Recently, a video of an employee preparing drinks at a Mixue Bingcheng store in Xi'an circulated on social media, sparking widespread discussion. In the video, the employee holds two takeout cups in one hand, adds ice cubes, and then directly places them under a water bucket labeled "direct drinking water" to fill them. The water splashes onto the ice cubes, and some liquid runs down the employee's arm toward the ice cart below. The door of the ice cart cabinet remains open the whole time, prompting onlookers to say the ice has been contaminated. After the incident gained traction, the store involved responded that the company is handling the matter urgently and that the employee has been dismissed. This controversy has once again pushed Mixue Bingcheng's food safety issues into the spotlight, with many consumers calling on the brand to strengthen store operating standards. [more…]

Recently, a netizen posted on social media reporting a significant quality gap between the same drinks bought at HEYTEA franchise stores and directly operated stores. Using the "Thousand-Mesh Matcha Triple Thick Matcha" as an example, the customer ordered delivery from a directly operated store; although delivery took over 20 minutes, the drink arrived still hot, with a rich taste and generous toppings. In contrast, at a franchise store for self-pickup, the drink was picked up within three minutes but had a pale color, bland flavor, and scarce toppings. Later, at another franchise store for self-pickup, the volume was actually one-third less, and the chewy texture was poor. The post resonated widely, with netizens complaining about inconsistent quality at franchise stores, which led to a guide for identifying store types through business licenses. The incident reflects the challenges of quality control under HEYTEA's rapid expansion. [more…]

When it comes to full-bodied coffee beans, first consider how you plan to drink them every day. When buying beans for daily use, you need to think about how quickly you'll go through them, how much to buy at once, and whether you'll mainly make black coffee or milk-based coffee at home. If you mainly drink black coffee, you can pay more attention to aroma and aftertaste; if you often add milk, then you need to consider whether the intensity and body can hold up, which will directly [more…]

In the coffee and tea beverage industry, "employee drinks" have long been one of the key perks attracting young people to join the trade. Recently, however, multiple employees of Heytea and Luckin Coffee have alleged that their stores have canceled or scaled back this benefit, citing declining performance. An investigation found that employee perks at directly operated stores are still intact for now, but workers at franchise and joint-venture stores are frequently seeing their benefits shrink. The employee drink perk promised by the brands is actually borne by franchisees, and some franchisees, in order to cut costs, either cancel the benefit or strictly tighten the conditions for using it. This phenomenon has drawn industry attention: when the pressure of store operations is passed down to frontline employees, who should foot the bill for employee benefits? Front Street Coffee keeps a close eye on developments in the coffee industry, and this article takes you through the ins and outs of this battle over benefits. [more…]

The flavor of a cup of coffee doesn't only go in two directions, sour or bitter; it also includes aroma, sweetness, body, mouthfeel, and finish. When choosing beans, first decide whether you want floral and fruity notes, nutty and cocoa notes, or a balance between the two, then match that to the corresponding origin, processing method, and roast level. The key to espresso extraction lies in the dose and grind size. [more…]

When it comes to single-origin coffee beans suitable for a moka pot, start by looking at how you plan to drink it every day. For everyday bean purchases, you need to consider how quickly you'll use them up, how much to buy at a time, and whether you'll mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. If you mainly drink black coffee, pay more attention to aroma and aftertaste; if you often add milk, then consider whether the intensity and body can hold up. [more…]

The gaiwan is a common vessel in gongfu tea brewing, consisting of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer, usually made of porcelain, glass, or ceramic. This article explains in detail the usage process of the gaiwan, including warming the vessel, adding tea, pouring water, and decanting the tea, and introduces three correct ways to hold the bowl—the three-finger grip, the bowl-grasping method, and using a saucer—to help avoid burns and enhance the brewing experience. It also explains whether one can drink directly from a gaiwan and the steps for doing so, and offers buying advice for beginners, such as a standard capacity of 110 ml and porcelain gaiwans being easier to handle. Front Street Coffee recommends porcelain gaiwans suitable for beginners, balancing practicality and versatility. [more…]

To understand how SOE coffee is meant to be enjoyed, you need to translate flavor descriptions into sensations you can actually taste. For everyday bean buying, consider how fast you'll go through them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. Floral notes, fruity acidity, nutty and cocoa notes aren't a hierarchy—they're just different directions, and the one that suits you is the one that's right. [more…]

To understand SOE coffee beans at different roast levels, you need to translate flavor descriptions into sensations you can actually taste. For everyday bean buying, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. Floral, fruity acidity, nutty, and cocoa notes are not a matter of better or worse, but of different directions—the one that suits you is the right one. [more…]

