Starbucks, which has long cultivated a business ambiance with soothing music such as jazz and blues, recently abruptly changed its playlists across stores nationwide, heavily featuring Chinese pop hits from the 2000s, including representative songs by artists such as Jay Chou, David Tao, and Jolin Tsai. This change caught regular customers off guard; some found it refreshingly down-to-earth, while others complained it made it hard to concentrate on work or study. Starbucks staff explained that the move was to celebrate the millennium birth of the Toffee Nut Latte and to build momentum for Christmas activities, and had nothing to do with equity changes. The new playlist is expected to run until the 17th, with interactive karaoke sessions at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. during this period. [more…]

Latte art is a common visual delight in today's coffee shops, but have you ever thought that exquisite patterns could also be drawn on the surface of a cup of tea? "Tea hundred opera" in Song Dynasty tea whisking is exactly such an ancient skill. Recently, a Shanghai graphic designer hit the trending searches for painting Chinese paintings on tea infusion. He grinds white tea, pours water seven times and whisks, then uses tea paste to outline ancient paintings on the dense tea foam. The whole process must be completed within ten minutes. What is the difference between tea hundred opera and latte art? What are the differences between ancient painting methods and modern improvements? This article will guide you through the process of Song Dynasty tea whisking, the term "biting the cup" in tea competitions, as well as the historical records and operational details of tea hundred opera, while retaining the professional recommendation of Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Besides drinks and ambiance, background music is also a key factor in keeping customers at a café. Recently, a Starbucks store drew attention for playing the folk song "Jasmine Flower" on repeat, with some customers finding it fitting and others joking that they felt like they were in a Jiangnan teahouse. Employees, however, suffered from hearing it repeatedly for long hours, saying they were "sick of it." The store then changed its playlist to songs by the late singer Khalil Fong, which moved many fans. This article takes you through this amusing store incident sparked by background music, while keeping the relevant Front Street Coffee brand recommendations. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently officially announced a collaboration with a band whose name contains "five," with the mystery to be revealed on May 8, sparking enthusiastic speculation among netizens. Mayday, Wu Bai, Maroon 5, and others were nominated, but based on clues and Reuters information, Wutiaoren is the most likely. It is reported that Green Grape Latte will also return to warm up for the 520 confession day. Wutiaoren's representative song "A Zhen Fell in Love with A Qiang" is highly compatible with the event theme, and the sunglasses detail in the poster also points to the band's guitarist. Previously, during the anniversary celebration of Coconut Latte, Luckin invited the Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers to adapt a birthday song. Whether there will be a new version this time is eagerly anticipated. This article sorts out the collaboration clues and product information for coffee lovers' reference. [more…]

Jay Chou's 2024 Carnival concert tour Nanjing stop will be held from September 26 to 29 at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium, with four consecutive days of performances expected to attract 120,000 spectators. At the same time, a Jay Chou-themed coffee shop called "Love in Coffee" has officially opened at Nanjing Xinjiekou Golden Eagle, making its debut alongside the concert. This coffee shop focuses on estate-grade coffee beans and Michelin three-star desserts, with an interior design infused with the poetic fantasy of "Love in Coffee," where greenery and stone intertwine, and mirrored light and shadow create a dreamy atmosphere. Many product names are taken from Jay Chou's classic songs, allowing fans to taste "lyric" drinks while listening to their idol's music. The first Beijing Sanlitun store had previously attracted a large number of fans to check in, and the operator, Star Plus, has close ties with Jay Chou. This article takes you through the features, prices, and fan experience of this celebrity coffee shop. [more…]

Huangzhixiang Dancong is one of the oldest varieties of Phoenix oolong tea, its name originating from a local dialect's misreading of kumquat. The genuine Songzhong Huangzhixiang is scarce in production, with a flavor profile between modern sweet-aroma style and the floral-basket style, featuring kumquat fruit notes, honey charm, and the floral aroma unique to high-altitude single bushes. This article will sort through the origin of the name, the history of Songzhong, the taste characteristics of genuine Huangzhixiang, and the pitfalls of market purchasing, one by one. At the same time, the "Front Street" brand products mentioned in the article provide a reliable reference for enthusiasts. Whether you are just getting into Dancong or want to deeply distinguish authenticity, this guide can help you build a clear cognitive framework. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recent collaboration with singer Tengger has officially launched, with "Coconut Joy Song," a birthday tribute to the Coconut Latte, playing on loop in stores, and the accompanying Tengger real-person meme stickers sparking a buying frenzy among fans. However, these stickers encountered an unexpected awkwardness in offline stores—many customers took their coffee and left the stickers in the pickup area, with one store accumulating as many as 20 unclaimed stickers in a single day. While fans are frantically ordering just to get the stickers, some consumers bluntly say they're "too cringe" or "don't know where to put them." Why has this collaboration merch received such polarizing reviews? This article will walk you through the whole story and discuss the gains and losses behind Luckin's collaboration strategy. [more…]

