Starbucks cups have always been a hot item sought after by coffee lovers, and limited editions trigger buying frenzies as soon as they are released. But have you ever thought about buying a Starbucks empty cup on its own? Recently, a customer in Canada, after being refused when trying to buy an empty cup by itself, angrily poured the two coffees they had just bought onto the floor and took only the cups. The incident quickly went viral on overseas social platforms, with over 2.3 million views and more than 95,500 likes, and netizens' opinions were sharply divided. Some criticized the customer's wasteful behavior, while others questioned Starbucks' policy. This article will walk you through what happened and the voices from all sides, while also highlighting professional news from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

The delivery subsidy war between JD.com and Meituan has unexpectedly spread to Starbucks—after stacking coupons, a breakfast set that originally cost dozens of yuan is now only a little over ten yuan, and you can even get a cup of Starbucks for just over three yuan. Consumers rushed to snap up cakes and bread they normally wouldn't bear to buy, causing the food display cases at many stores to be emptied ahead of schedule, with office workers exclaiming that such a spectacle is rarely seen. Yet store employees are complaining bitterly, as doubled order volumes leave them exhausted. In this clash of the titans between platforms, who really benefits and who suffers? Front Street Coffee takes you through the coffee industry ecosystem behind this delivery melee. [more…]

Recently, Luckin Coffee made it onto Weibo's trending topics because its iced drinks contained too much ice and the cup volume decreased noticeably after removing the ice, triggering widespread consumer concern about the proportion of ice in chain coffee and milk tea shops. Many netizens posted comparison photos showing that after removing the ice, only half a cup of the drink remained, with some even joking about "looking for the latte in the ice." Luckin officially responded that its drinks are made according to a standardized recipe and that it will strengthen store training. At the same time, other brands such as Starbucks were also accused of a similar phenomenon. This article sorts out the course of the incident, netizen feedback, and official responses, and also includes professional exchange information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recently launched co-branded limited-edition takeaway cups have sparked widespread discussion on social media. Some consumers reported that after seeing promotions in livestreams and placing orders, they were told upon arriving at stores that the limited-edition cups were out of stock and would not be restocked, leaving them to accept ordinary cold drink cups instead. In Hainan, Jilin, and other regions, plastic ban policies prevented the use of these injection-molded cups, yet official channels continued to display promotional images, causing customers to make futile trips to stores. In addition, issues such as the absence of notices in the promotions indicating limited quantities and the failure to promptly update promotional images after stores ran out of stock left both consumers and store employees frustrated. Front Street Coffee notes that this incident reflects shortcomings in the brand's management of peripheral materials and promotional standards. [more…]

Today, a daily cup of coffee has become a routine for many people. At the same time, more and more brick-and-mortar cafés are offering discounts to customers who bring their own cups, encouraging them to get their coffee in non-disposable cups. For consumers, bringing their own cup is both eco-friendly and saves a few bucks; for businesses, using a small discount to attract these customers can also boost repeat purchases—a win-win. Manner started offering a 5-yuan discount for bring-your-own-cup back in 2015, and Starbucks also holds a limited-time free coffee event for customers with their own cups every Earth Day. On Xiaohongshu, users have gotten even more creative, showing up with goblets, rice bowls, gourd ladles, thermoses, and even empty liquor bottles, putting on a quirky bring-your-own-cup contest. Faced with these bizarre containers, professional baristas still calmly serve the drinks. This article takes you through these amusing scenes and also discusses the environmental significance behind bringing your own cup. [more…]

University campuses have always been a potential market coveted by coffee brands, where steady foot traffic and relatively low rents tempt many chains to try their luck. Yet even a brand with as broad a customer base as Luckin, after opening in Tsinghua University's Qingfen Garden, once saw queues so long it was hard to get a seat—only to suddenly find the place emptied out. From posting a notice of temporary closure to hauling away all the equipment, what exactly happened to this store that students had held such high hopes for? Behind the operation of campus coffee shops, what little-known risks and challenges lurk? This article will take you through the sequence of events and explore the practical difficulties coffee brands must face when entering universities. [more…]

