Why Does the Luckin Coffee Making Process Frustrate Staff?

Luckin's returning Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago has become a repeat favorite, but the in-store coffee making process behind it is long. Staff take coconut milk jelly, mango puree, coconut milk, and jasmine tea from the refrigerator, weigh and pour each ingredient into a shaker, shake thoroughly, then serve. Employees report the drink is time-consuming and hard to clean up after.

During peak orders, a queue of a dozen cups makes the steps feel endless, and staff say the on-time rate has never exceeded 90 percent for this item. Coconut milk jelly that will not squeeze out and mango puree that splashes add to the mess, while the coffee production process also requires wiping counters and washing utensils coated in puree before the bar is restored.

Entering October, Luckin's pace of launching new products has clearly accelerated, with several new items released in succession within two weeks. Among them, the upgraded and returning "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" quickly won consumers' favor and became the top choice for many repeat purchases. However, the in-store preparation of this drink has left employees complaining bitterly—numerous ingredients, lengthy steps, difficult cleaning, and even blocked drains. From the breakdown during order surges to the unclogging after closing, staff have been calling out on social media: when will this "enemy of employees" be discontinued?

▲

Click to follow | Daily specialty coffee culture magazine Coffee Workshop

At the start of October, Luckin's pace of new releases clearly sped up, with five or six new products launched in just the past two weeks, prompting many fans following brand news to try and discuss them. Among them, the reformulated "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" quickly became a favorite for many customers after returning to the menu, ranking among the most repurchased drinks recently.

However, as sales of "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" climbed, complaints from Luckin store employees about this product also grew day by day. "Since Mango Pomelo Sago launched, the on-time rate has never exceeded 90%," "It's too laborious to make, and time-consuming," "Making one cup feels like a century has passed," "It really wastes too much time."

According to staff descriptions, making one cup of "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" requires first taking coconut milk jelly, mango puree, coconut milk, jasmine tea, and other ingredients out of the refrigerator, then weighing and pouring them one by one into a shaker, shaking thoroughly before it can be poured into a cup and served. Such complicated operations have led many to sigh that this is probably one of Luckin's most difficult drinks to make.

In addition, employees also reported that during mixing, coconut milk jelly that won't squeeze out and mango puree that easily splashes often leave them flustered. After serving, they must quickly clean the counter covered with ingredients, wash utensils coated in mango puree, and restore the messy bar to tidiness as required by the company.

Because of this, once they encounter a dozen or so cups of "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" waiting to be made during a peak order rush, it is nothing short of a nightmare for the staff on duty. Some employees admit that amid repeated urging from customers and delivery riders, they may be rushing to finish while having an emotional breakdown.

And when the store closes and employees begin shutting down, they find that the trouble brought by "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" is not over yet.

Because the essential ingredient mango puree is very sticky and often clings to the shaker, Luckin staff rinse the equipment after making each drink. However, according to employee feedback, the residual mango puree in the shaker gradually accumulates on the filter screen of the grease trap with the water flow, and over time clogs the drain, causing sewage to overflow from the sink.

Some people posted photos of the grease trap full of sewage after store closing, saying helplessly that since "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" launched, the store's grease trap has occasionally become clogged by the sticky mango puree, and they have had to spend more effort monitoring the grease trap's condition, cleaning the filter screen in time, and unclogging pipes to prevent overflowing sewage from dirtying the floor.

All kinds of troubles caused by "Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago" have led many employees to regard it as a scourge and a "public enemy of employees," with many even asking on social media every day: "When on earth will Coconut Mango Pomelo Sago be discontinued!!"

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, some images and texts may not have been credited in time. Please understand. If the original author has any disputes, they can contact the website for handling. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. Compiled and edited by "Coffee Workshop." Please indicate the source when reprinting. If there is infringement, please inform us for deletion. Thank you ~ !

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