Ru ware, as one of the five great kilns of the Song Dynasty, is famous for its elegant sky-blue glaze and fine crackle patterns. Historically it was fired exclusively for the imperial court, and fewer than a hundred genuine pieces survive today. Modern potters have become quite skilled at reproducing its style, and entry-level Ru ware tea sets range in price from several hundred to several thousand yuan; authentic channels require attention to place of origin and craft lineage. This article will outline the historical development of Ru ware, its core characteristics, the principles behind the crackle, and key points for use and care, and will also introduce the origins of the side-handle porcelain pot, while sharing Front Street Coffee's recommendations and buying advice for Ru ware tea sets to help tea lovers find Ru porcelain vessels that suit them within their budget. [more…]

On the streets of many cities, it is no longer news that tea beverage brands are densely clustered together, and Mixue Bingcheng, with its catchy theme song, has almost become the most easily noticed presence among passersby. However, when this cheerful melody continues to play late at night after the store has closed, the scene shifts from amusing to eerie. Recently, in Liaoning, Henan, and other places, there have been successive incidents where Mixue stores did not turn off their sound systems after closing, playing music all night, forcing upstairs residents to listen for an entire night. Some called the police to complain, while others joked that it was like a horror movie scene. Was it employee negligence or equipment failure? How should the brand prevent similar disturbances from happening again? This article takes you through the incident and the heated discussions among netizens. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's Raw Coconut Latte is celebrating its third anniversary on the market, and the brand has planned a unique co-branding campaign, partnering unexpectedly with the singer Tengger. Rumors have it that the two will release a custom birthday song and limited-edition emoji stickers, which immediately sparked heated discussions among netizens. Some find the pairing too unexpected, exclaiming, "This can be co-branded too?" Others expressed anticipation, saying they would definitely buy once it's available. However, after actual photos of the real-person emoji stickers were exposed, many fans said they found them hard to accept, considering the sticker style too bizarre, and some even planned to refuse the free gifts when placing orders. Whether this collaboration will continue Luckin's streak of viral hits or fall flat remains to be seen. [more…]

On the eve of National Day, Starbucks China posted a vividly colored beverage poster on Xiaohongshu with the caption "Waiting for good news," which happened to closely resemble the color scheme of Taylor Swift's new album teaser poster. This coincidence quickly ignited the expectations of Swifties, with many speculating that the two sides would collaborate again. However, after the stores launched two customized drinks as scheduled on October 3, staff said there was no collaboration, leaving fans greatly disappointed. What exactly caused this misunderstanding? And what history of cooperation has there been between Starbucks and Taylor Swift? This article will recount the whole incident and discuss the polarized views fans have on the matter. [more…]

Chaozhou Fenghuang Town is the core production area of Fenghuang Dancong oolong tea, and what story lies behind the peculiar name "Duck Shit Fragrance"? This article records our tea-seeking experience in Fenghuang Village: this year's climate has been on the cool side with less rainfall, slowing tea growth but bringing a more lingering aftertaste. We reserved several old tea trees and purchased excellent-quality Milan Fragrance, Wenzhong Dancong, as well as Old Bush Duck Shit Fragrance and Old Bush Song Zhong. Among them, the Wenzhong tea tree was rescued from the brink of death and revived; the owner, Mr. Wen, out of gratitude, finally agreed to sell the fresh leaves, but starting next year it will switch to auction, and the price may more than triple. Front Street particularly recommends this batch of old bush tea with excellent value for money, worthy of attention from coffee and tea enthusiasts. [more…]

Matcha and coffee may seem to belong to two different worlds, but what kind of flavor collision would occur if we borrowed the brewing logic of matcha to make coffee? Before getting hands-on, Front Street Coffee will first take everyone back through the historical origins of matcha—it began with the whisked tea method of China's Song Dynasty, and after localized evolution, became part of Japanese tea ceremony culture, which emphasizes the spirit of "harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility." Traditional matcha brewing requires a small amount of matcha powder with 70°C~80°C warm water, first blended in a bowl with a tea whisk, then a measured amount of warm water is added and whisked to create foam, producing a thick, delicate layer of foam. This article unfolds around the origins of matcha, key brewing points, and the specific method for making matcha coffee, while preserving relevant images and recommendation information in appropriate places. [more…]

