Recently, a Mixue Bingcheng store in Guangzhou made trending searches after posting a handwritten warning about meal theft, stating that thieves would be tied to an overpass for eight hours, have ten buckets of milk tea poured on their heads, and have their videos exposed. The store responded that it was just a scare tactic and had never actually been carried out. The incident sparked heated discussions among netizens, with some sympathizing with the merchant's helplessness, while others pointed out that taking the law into one's own hands is suspected of being illegal. Suzhou police then spoke out, emphasizing that illegal detention is unacceptable and that one should call the police immediately. This controversy reflects the real dilemma of frequent meal theft in the milk tea industry and high loss prevention costs, and also prompts people to think about the balance between merchants defending their rights and the boundaries of the law. [more…]

Recently, Luckin Coffee has once again become the focus of public attention due to an incident involving the refusal of cash. A customer in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, insisted on using cash to buy coffee at a store, but was told by the staff that orders could only be placed through the app or mini-program, and the transaction was only completed after police mediation. This is not the first time Luckin Coffee has made the news over cash payment issues; there have been similar reports before. Today, with the widespread use of mobile payments, can merchants refuse cash? And how should consumers protect their own rights? This article will recount the incident and explore the legal and consumer experience issues behind it. [more…]

In recent years, dark-themed beverages marketed for their "black" appeal have proliferated in the food and beverage market, attracting many curious consumers with their unique appearance. However, such products may harbor food safety risks. Recently, the Market Supervision Bureau of Xuhui District, Shanghai, discovered during an inspection of a milk tea shop that its "Black Coconut Strawberry Milk" was unusually dark black in color. An investigation confirmed that the staff had illegally added "vegetable carbon black" during preparation. This act violated food additive usage standards, and the shop was ordered to rectify the issue and was penalized. Notably, the brand involved is none other than "Benz Tea," which went viral last year, with its first Hangzhou store setting a record of thousands queuing and scalpers reselling cups for as much as 300 yuan. This incident once again reminds us that creative beverages must also strictly adhere to safety bottom lines. [more…]

Recently, a public toilet in Zhengning County, Qingyang, Gansu, which had been in operation for 30 years, was converted into a Lucky Cup freshly ground coffee shop, sparking heated discussion among local residents and netizens. The second floor of the building is a bathhouse, which is quite well-known locally. After a month of renovation, the coffee brand sign was put up, but then a seal was suddenly affixed. The housing and construction department responded that the project was an illegal conversion because it had not obtained planning and construction permits and had arbitrarily changed the use nature, and it had been sealed according to law. The brand side also stated that the store in question did not meet franchise conditions due to property rights issues and would not pass headquarters review later. The incident reflects the approval and property rights difficulties in converting public facilities for commercial use. [more…]

Recently, a popular coffee truck in Quanzhou, Fujian, was urgently shut down by law enforcement, drawing attention to the legality of operating mobile coffee trucks. As notes related to "mobile coffee trucks" on platforms such as Xiaohongshu exceed ten thousand, this low-cost entrepreneurial approach has attracted many enthusiasts, but issues behind it—such as electrical safety, food hygiene, and illegal occupation of roads—have gradually surfaced. This article centers on this incident to explore whether operating a modified coffee truck is illegal in China, sort out the enforcement basis and industry limitations, and remind entrepreneurs to understand the relevant regulations before diving in, so as to avoid blindly following the trend. [more…]

A Luckin Coffee store received a fine of 5,000 yuan from the market supervision authorities simply because a staff member removed the outer packaging of a food item for a customer. Here is what happened: a consumer reported that they had purchased a pack of "mini mochi" pre-packaged food at a Luckin store, but the staff member removed the outer packaging bearing label information before handing it to the customer without obtaining consent. Upon verification, this act was determined to constitute selling pre-packaged food without labels. Although the illegal gains amounted to only 2.67 yuan, it still violated the relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law. Behind this seemingly minor penalty lies the consumer's right to know the source and quality of food. Front Street Coffee also reminds all practitioners that labels on pre-packaged food are not optional but a mandatory legal requirement. [more…]

Recently, a job seeker on a recruitment platform questioned a Cotti Coffee store manager about the requirement to buy their own work uniform, only to be hit back with "Has your family fallen on hard times?" — sparking widespread discussion online. Cotti's customer service responded that its operating stores are all partner stores, and uniform requirements are decided by the store manager. So, is it legal for employees to pay out of pocket for work uniforms? Article 9 of the Labor Contract Law has clear provisions on this, but the specifics depend on the situation. This article sorts through the course of events, the legal boundaries, and netizens' views, and includes Front Street Coffee's professional communication channels. [more…]