The "Daily 500 Fruits & Vegetables" series recently promoted by Nayuki has sparked heated discussion on social platforms, but unexpectedly, what really catches the eye is not the flavor of the drinks, but the square packaging cups specially designed by the brand for this series. This cup, with its square shape, PP5 material, and white sealed lid, quickly became popular because of its combination of good looks and practicality, and at one point there was even a situation where "the cup is more popular than the product." Many consumers noted in their orders that they wanted the square cup, and store employees were once happy to oblige. However, as demand surged, the brand headquarters began to standardize material supply. Now, if you want a square cup, you can only pay extra through the official mini-program to upgrade the cup type. The once-circulated "note request for a free square cup" hack has completely stopped working. This article sorts out the ins and outs behind this phenomenon and explores how brands can balance material control with consumer expectations. [more…]

Many new shop owners only look at the price per kilogram when calculating bean costs, but they never factor in the cost of a supply cut-off. On a certain Sunday afternoon, the beans in the grinder ran out, the warehouse was empty, and what would they use to serve drinks during the next morning rush? Choosing commercial beans is half about flavor and half about supply. Flavor can be selected through tasting, but supply, however, [more…]

The recently popular drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked a wave of coffee collaborations. Luckin drew inspiration from the iconic yellow rose in the show and launched a Yellow Rose Latte along with a matching three-piece set of paper bags, cup sleeves, and keychains. Purchasing the double-cup package would earn a limited-edition collaboration keychain, and as soon as the news broke, it ignited a buying frenzy among drama fans and coffee lovers. However, because stock of the merchandise at each store was extremely limited, many consumers came eager but left empty-handed, and social media was filled with cries of lament. Even more dramatically, the keychain posted by lead actress Liu Yifei was actually not produced by Luckin, adding a touch of controversy to this collaboration campaign. This article walks you through the whole story of this buying frenzy. [more…]

Recently, videos of altercations between Starbucks staff and non-paying customers have surfaced one after another on social media, drawing widespread attention. On one side, an elderly person argued with staff after being asked to leave for not making a purchase; on the other, a store in Xi'an was accused of frequently shooing away passersby who hadn't bought anything. Starbucks customer service responded that stores do indeed have a "purchase to be seated" rule, but they won't force customers to buy. Behind this new rule lies the real dilemma of store environments being affected by people who occupy seats without spending, and it also reflects the discussion about the boundary between commercial premises and public space. As a coffee enthusiast, what do you think of Starbucks' approach? [more…]

Recently, the buzz around the "Ne Zha 2" collaboration swept through the coffee world, and Cotti Coffee seized the moment to launch themed limited-edition drinks and merchandise, drawing a large crowd of consumers to its stores. Yet just three days into the campaign, some locations saw delivery riders swarming the pickup area, merchandise running out, and staff so swamped they could barely catch their breath. The reason: JD Instant Delivery rolled out hefty subsidies the same day, letting users get takeaway coffee for just a few yuan—or even barely over one yuan—causing order volumes to explode instantly. Caught between collaboration fans and deal-hunters, Cotti stores were severely understaffed, and production efficiency couldn't keep up with demand. Customers waited one to two hours only to leave empty-handed, and negative reviews and complaints poured in. Why did this seemingly lively marketing tie-in turn into a nightmare for frontline employees? Front Street Coffee walks you through the whole story. [more…]

The balance of acidity and sweetness is not determined solely by a bean's origin or flavor description—the state of the coffee beans after they leave the roaster matters just as much. Freshly roasted beans continue to release carbon dioxide, their aroma has not yet stabilized, and the cup may taste sharp, astringent, or disjointed; only after resting to the right stage do the acidity, sweetness, and aftertaste more readily come together into [more…]

