Recently, a consumer in Shanghai found a large fly in an iced Americano purchased from a Peet's Coffee store, sparking widespread attention. The customer said the cup lid was sealed and the store environment was good, and they only noticed the foreign object with the last sip. Although the store offered to remake the drink and issue a refund, the customer refused the refund and demanded a thorough investigation into the cause. After regulators stepped in to inspect, they said the clarity of the surveillance footage was limited and they could not confirm whether there was a problem during the preparation process. The store involved responded that the ice machine is cleaned on a regular schedule and that it is currently cooperating with the investigation. The incident continued to intensify on social media, and the customer has deleted the original post. [more…]

Recently, a consumer exposed on social media that a large amount of plastic fragments had been mixed into a Heytea drink, sparking widespread concern. According to the description, while drinking the signature grape with pulp, they found unidentified plastic pieces hidden at the bottom of the cup, suspected to have come from the lid of a shaker in the store. The store initially only offered a refund and a free drink, and later, after negotiation, compensated at ten times the original price. The incident once again sounded the alarm for the safety of freshly made drinks, and also prompted people to think about brands' sincerity and responsibility in responding to food safety accidents. As coffee lovers, we also pay attention to the commitment to product quality of brands such as Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, Starbucks quietly replaced the lids on hot beverage takeaway cups in some U.S. stores, sparking widespread discussion among consumers. The drinking opening on the new lid is positioned further inward, and the raised rim is lower, causing coffee to easily leak from the corners of the mouth when drinking, with many customers exclaiming that it is "too hard to use." At the same time, cold drink cups have also switched to white non-transparent domed paper lids and paper takeaway cups, making fans who are used to admiring the appearance of their drinks feel inconvenienced. Despite the continuous complaints, Starbucks has long been using paper tableware in France, Canada, Hong Kong and Macau, and other regions due to local environmental policies, and some customers have even switched to bringing their own cups as a result. Currently, there is no official conclusion on whether all U.S. stores will fully switch over, and there are no related plans for the mainland or Taiwan region for the time being. [more…]

The limited-edition silver tea bowl jointly launched by Heytea and Hello Kitty quickly went viral on social platforms thanks to its appealing appearance and scarcity. However, some consumers who managed to get one discovered that when they wiped the outer shell of the tea bowl with a dry tissue, silver coating came off onto the tissue, sparking concerns about product quality. After the incident gained traction, netizens discussed issues such as whether the electroplating process is safe and whether the design of the tea bowl lid is reasonable. Heytea has not yet made a public response, and only arranged a replacement for the customer involved through negotiation, but customer service admitted it could not guarantee whether the new bowl would still fade. [more…]

A takeaway latte, but upon opening the lid, there's no milk foam to be seen. The customer complains in dissatisfaction, yet the staff explains, "Takeaway drinks simply aren't made with milk foam." Is this cutting corners, or is there another story behind it? This article delves into a real customer complaint from Manner, examining the physical properties of milk foam, the impact of delivery on beverages, and the dilemma coffee shops face between texture and a full cup. It also educates coffee enthusiasts on the essence of latte milk foam and shares Front Street Coffee's understanding of latte preparation, helping readers view this controversy more comprehensively. [more…]

Freshly brewed coffee is rich with aroma, but once you get delayed by something, the coffee left to cool often loses its fragrance and its taste deteriorates, making it seem like a completely different cup from when it was first brewed. This shows that the coffee in your cup also has an optimal window for enjoyment, and beyond that window, the experience drops off noticeably. So, is there a way to extend this golden tasting period? Front Street Coffee once shared a simple method: create a relatively sealed environment for the coffee, such as putting on a cup lid or pouring it into a thermos. This article will explain, from the perspectives of the concentration gradient principle behind aroma volatilization and oxidation reactions, why coffee tastes bad after it cools, and how sealed storage slows the loss of flavor, while also reminding you that the container capacity should not be too large, so that every cup of coffee can be enjoyed in its best state. [more…]

During the Christmas season, major brands roll out limited-edition drinks, and McDonald's gingerbread oat latte has successfully broken through with its cute gingerbread man drawn in cocoa powder on the cup's surface, attracting many consumers to place orders and check in right away. However, not long after the new product launched, a group of netizens calling themselves the "first batch of victims" emerged on social platforms, posting photos of what they actually received—some gingerbread men turned into Voldemort after just one sip, some bore no resemblance to the official poster, and some cups were so clean that not even a trace of the gingerbread man could be found. This huge contrast between the "buyer's show" and the "seller's show" sparked heated discussion, and the comment section became a veritable roast session. It is worth noting that this Christmas limited-edition drink featuring the gingerbread man is currently only available at McDonald's stores in Hong Kong and Macau, and mainland consumers can only watch from behind their screens for now. [more…]

