Christmas has just ended, and while most consumers are still basking in the warm festive atmosphere, Luckin Coffee's frontline employees have experienced what can only be described as a "Christmas calamity." The brand's limited-time Christmas perk—a co-branded sticker free with any drink purchase—was intended as a goodwill gesture to reward customers, but unexpectedly triggered a massive surge in orders across stores nationwide. Label printers kept churning out endless strips of labels, drink stickers and gift stickers became indistinguishable from one another, and on top of that, two new Christmas drinks with nearly identical recipes launched simultaneously, leaving already busy baristas overwhelmed. What kind of chain reaction did this 24-hour holiday campaign actually bring to store operations? This article recreates the real experiences of Luckin's workers on this particular Christmas. [more…]

Tea beverage brand Gu Ming recently launched a 9.9 yuan milk tea unlimited drinking promotion, and starting today, it is distributing 500,000 free vouchers at scheduled times through its mini-program, adding momentum to the campaign. However, after a large number of consumers entered the activity page right at 12 o'clock, they encountered long periods of blank screens and crashes in the mini-program, and related topics once topped the trending searches. According to user feedback, the mini-program had already begun lagging a few minutes before the event started, and after 12 o'clock the server went down for nearly half an hour due to a sudden influx of a large number of requests; even repeatedly refreshing or switching to the computer version made it difficult to load. This is not the first time Gu Ming's mini-program has had problems during popular activities. Long-time users said that previous limited-time activities such as buy-one-get-one-free also often encountered interface crashes, and although they reported poor experiences many times, no obvious improvement was seen. [more…]

Recently, Malaysian homegrown coffee chain ZUS held a unique limited-time event—customers could bring a real banana to a store and exchange it for a free cup of coffee. On the day of the event, from 3 PM to 6 PM, the first 20 dine-in customers could redeem it by showing a banana. Upon learning about this, many netizens dug out bananas from home or rushed to fruit shops to buy some, then hurried to the stores to exchange the "secret code" with the baristas. Interestingly, some participants said the process was both fun and a bit embarrassing, because "banana" has other connotations in different contexts, and asking a staff member in public "Do you want to see my banana?" inevitably invites suggestive thoughts. Some speculated that this was a warm-up for an upcoming banana series of new products, while others noticed that the event date coincided with the opening of Luckin Coffee's Malaysian store and believed it might carry a competitive meaning. [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…]

During the National Day holiday, Starbucks launched limited-time stamp-collection events in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and many other places, drawing widespread attention from stamp-collecting enthusiasts. However, as the events progressed, many consumers found that stores had noticeably different understandings and enforcement of the rules, with some even seeing the same store offer free stamps in the morning but require a purchase in the afternoon. This shifting-back-and-forth phenomenon left participants confused and also sparked discussion about whether the event organizers should unify the rules. This article will outline the specific details of the two stamp-collection events and present the various problems consumers encountered during actual participation. [more…]

On Monday of this week, Chagee launched a five-day limited-time promotion. From March 2 to March 6, consumers could enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free offer on exclusive drinks purchased daily from 9:30 to 10:30 through the "Morning Elephant Good" early-series section of the official mini-program. During the promotion period, 100,000 cups of milk tea were also given away each day for 0.01 yuan through a password-guessing format. The event attracted a large number of milk tea fans right from the start, who raced to grab coupons at the exact time and invited others to join group orders, while buyer show-off posts on social media also helped drive its spread. However, by the third day, users in many places reported that multiple exclusive drinks in the event section showed as sold out and could not be ordered, and that the drink categories available at some stores did not match the eight officially advertised. Some new products were even marked as sold out in the event area while still being available for regular single-item ordering through other channels. Stores explained that materials were being consumed too quickly and that they could only adjust delistings based on inventory, but consumers did not fully accept this explanation. [more…]

As Children's Day approaches, major chain beverage brands are rolling out limited-edition campaigns and merchandise, and 1 Dian Dian has also brought back its cute, compact mini cups for a limited time. However, the launch of these mini cups has sparked considerable controversy: customers have found that when purchasing, the system automatically shows two cups, with identical flavors, sweetness levels, and toppings, and no ability to adjust them freely or order just one. Consumers who wanted to mix flavors or share with friends were disappointed, and some customers complained that the stores provide regular long straws, making the experience less than ideal. In response to the feedback, 1 Dian Dian employees also expressed helplessness, as the company has not provided ingredient ratios for the mini cups, leaving them to simply split a medium cup of tea evenly into two cups. If they were to customize orders according to customer requests, it would not only affect service efficiency but could also lead to waste. This article will sort through the focal points of controversy surrounding this mini cup campaign and the statements from all sides. [more…]