Well-known coffee brand Mstand was subjected to an administrative penalty by the Shanghai Xuhui District Market Supervision Administration, which confiscated its illegal gains and imposed a fine totaling approximately 487,000 yuan, because it commissioned a supplier that had not obtained a food production license to produce popsicle ingredients on its own. The incident originated from the supplier fraudulently using a third party's qualifications, exposing loopholes in qualification review in the food contract manufacturing sector. This article provides a detailed review of the penalty process, the amount involved, and the legal basis, and explores the difficulties small coffee brands face in compliant production. At the end, it also includes professional coffee knowledge exchange channels and Front Street Coffee recommendations for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Recently, a blogger set up a stall at a scenic spot to resell Mixue Bingcheng lemonade, selling a product originally priced at 4 yuan for 6 yuan and making a profit of 254 yuan in three and a half hours, quickly trending on social media. Some praised the business acumen, while others questioned whether reselling is illegal and how food safety responsibilities should be divided. Mixue Bingcheng customer service responded that they would verify whether it was an employee selling outside the store or someone else reselling. Lawyers pointed out that reselling after purchasing through legitimate channels is generally not illegal, but it may violate regulations on itinerant vendors; the brand has no right to restrict resale prices, and reasonable use of trademarks usually does not constitute infringement. Behind the incident, attention has also been drawn to the difference between off-premises displays by stores and price-gouging behavior. Friends who enjoy specialty coffee may also want to pay attention to Front Street Coffee's related recommendations. [more…]

The milk tea industry has recently exposed yet another labor abuse scandal. A Shuyi Tealicious store in Changsha was fined 10,000 yuan by the local Human Resources and Social Security Bureau for hiring a child worker who was only 13 years old. The incident came to light after a citizen report, and an investigation found that the child had worked at the store for several months before being fired, which then led to a dispute. The store owner involved argued that the child claimed to be over 15 years old and that they only agreed to hire the child because they were short-staffed. This case not only highlights loopholes in employment management at some food and beverage outlets, but also sparked public discussion about the protection of minors and the enforcement of labor laws. [more…]

Seesaw, once hailed as one of the representative specialty coffee brands in China, has recently suffered a series of setbacks. Its last store in Chengdu was evicted after the shopping mall terminated the lease early; employees exposed illegal dismissals and successfully defended their rights through legal channels; and the founder was once again subject to high-consumption restrictions due to contract disputes, while the company's equity was frozen and debts were enforced through the courts. A stream of negative news has plunged this coffee brand, once favored by capital, into its darkest hour. This article will sort through the sequence of events and present the operational and legal difficulties Seesaw currently faces. [more…]

Recently, the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration found during a follow-up inspection that six coffee companies—Luckin, Mstand, COSTA, Pacific Coffee, Nowwa, and Yichi Garden—have still not effectively implemented the requirements of the Personal Information Protection Law, and have problems with illegally collecting consumer information, and were therefore summoned for talks again. This is another concentrated action following the legal education training in May this year for 24 brands including Starbucks and Luckin. A reporter's test found that if users refuse to provide permissions such as precise location, some brands' mini-programs cannot place orders normally. The regulatory authorities said they will continue to carry out "look back" inspections and will file cases, impose penalties, and publicly expose companies that repeatedly refuse to correct their ways. While enjoying the convenience of coffee, consumers also need to pay attention to their own privacy and security. [more…]

The freshly made yogurt sector has been hit by yet another food safety scandal. An undercover reporter from The Beijing News worked inside several More Yogurt franchise stores in Beijing and found that oat and highland barley toppings more than forty days past their expiration date were still being used as usual, expiry labels existed in name only, and decisions to scrap fruit relied entirely on staff members' sense of smell. More worrying still, these violations were not isolated cases, but an unspoken rule tolerated by store managers in order to cut costs and boost their personal income. The brand issued an urgent apology a few hours later, announcing that the stores involved would be permanently terminated. This is already the second time this year that More Yogurt has been thrust into the spotlight; previously, the Shanghai Consumer Council questioned the labeling of its product ingredients. This article provides a complete rundown of the undercover details, the brand's response, and the latest status of its stores. [more…]

