The subsidy war among food delivery platforms continues to heat up. After Meituan rolled out free redemption vouchers for Luckin Coffee, a large number of consumers rushed to place orders for "0-yuan coffee." Yet just half a day after the promotion began, Luckin stores across the Jiaxing area were successively shown as temporarily closed, with delivery channels almost entirely shut down. Pickup counters were piled high with drinks, takeaway bags occupied the customer area, staff worked nonstop with no time to eat, and riders even switched to three-wheeled flatbed carts to make deliveries. This sudden surge of overwhelming orders not only exposed the disconnect in communication between the platform and merchants, but also placed enormous pressure on store operations and the delivery process. [more…]

Recently, a netizen from Zhejiang posted a video on social media claiming to have found several white wriggling worms in a Luckin Coffee drink, sparking widespread attention. According to the netizen, the coffee was purchased by a friend at a newly opened Luckin store in Jiaxing, and the foreign objects were only discovered after more than half of the drink had been consumed. The video shows worms crawling slowly on the cup lid, while similar small white objects can also be seen floating in the dark coffee. After the incident came to light, netizens began discussing the source of the worms, with some speculating they were hatched fly eggs and others questioning whether the coffee had been left too long and become contaminated. The poster stressed that the cup remained sealed throughout, making it difficult for flies to enter. The netizen has contacted Luckin customer service but has not yet received a reply. [more…]

Recently, Chagee's new product "Wanli Mulan" quickly gained popularity due to its support for International Tea Day and the "100 Million Cups Free in 7 Days" campaign. However, many consumers reported insomnia and heart palpitations after drinking it, with some even seeking medical attention overnight for electrocardiograms. The brand's customer service explained that tea polyphenols in the black tea base might trigger allergic reactions. According to the public ingredient list, a medium 470ml cup of "Wanli Mulan" contains caffeine close to two shots of espresso. Similar issues have occurred with Chagee's other hit product, "Boyazhuxian." In fact, market regulators' spot checks found that some milk teas have caffeine levels far exceeding coffee; in 2020, a spot check in Haiyan County, Zhejiang, revealed caffeine levels up to 460mg/kg in milk teas and fruit teas. This article will focus on this incident, trace the origins of the caffeine issue in milk tea, and explore how brands should more clearly inform consumers about drinking risks. [more…]