Manner Coffee has once again drawn attention, this time by teaming up with Tesla for a co-branded campaign. As a recognized master of collaborations in the coffee world, Manner's cross-industry footprint has already covered automobiles, luxury goods, beauty, sports, and many other sectors. From NIO to LV, from Helena Rubinstein to Allbirds, each partnership has precisely captured the brand tone, creating a win-win of both buzz and sales. This article will review Manner's major co-branding cases over the years, analyze the brand strategy and consumer psychology behind its success, and include professional information recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

After Luckin Coffee's 9.9 yuan promotion was scaled back, brands like Cotti Coffee and Tims rolled out short-term 9.9 yuan offers to grab market share. Starbucks, which once declared it would "compete on market, not price," recently suffered a system glitch during its March 8 Women's Day promotion, accidentally letting some consumers buy two large drinks for just 9 yuan. The loophole quickly sparked a frenzy of deal-hunting on social media, with some successfully placing orders while others had their payments canceled and refunded after checkout. Starbucks quickly fixed the bug, and the promotional price returned to 49.9 yuan for two cups. This accident not only gave consumers a taste of the thrill of "snagging a bargain," but also reignited discussion about the coffee price war. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has launched a second collaboration with Honkai: Star Rail, offering limited-edition merchandise. However, many fans discovered after placing their orders that the limited-edition cups and themed paper bags were severely out of stock. Some received only one of the two, while others got neither, forcing them to piece together orders across multiple stores. For collectors, these limited-edition packaging materials included with orders are part of the collaboration experience, and the insufficient restocking at stores left them quite disappointed. Whether brands should ensure packaging supply in tandem when launching new promotional campaigns has become the core of this controversy. [more…]

Heytea recently launched a limited winter warming campaign. In addition to themed merchandise, its offline stores also set up a free Easter egg—sprinkling the Heytea pet pattern onto the milk cap of designated drinks. Many fans made special trips to pick up this cup with the "limited-edition pattern," but the products they actually received frequently turned out to have the pattern blurred into a mess, with no recognizable shape at all. Some consumers complained that the product did not match the description and questioned whether the staff were just going through the motions; store employees, meanwhile, complained bitterly, saying whether the pattern takes shape depends heavily on powder-sprinkling skill, and that pet patterns are much harder to execute than the usual Heytea character, with a shaky hand or a slight angle deviation potentially causing a fail. In this controversy over sprinkling powder on a cup of milk cap, who exactly should take the blame? [more…]

After two consecutive quarters of disappointing sales performance, Starbucks' new CEO Niccol has begun adjusting the company's business strategy, significantly scaling back the frequent discount promotions previously offered and instead turning to new approaches such as loyalty points and limited-time specials to attract customers. This move aims to reverse the sales decline while reshaping Starbucks' brand positioning as a "community coffeehouse." However, reducing discounts may also push some consumers toward more cost-effective alternatives. This article will examine the background of Starbucks' strategic adjustment, the specific measures involved, and the potential impact they may bring. [more…]

During the National Day holiday, Tims launched a limited-time promotion at selected stores in Harbin, Heze, and other locations. Customers who purchased designated combo meals or drinks had the chance to receive a maple leaf craft item containing 2mg of pure gold, some of which were engraved with local landmark designs. After a Harbin netizen posted photos of the actual item, the post unexpectedly went viral, and the comments section was flooded with Canadian netizens expressing envy, even joking that their own country's stores only give away "E. coli and norovirus." This seemingly small but delightful giveaway promotion reflects the frequent food safety issues at Tims in Canada in recent years, as well as the feelings of overseas Chinese returning home and marveling at the environment of domestic stores. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has broken records in the chain coffee industry at an astonishing speed, adding 10,000 net new stores within a year, bringing its total store count close to 20,000, with an expansion pace even surpassing Mixue Bingcheng. However, alongside this runaway scale, problems have followed one after another: a swing from profit to loss in the first quarter, a decline in net profit margin in the second quarter, and a year-on-year drop in same-store sales at directly operated stores. The 9.9 yuan promotional campaign has lowered the average transaction value, making it a real challenge to increase revenue without increasing profit. Facing a price war with rivals such as Cotti and Starbucks, how Luckin balances scale and profitability will be a key proposition for its future operations. [more…]