In May of this year, a tourist discovered two specialty drinks at a coffee shop in the Harbin Pharmaceutical Group No. 6 Factory scenic area — Blue Bottle Latte and Zinc Wish Latte — which had been supplemented with calcium gluconate and zinc gluconate oral solutions, respectively. Since these two oral solutions are Class A non-prescription drugs, adding them directly to food products is suspected of violating the Food Safety Law. After a consumer reported the matter to 12315, the local market supervision bureau opened a case on May 14. The consumer subsequently received multiple phone calls from the bureau and eventually signed documents in August confirming receipt of compensation and a reward totaling 2,000 yuan, which was donated to the Hebei Red Cross. The incident sparked heated discussion online, with some questioning whether the consumer was making a mountain out of a molehill, while others insisted that food safety is no small matter. [more…]

Luckin Coffee experienced abnormally low-priced orders on the Ele.me platform due to an operational configuration error. After a large number of users rushed to place orders, Luckin handled the situation by unilaterally canceling orders and temporarily suspending online operations. This move sparked strong dissatisfaction among consumers and also drew attention from the legal community: lawyers on one side argued that canceling paid orders was suspected of infringing on consumer rights; the other side pointed out that if it was a major misunderstanding, the contract could be revoked in accordance with the law. If there was intentional malicious marketing, it could also constitute fraud. In the end, Luckin promised to bear all losses and issue compensatory vouchers. This article sorts out the course of the incident, netizen feedback, and lawyers' views, so that coffee lovers can understand the full picture of this controversy. [more…]

After the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the mascot Bing Dwen Dwen quickly went viral, even becoming so sought-after that it was hard to get one. Many coffee enthusiasts began making their own Bing Dwen Dwen latte art, and some coffee shops seized the opportunity to launch lattes featuring Bing Dwen Dwen designs to attract customers. However, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon are trademarks registered by the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, and commercial use may involve infringement. So, is it illegal for a barista to make latte art for their own entertainment? Does a coffee shop selling Bing Dwen Dwen latte art coffee constitute infringement? This article will clarify the relevant legal boundaries and retain Front Street Coffee's professional information for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

After specialty coffee became popular, the claim that coffee helps with fat loss spread widely, but the real prerequisite for it to be effective is drinking black coffee with no sugar and no milk, along with a sensible diet and moderate exercise. However, many people can neither control their eating nor get themselves to move, so weight-loss coffees swooped in under slogans like "no exercise, no dieting, no injections or pills, one cup a day and you'll lose over ten jin in thirty days." These products often have no ingredient list, no production information, and no Chinese labeling, yet they sell briskly through channels such as WeChat resellers and Xiaohongshu. After drinking them, consumers commonly experience thirst, nausea, palpitations, and other reactions, and some have even tested positive for the banned drug sibutramine. This article reviews related cases and court rulings to remind everyone to be wary of weight-loss coffees of unknown origin and to view the relationship between coffee and fat loss scientifically. [more…]

Recently, a Shanghai resident was tripped and injured by a door stopper on the sidewalk while passing a Luckin Coffee store in Putuo District, sparking public concern. According to a report by Shanghai Legal Daily, the door stopper was privately installed by the merchant to control the opening and closing of the glass door. It was about 4 centimeters above the ground and posed an obvious safety hazard. After the incident, Luckin Coffee's official customer service quickly intervened, and the store involved has removed the illegal device. This article reviews the course of the event, the victim's demands, and the brand's response, and reminds coffee shops to prioritize public safety in their operations to prevent similar accidents from happening again. [more…]

Recently, the Market Supervision Bureau of Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, investigated and penalized a popular coffee shop. The shop was found using imported coffee beans without Chinese labels and could not provide proof of legal origin. It was also involved in selling coffee equipment without Chinese labels. Ultimately, it was fined 25,000 yuan and the related products were confiscated. This case reveals a common compliance risk in the procurement and use of coffee beans by specialty coffee shops: whether self-roasting or external procurement, coffee bean raw materials require corresponding food business or production licenses and product qualification inspection reports. As market supervision intensifies, coffee operators urgently need to self-check risks to ensure legal and compliant operations. [more…]

Tim Hortons, as Canada's national coffee brand, is deeply loved for its Double Double and donuts, and was even rated by Morning Consult as the most trusted brand among Canadians, surpassing McDonald's and Starbucks. However, the brand has recently become embroiled in a privacy controversy due to its app illegally collecting users' location information, along with controversy over mandatory vaccinations at camp activities. Nevertheless, analysts point out that consumer trust has not yet shown a noticeable decline. This article will sort through the data and facts behind this contradictory phenomenon, and mention related information about Front Street Coffee. [more…]