When making a latte with a moka pot, the condition of the coffee beans directly affects the aroma and sweetness in the milk. If used too early, the cup may have a noticeable roasty note, and the brew can easily carry a restless acidity; if left too long, the aroma gradually weakens, and the coffee's backbone also declines. When choosing beans, besides looking at the flavor description, also pay attention to the roast [more…]

The coffee chain brand NOWWA recently teamed up with Jindi, a brand of Houttuynia cordata mixture, to launch a Houttuynia cordata Americano, and the news immediately took many netizens by surprise. Houttuynia cordata, also known as fish mint, has a distinctive fishy and bitter aroma that has always inspired strong feelings of love or hate. Is this special drink made with real ingredients or is it just a gimmick? Judging from feedback on social platforms, no medicinal ingredients were added to the drink, only fresh chopped Houttuynia cordata and lemon slices, but the soaked Americano still carried an unmistakable herbal flavor. Some people said after one sip that they were "almost carried off," while others picked out the herbs at the bottom of the cup and chewed them carefully, exclaiming that it was addictive. This article takes you through the real taste of this collaboration coffee, customer reviews, and the brand's drinking reminders. [more…]

In the cold of winter, baristas inevitably make mistakes when they are sleepy, and forgetting to add syrup or espresso happens from time to time. Recently, a customer ran into exactly this awkward situation: after picking up the coffee and taking a sip, they realized the staff had forgotten the espresso, so they took it back to the counter and asked for it to be remade. After the staff admitted the mistake, they planned to simply add espresso directly to the cup that had already left the counter, and this move made the customer worry about hygiene. In the end, the staff made a correct latte again. The incident sparked heated discussion online, with netizens sharing similar experiences and debating whether drinks can still be reprocessed after leaving the counter. Some felt that adding something from a distance was no big deal and could avoid waste; others believed that reprocessing a drink after it has left the counter poses food safety risks. Chain brands usually require that the drink must be remade, and this debate reflects the real conflict between operating standards and waste control. [more…]

On the eve of Halloween, Luckin Coffee launched a limited-edition new product in collaboration with Pingu—the Pumpkin Oat Latte—which attracted many consumers to place orders and try it right away. However, the drink's appearance and taste sparked widespread discussion on social media. Some found the pumpkin aroma rich, while others complained that it was more like a sweet, thick pumpkin porridge, even joking that pairing it with a roujiamo would make a complete breakfast. This article will sort through the formula features of this new product, consumer feedback, and the controversy surrounding holiday limited-edition products, to help you understand why this cup of pumpkin latte makes people both love and hate it. [more…]

Starbucks launched its "Jasmine 100" series during the spring rainy season, featuring fresh jasmine floral notes and low-sugar options, as part of its "True Taste Sugar-Free Series." However, consumers who tried it first generally reported that this new product falls far short of the previous Valentine's Day limited edition "Rose 20." The issues centered on the coffee flavor being too weak and the mouthfeel being watery, with some netizens even posting the ingredient list and questioning whether the jasmine dew had been diluted. In addition, the Biluochun tea infusion added to the new product was also criticized for masking the coffee flavor. Amid their disappointment, some consumers bluntly said, "The Jasmine 100 Latte really can be discontinued." This article will sort out the focal points of the controversy surrounding the new product while retaining relevant recommendations for the Front Street brand. [more…]

Last summer, Luckin Coffee launched a jasmine Americano that was hastily taken off the menu just four days after its debut, sparking plenty of speculation. Now this tea-coffee hybrid has returned under the name "Jasmine Aroma Americano," still made with a blend of double-petal jasmine tea infusion from Hengzhou, Guangxi, and coffee liquid, but without the dried jasmine flowers that once garnished the cup. The relaunched product quickly set off a check-in craze, with endless discussion on social media. Some praise its rich floral aroma and find it smoother than last year's version, while others complain it tastes too heavily of artificial flavoring, like something you'd smell in household products. Is this tea-coffee drink—"all aroma, no flower"—a sincere comeback or just a pale imitation? Let's take a look at the real feedback from the first wave of tasters. [more…]