The semi-automatic espresso machine is the core equipment for a café's operation, and its service life depends both on its initial quality and on careful daily maintenance. A qualified barista must not only be able to extract full-flavored espresso, but also understand how to properly clean and maintain the machine. This article systematically outlines the daily and periodic cleaning procedures for semi-automatic espresso machines, covering key steps such as wiping the exterior, flushing the dispersion screen, deep cleaning the portafilter, and backflushing, while also offering specific recommendations for espresso bean selection, helping you consistently produce stable, great-tasting coffee while keeping your equipment in top condition. [more…]

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Not only can it refresh the mind, but it may also quietly change your shopping habits. A study published in the Journal of Marketing found that consuming caffeine before shopping significantly increases spending and the number of items purchased, especially non-essential goods. Researchers at the University of South Florida, through offline retail store and online laboratory experiments, revealed how caffeine affects impulse control by releasing dopamine. This article will explain in detail the design of the study, its results, and its implications for everyday consumption, while also reminding coffee lovers to be mindful of the potential financial effects while enjoying coffee. [more…]

The cocoa, nut, and caramel aromas of chocolate-flavored coffee beans often need a little time to settle before they emerge from the smoky, roasty character left by the roast. When buying beans, don't just look at the flavor label—also pay attention to the roast date, the packaging method, and your own pace of drinking. These factors determine the rhythm of a bag of beans from opening to finishing. [more…]

Recently, a customer buying coffee at a Manner store unexpectedly received a Meiji chocolate from the staff as a gift. This hidden perk, which had not been publicly promoted, quickly drew attention on social media. It is understood that consumers must purchase this week's SOE coffee through offline stores or the mini-program to receive it, and the quantity is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Some staff were not very clear about the campaign rules, causing a few customers to fail to receive it as expected. Loyal Manner users pointed out that this is not the first time the brand has quietly given out chocolate, as a similar surprise also occurred earlier this year. Consumers have differing opinions on whether it should be publicly promoted, with some calling for greater transparency and others believing that keeping it a niche perk is more in line with the brand's original intention. [more…]

The appeal of freshly roasted coffee lies not only in the beans themselves, but also in how they change from the moment roasting is completed to the moment they are sipped. Beans just out of the roaster are usually still releasing gas, so their aroma seems scattered, and the brewed liquid may not be stable enough. Planning purchases and drinking according to the roast date makes it easier to get a cup that meets expectations than looking only at origin or flavor descriptors. [more…]

Recently, Gu Ming launched a "Summer Buy One Get One Free" campaign, with 8 star products participating, originally intended to attract foot traffic and boost revenue. However, after the campaign went live, store orders far exceeded expectations, and back-of-house staff were forced to handle fresh fruit, whip cream, and other prep work under high intensity for long hours. Some worked 15.5 hours straight, and their hands cramped from peeling grapes. The brand's frequent collaborations, takeout wars, and limited-time offers have left the "farm tea workers" complaining endlessly, and also exposed the disconnect between campaign planning and store staffing and process simplification. This article reviews the real situation of this order surge and the voices of employees, while also offering coffee lovers a product perspective from brands such as Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has been making frequent moves recently, inviting Tan Jianci to endorse its instant products while launching an offline collaboration with the cartoon character Loopy. This collaboration introduced the new "Light Jasmine" light milk tea, along with multiple themed cups and merchandise, triggering a buying frenzy among fans. However, many consumers pointed out that the flavor of the new product is highly similar to Chagee's signature product, "Boyazhuxian," and the topic of "flavor clash" quickly fermented on social media. This article sorts out the details of the collaboration event, product differences, and market reactions, and includes recommendations from Front Street Coffee for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Home fully automatic coffee machines have become a popular choice for many households and office settings thanks to the convenience of one-touch grinding and brewing. This article will provide a systematic guide to using this type of equipment for those who are new to it, covering everything from machine classification and ingredient preparation to startup operation and daily maintenance. It also offers specific advice on selecting coffee beans, including the difference between single-origin beans and espresso blends, and recommends several Front Street Coffee products suitable for home use, such as Huakui SOE and Classic Blend. Whether you want to understand the operating process or find purchasing references, this guide can provide practical help. [more…]