Why is the Luckin tea machine drawing complaints?

Luckin Coffee has begun test-installing tea extraction machines in some Guangzhou stores ahead of a planned nationwide rollout, and frontline staff have criticized the device. Employees say it is bulky, extracts only one type of tea liquid at a time, and requires lengthy cleaning. Making a single pot of tea base takes more than half an hour, which staff describe as slower than brewing by hand.

Some stores have also reported quality control problems such as rusting metal parts. The tea machine is one of several planned equipment upgrades for Luckin Coffee, alongside label machines, fructose machines and scanning coffee machines, as the chain moves into the milk tea market. The staff feedback raises questions about how well the equipment performs in daily store conditions.

Since news broke in September that Luckin Coffee would fully roll out smart milk tea machines and tea extraction machines, the industry has been closely watching its move into the milk tea market. Recently, some stores in Guangzhou took the lead in test-installing the tea extraction machines, only to be collectively criticized by frontline staff. Employees reported that the device is not only bulky and space-consuming, but also can only extract one type of tea liquid at a time, and the cleaning and sanitizing steps are extremely cumbersome. Making a pot of tea base takes more than half an hour from start to finish, making it even less efficient than manual brewing. At the same time, some stores have also seen quality control issues such as rusting metal parts. So how exactly does this smart device perform? Let's take a look at the real feedback from employees.

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Since September this year, rumors that Luckin Coffee plans to introduce smart milk tea machines and tea extraction machines across all its stores have been spreading like wildfire on major social platforms. Although these new devices have not yet fully entered the stores, Luckin's intention to enter the milk tea track has remained a hot topic of discussion both inside and outside the industry.

Earlier reports revealed that Luckin is upgrading equipment in its stores, planning to add tea extraction machines, label machines, countertop safes, fructose machines, dual-temperature vertical cabinets, and scanning coffee machines. In recent days, as a small number of stores completed the installation of tea extraction machines and entered the trial phase, frontline employees finally could not hold back and took to social platforms to complain about how "useless" this new machine is.

For example, at noon today, a Luckin store employee in Guangzhou not only posted photos of the newly installed tea extraction machine in the store, but also recorded in detail their actual experience over the past two days. To sum it up in eight words: "Neither pleasing to the eye nor useful." Their conclusion was: relying on this tea extraction machine to improve drink-making efficiency is worse than just brewing it yourself.

From the photos posted, this tea extraction machine has a three-layer structure—a brewing bucket, a filter, and a tea collection bucket. Its massive size makes the already cramped workspace feel even more crowded.

The employee mentioned that before and after each use, all components must first be sanitized and then wiped dry, and then placed back in their original positions one by one. In addition, the interior of the machine also needs to be carefully wiped down with a sanitizing red cloth after use to prevent residual tea stains from accumulating into stubborn grime over time.

What is even more frustrating is that the tea extraction machine Luckin purchased can only extract one type of tea liquid at a time. In other words, if a store needs to prepare two or more tea bases, employees have to repeat the above process at least twice.

Since Luckin stipulates that tea liquid must be discarded and remade if more than 4 hours have passed since it was made, this means the above steps have to be repeated yet again. As a result, employees spend almost the entire day cycling through cleaning, wiping, and refilling, and daily prep efficiency naturally takes a major hit.

What drives employees crazy the most is that extracting jasmine tea takes 9 to 10 minutes, while Ceylon black tea takes 12 to 13 minutes; after each cleaning, the equipment also needs to soak in sanitizing solution for 5 minutes, and the sink is only large enough to fit one large bucket plus one ice scoop, so washing and soaking together takes at least 10 minutes. Adding the whole process together, one use of the tea extraction machine takes at least 32 minutes. If it is the morning shift opening, half an hour is simply not enough.

Besides the blogger who posted, many employees with Guangdong IP addresses also joined the complaint in the comments section. Speaking about the tea extraction machine in their stores, they said bluntly that "the quality is worrying" and that "it is not smooth to use." Some even said that before the equipment was officially put into use, the metal parts inside the cabinet had already begun to rust, leaving people unsure whether they should use it or not.

It is reported that Luckin currently only installs this type of smart tea extraction machine in the Guangzhou area, and it is still in the testing stage. Whether it will be promoted to stores nationwide in the future will depend on the situation and feedback from the early trial. However, judging from the actual situation revealed by employees, everyone is not optimistic about the prospects of this tea extraction machine. Facing an upcoming series of heavy cleaning tasks, compounded by the reality of understaffing, just thinking about it feels like a nightmare.

Image source: Internet screenshot

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