On May 20, Luckin opened 15 directly operated stores simultaneously in Urumqi and Lhasa, announcing that the brand now covers all provinces nationwide. On opening day, 11 Urumqi stores and 4 Lhasa stores saw huge crowds, with some stores having wait times of over three hours for order pickup, and limited-edition cup sleeves and paper bags quickly sold out. However, alongside the high popularity came a string of complaints: severe delivery delays, inconsistent prices between third-party platforms and the mini-program, orders that could not be refunded, and even customers being removed from corporate group chats and blocked for speaking in group chats. The brand underestimated local consumer enthusiasm and lacked sufficient response measures, putting service and quality control under pressure. Based on the experience of brands like Front Street entering Xinjiang, a booming opening in a new market is not surprising, but how to balance traffic and experience remains an issue Luckin needs to address. [more…]

Recently, prices for multiple drinks on Luckin Coffee's mini-program suddenly dropped to 6.9 yuan, quickly trending on social media and sparking widespread attention. Consumers noticed price changes for popular items originally priced at 9.9 yuan, such as Americanos and Coconut Latte, with some new light milk tea and fruit coffee products also adjusted simultaneously. However, not all users could enjoy this discount; some only received limited-time redemption coupons. Luckin officially responded that this was a randomly distributed 6.9 yuan coupon activity for the Dragon Boat Festival and Children's Day, not a comprehensive price reduction. Meanwhile, the price war on delivery platforms is intensifying, with brands like Cotti having pushed coffee unit prices down to 3.9 yuan. Whether Luckin's move is a response to competition warrants in-depth discussion. [more…]

Mstand has long been known as a "merchandise maniac," and its recent launch of two limited-edition denim bags quickly sparked a buying frenzy. However, some consumers noticed during checkout that a 100-yuan member discount appeared in the discount section of the mini-program's settlement page. When stacked, this meant that for just 19.6 yuan, they could get a three-use card package originally priced at 100 yuan, plus a 28-yuan Americano. After this anomaly was shared online, a large number of users rushed to register as members in the mini-program to try to replicate it, but few succeeded. Was it a system glitch or a traffic-driving tactic? How did the company handle it afterward? This article will sort out the whole incident. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently teamed up with Honor of Kings for a second limited-time campaign, bringing back the classic Mascarpone Cheese Latte and introducing a brand-new Rice Milk Latte. The company claims the new drink uses rice milk made from black soil–grown rice, and with temperatures dropping in many places, many netizens have hailed it as the top choice for winter. However, after tasting it, many customers were left puzzled, saying they couldn't detect any rice aroma and even suspecting they had accidentally ordered a regular latte. Faced with the skepticism, Luckin employees shared the production process, revealing that this drink does not use conventional espresso liquid but instead employs "instant-cooled freshly extracted coffee." So why has this new product sparked such a big controversy over its taste? Let's find out together. [more…]

A convenience store selling Geisha—doesn't that sound a bit surprising? Taiwan region's 7-ELEVEN, operated by Uni-President Group, recently announced that it would offer a limited-time release of three Geisha coffees from Alishan at 18 stores with specialty coffee sections, priced at NT$250 to NT$500, equivalent to about 57 to 114 yuan. Once the news broke, discussions among netizens quickly heated up: some complained it was expensive, arguing that convenience store coffee should follow an affordable路线; others applauded, feeling this could make Geisha seem more approachable. This batch of beans comes from Fengshan Village in Alishan and the Doyuxiang Geisha Estate, the latter of which just won first prize in the Geisha category at this year's Alishan Coffee Estate Elite Exchange Competition. Is 7-ELEVEN's move an attempt to elevate its brand image, or a test of the convenience store coffee pricing system? This article takes you through the full backstory of the event and discusses the price and value of Geisha coffee. [more…]

Front Street Coffee is launching a limited-time special promotion, covering selected drip bags, six best-selling everyday beans, and thirteen specialty coffee beans, with single-origin beans discounted by up to 50%. Among them, Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Geisha is offered at half price—49 yuan for 100 grams—while everyday beans such as Yunnan small-batch, washed Yirgacheffe, and Mandheling are only 9.9 yuan. This season’s drip bags are 19.9 yuan for a box of ten, with free shipping nationwide. The promotion runs from July 15 to July 17, only this once. Whether you need everyday staples or want to try the Geisha flavor profile, this sale is worth checking out. Below, we introduce each product and its flavor characteristics in the order of drip bags, everyday beans, and specialty beans. [more…]