religion repeatedly pushes the boundaries of controversy. This article sorts out the ins and outs of the incident and explores whether this kind of marketing can retain customers in the long run.

▲

Click to follow | Daily specialty coffee culture magazine Coffee Workshop

Recently, a drink tightly wrapped in bright yellow talisman paper went viral on social media, and netizens gave it the name "merit coffee."

It is understood that this coffee shop is located near a temple. The yellow talisman paper wrapped around the cup is not a style randomly downloaded and printed from the internet, but is handwritten by temple monks every day and delivered to the shop, so this "merit coffee" is only available during specific time periods and in limited quantities.

Customers who have visited the shop reported that whether ordering a basic Americano or choosing the shop's signature specialty drink, they receive it completely wrapped in talisman paper. Moreover, this drink is not just riding on a gimmick—some netizens revealed that for every cup sold, the owner donates part of the profit to the nearby temple, both to accumulate blessings and to "collect merit" on behalf of customers.

After learning about the clever idea behind "merit coffee," many people expressed appreciation for the concept, saying "pretty interesting," "feels nice," "the emotional value is maxed out," and some said they already wanted to check in and try a cup.

However, those who hold reverence for gods and Buddhas felt the shop's approach was not quite appropriate. "The packaging looks a bit weird," "Isn't it inappropriate to use the Buddha for commercial consumption?" "Isn't this too disrespectful?" "Drinking this doesn't feel reassuring." In addition, some users mentioned that this kind of paper with special meaning cannot be casually thrown away, saying "Would throwing it away create bad karma?" and "Throwing it away always feels disrespectful to something."

In response, a netizen with some knowledge of metaphysics analyzed that the talisman paper itself is meant to ward off evil, so using it to wrap drinks is actually not a big problem. If consumers want peace of mind, it is best to remove the packaging after drinking and burn it. Some customers also said the shop collects these talisman papers uniformly and handles them on customers' behalf.

In recent years, many young people, choosing between "working" and "self-improvement," have opted for "burning incense," frequently running to temples rumored to be especially efficacious, praying for wishes to come true and desires to be fulfilled. Businesses have naturally latched onto this consumer demand, using elements such as "going with the flow," "merit," and "drawing lots" as selling points to attract attention.

But once trendy drinks get mixed up with religion and metaphysics, it always stirs public discussion. For example, when Heytea launched its "Speechless Bodhisattva" cup, unrestrained netizens joked that even the Buddha had to come out and work, and everyone "held the Buddha and the cup," drinking milk tea while tapping wooden fish to accumulate merit. Those with reverence, however, felt that meme-playing should have limits, especially when religion is involved, and that more restraint and taboo should be observed.

In addition, some pointed out that using talisman paper to package drinks is indeed quite creative and eye-catching enough to make curious consumers pay for "merit coffee." But if the drink only has a unique appearance and its inner quality is not recognized by most people, then consumers will also leave because "merit coffee" does not meet expectations and will not become long-term supporters of the shop.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

Disclaimer: Some images in this article are from the internet. For some content on the website, such as images, we will respect the original author's copyright and indicate the source. However, due to the large quantity, a few images and texts may not have been credited in time. Please forgive us. If the original author has any dispute, they may contact the website for handling. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. Compiled and edited by "Coffee Workshop." Please indicate the source when reposting. If there is infringement, please inform us for deletion. Thank you~!

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