Understanding which coffee beans to use for a sweet, intense Americano requires translating flavor descriptions into sensations you can actually taste. When buying beans for everyday use, you need to consider how quickly you'll go through them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk-based drinks at home. Floral notes, fruity acidity, nuttiness, and cocoa aren't a matter of better or worse—they're simply different directions, and the one that suits you is the one that [more…]

A Yirgacheffe with soft acidity is suitable for gradually building judgment from taste experience. When buying beans for daily use, you need to consider how quickly you drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. The flavor words on the packaging can provide clues, but they cannot replace the actual drinking experience—whether the acidity is soft, whether the sweetness persists, and the mouthfeel [more…]

Friends who love drinking black tea have probably all come across the term CTC. How exactly does it differ from traditional black tea? The core difference between the two lies in their production methods—the traditional method emphasizes plucking, withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying, with intricate and elaborate steps; CTC, on the other hand, relies on machines to complete crushing, tearing, and curling in one go, making it fast and low-cost. These processing differences directly determine the flavor direction of the finished tea: CTC is intense and powerful, prone to bitterness, and suitable for milk tea or masala chai; traditional black tea has delicate layers, suitable for drinking plain or with lemon. This article will break down each step of the two processing methods one by one, analyze their respective taste characteristics and quality levels, and tell you how to make a choice based on your drinking scenario, with a brewing tutorial for CTC black tea fannings attached at the end. [more…]

When it comes to coffee beans with floral aromas, first consider how you plan to drink them every day. For everyday bean purchases, you need to think about how quickly you'll finish them, how much to buy at a time, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. If you mainly drink black coffee, you can pay more attention to aroma and aftertaste; if you often add milk, then consider whether the intensity and body can hold up. [more…]

To understand the flavor-rich moka pot coffee beans, you need to translate flavor descriptions into sensations you can actually taste. For everyday bean buying, consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at once, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk coffee at home. Floral, fruity, nutty, and cocoa notes aren't about better or worse—they're just different directions, and the one that suits you is the one that [more…]

When drinking black coffee, many people experience a sweet aftertaste that rises in the mouth after swallowing—this is huigan (returning sweetness). Huigan differs from direct sweetness; it is often built on the fading of bitterness and is brought out by the sweetness presented by aromatic compounds. Starting from the definition of huigan, this article analyzes its causes, explains the difference between huigan and the sweetness felt after drinking water, and finally recommends pour-over coffee beans with excellent huigan performance, including product information from the Front Street Coffee brand, to help coffee lovers more accurately understand the finish and huigan. [more…]

From bean to cup, a coffee still has to go through grinding and extraction. When it comes to home-use Americano coffee beans, your daily buying decisions need to take into account how fast you drink it, how much to buy at a time, and whether your household mainly makes black coffee or milk coffee. First confirm your usual equipment and preferred taste, then compare specific beans—your actual practice will have clearer direction. [more…]

When it comes to Yirgacheffe entry-level options suitable for beginners, first consider how you'll be drinking it every day. For daily bean purchases, you need to think about how quickly you'll go through them, how much to buy at a time, and whether you'll mainly be making black coffee or milk coffee at home. If you mostly drink black coffee, you can pay more attention to aroma and aftertaste; if you often add milk, then consider whether the strength and body can hold [more…]

These days, walking into many tea shops, ordering a drink directly from the staff seems to be getting harder and harder—scanning a QR code, registering, and ordering online have become the standard process. Recently, a netizen shared an experience of being refused when trying to order directly at the counter because they were feeling unwell, sparking widespread discussion. Some people agree that ordering by scanning the code is efficient and saves time, while others question why on-site ordering is still not allowed when there are no other customers. Tea shop employees revealed that factors such as not being equipped with a cash register system, difficulty making change for cash, and insufficient staffing make QR code ordering a helpless choice for most stores. This debate over ordering methods reflects the difficult balance between efficiency and humanized service. [more…]

In recent years, consumers' demand for personalized coffee has continued to rise, and many chain brands and independent cafés have rolled out customization options. Recently, netizens reported that Luckin Coffee has piloted a "drink DIY" menu in some stores, allowing customers to choose their milk base and even add extra milk or espresso. As soon as the news broke, Luckin fans cheered, "Roll it out nationwide, fast," while some employees worried that order volumes are already huge and that full rollout could leave them "run ragged." Meanwhile, on January 22, Luckin announced it had completed development of the core features of its HarmonyOS native app. Is this exploration of coffee customization a blessing or a burden? This article takes you through it. [more…]

Understanding which coffee beans are suitable for espresso means translating flavor descriptions into sensations you can actually taste. When buying beans for everyday use, you need to consider how quickly you'll drink them, how much to buy at a time, and whether you mainly make black coffee or milk-based coffee at home. Floral notes, fruity acidity, nuts, and cocoa aren't a matter of better or worse—they're simply different directions, and the one that suits you is the one worth pursuing. [more…]