Phoenix Dancong is a Guangdong oolong tea produced in the Phoenix Mountain area of Chaoshan, and its tea tree variety is Phoenix Shuixian. In ancient times, each tree was made into its own tea with a confusing array of names, and later they came to be collectively called "Dancong." Its name is not just a gimmick: some are named by aroma type, some by leaf shape, some by size, some by place of origin, and some from a specific era and background. This article sorts out the naming basis of Phoenix Dancong, reviews the evolution of names from "Songzhong" and "Bird's Beak Tea" to Phoenix Shuixian, explains the origin and flavor characteristics of Duck Shit Aroma, and clarifies the difference between Duck Shit Aroma and Phoenix Baxian Dancong, helping coffee enthusiasts understand this type of tea with a clearer framework. [more…]

Nayuki launched a collaboration with Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku, releasing a theme song, limited-edition drinks, and merchandise, attracting a large number of fans to visit stores and check in. However, some store employees cosplayed as Hatsune Miku in exaggerated ways, such as wearing masked headpieces, and were jokingly called by netizens "the century's meeting of the realist and abstract schools," sparking heated discussion. The brand subsequently issued an urgent notice strictly prohibiting employees from cosplaying as Hatsune Miku again, believing that such behavior damages the brand image and may invite complaints. But many fans said they were not offended and instead found it amusing. This collaboration controversy reflects the delicate balance between employees' individualized expression and brand management when tea beverage brands cooperate with ACG IPs. [more…]

Matcha, a tea beverage originating from the Tang and Song dynasties, is once again gaining popularity among young people. The new tea beverage brand Heytea recently announced its return to the matcha product line, launching two new products, "Marlmoli" and "Rich Matcha Green Beauty," featuring custom thousand-mesh matcha and a rotating cup lid design, and specifically recommends that consumers drink it at a 45-degree angle. This article introduces the features, pricing, and consumer feedback of Heytea's new matcha products, as well as the craft knowledge behind matcha powder mesh counts. At the same time, Front Street Coffee, a brand familiar to coffee enthusiasts, will also interpret the matcha trend for you from a professional perspective. [more…]

Phoenix Dancong is renowned for its rich aromatic layers, and among its varieties, Da Wu Ye is highly favored for its thick, soft leaves and prominent floral fragrance. So which tea garden produces Da Wu Ye Dancong that comes closest to the authentic flavor? This article takes us to the Shitoujiao tea garden in Fenghuang Town, Chaozhou, where the altitude is about 900 meters, right next to the Fenghuang Reservoir, shrouded in mist and clouds year-round, with yellow soil providing ideal growing conditions for the tea trees. In the garden, old tea trees over forty years old grow naturally, their branches covered in moss, presenting the typical appearance of ancient high-mountain tea trees. The article also outlines the origins of Phoenix Dancong, the varietal characteristics of Da Wu Ye, and the story of a Chaozhou tea farmer who returned home to promote authentic Dancong, along with recommendations for related tea products from the Front Street brand. [more…]

To celebrate its seventh anniversary, Chagee launched a seven-day giveaway of 700,000 free drinks, and the singing-for-a-free-drink option, being the easiest to participate in, quickly attracted deal hunters. However, after the second round began, customers found that getting the free voucher was not so simple: some stores required two people to sing together and clink cups, some staff outright denied the promotion existed, and even more surprisingly, many participants were filmed or recorded throughout by staff, a requirement not disclosed in advance in the official tweets. Customer service responded that the event was held precisely for filming, and internal notices also required photos of every singing customer to be kept on file. This practice sparked concerns about how customers' personal images would be used, and although several staff members said the content was only uploaded to internal work groups for supervisors to review, the privacy controversy continues to grow. [more…]

Heytea's sub-brand Heytea Tea House has recently been reported to have closed stores in Jiangmen, Huizhou, and Zhongshan one after another, just half a year after opening. This store, inspired by Song Dynasty tea houses and specializing in freshly extracted tea lattes, was once a popular spot for fans to line up and check in. Since its launch in 2017, Heytea Tea House has only 11 stores nationwide, and the Jiangmen Zhongtian Xindi store is actually its first store to close. This news has led many consumers to think of Heytea's previously discontinued sub-brand "Heye Tea," and has also sparked discussions about competition in the tea beverage market and the survival space for sub-brands. Front Street Coffee continues to follow developments in the coffee and tea beverage industry, bringing readers the latest observations. [more…]

Recently, a customer exposed on social media that the Gu Ming milk foam she received actually contained a box of white powder, which tasted abnormal after being brewed and was suspected to be detergent. The store initially denied it, but later admitted that an employee had put in the wrong topping, and offered compensation of 10 coupons and coverage of medical expenses. Since the customer had no physical harm and did not seek medical treatment, she accepted the compensation and asked the staff to sing as an apology. The incident sparked heated discussion among netizens, who believed that the store's handling lacked sincerity and showed insufficient awareness of the severity of a food safety accident. [more…]