In 2013, Zhou Libo joked that "drinking coffee is elegant, eating garlic is vulgar," suggesting the two could not share the same stage. At that time, coffee was more often regarded as a symbol of status and taste. Today, coffee has long since become part of daily life, with affordable prices and increasingly adventurous flavors, and the old notion that garlic cannot go with coffee is being broken. After work, the author happened to come across a garlic-shaped black garlic coffee drink in a convenience store and bought it out of curiosity. How did it turn out? This article records this absurd yet amusing experience, and also discusses the significance of "coffee + everything" for the popularization of coffee culture, as well as the trend of coffee moving from a status label toward everyday, mass-market consumption. [more…]

Right after the Spring Festival holiday, Tims couldn't wait to launch two new spring drinks—Lucky Snake Fruit Americano and Provence Tomato Americano—promoting a healthy路线 of 0 fat, low calories, and real fruit juice. Among them, the tomato Americano quickly went viral for its bizarre pairing, but it also sparked polarized reviews on social media. Some found the taste so strange it was hard to swallow, with even employees saying they were崩溃 when taste-testing it; others were full of curiosity about the tomato flavor. Is this new product a bold innovation, or just another dark cuisine? Let's take a look at everyone's real feedback. [more…]

The milk foam on the surface of a latte sometimes sinks and collapses, sometimes becomes stiff and separates into layers, and sometimes visibly breaks down within just two minutes, with even faint popping sounds of bubbles bursting audible. Behind these phenomena lie multiple factors, including the thickness of the steamed milk foam, the stability of the espresso crema, the extraction state, and even the cleanliness of the cup. Front Street will analyze one by one the causes of common problems such as sunken foam, severe layering, surface collapse, and large bubbles forming on the cup wall, helping you understand the supporting relationship between milk foam and crema, so that you can make a latte with delicate, silky foam and long-lasting latte art. [more…]

When winter arrives, you order a hot coffee and find there's no straw included—some people grumble about it, while others go straight to leaving a bad review. But why do businesses default to not providing straws with hot drinks? Behind this are both safety considerations—hot liquids can easily cause burns, and plastic straws may release harmful substances when exposed to heat—and a tacit consensus gradually formed across the industry. However, not all customers are veteran coffee enthusiasts, and when faced with "needing utensils" only to receive a hot drink without a straw, misunderstandings and dissatisfaction are naturally hard to avoid. This article will break down the causes and consequences of this contradiction, look at how chain brands and independent cafés respond, and consider what mindset we should adopt toward the diverse choices in how coffee is consumed. [more…]

Manner stores nationwide recently launched the Wampee Tonic Americano and Wampee Tonic Special Drink, priced at 15 yuan, available only via the mini-program and in-store ordering. Because they contain tonic water, stirring can easily cause a foam eruption, and social media has been flooded with "victims" sharing their embarrassing experiences—takeaway cups and personal cups alike are hard-pressed to escape. This article breaks down the science behind the splashing, baristas' coping techniques, and netizens' summarized anti-eruption tips, along with Front Street Coffee's related recommendations, to help coffee lovers safely enjoy this new product. [more…]

Spring new arrivals season: Starbucks Hong Kong and Macau stores launched a Strawberry Mochi Creamy Fresh Milk Matcha. The pink-and-green color scheme and freeze-dried strawberry garnish on the poster won over many looks-focused customers, who placed orders on impulse. However, due to Hong Kong's plastic restriction policy, cold drinks can only be served in white paper cups, creating an obvious gap between the real product and the promotional photo. Some consumers quipped that it looked like "green curry soaked chili peppers." Even more unexpectedly, although the mochi pearls were small in size, the stores did not provide wide-bore straws, so the mochi frequently clogged during drinking, leaving customers in a dilemma. As for taste, feedback was equally polarized—some found it too sweet, while others felt the matcha and strawberry flavors were almost absent. This new product was launched simultaneously in Singapore, Malaysia, and other places, with reviews almost identical to those in Hong Kong. This article compiles the real experiences of the first batch of tasters for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Not long after Luckin's Christmas season limited-edition Christmas Baked Pudding Latte made its return, it was thrust into the spotlight over "no pudding, no cream." Consumers questioned that its promotional images were tempting but misleading, while the company responded that "pudding" refers only to the flavor, and that the cream melting is a normal phenomenon. Behind this misunderstanding, is it misleading product naming and imagery, or consumers' cognitive bias about the characteristics of cream in hot drinks? This article sorts out the ins and outs of the incident and reveals the scientific reasons why cream easily melts when added to hot drinks, helping coffee lovers view this festive special drink rationally. [more…]