Introduction:Recently, a consumer discovered a greenish foreign object at the bottom of a drink purchased from a Luckin Coffee outlet in Haikou. The object was confirmed to be a component of the direct drinking water outlet. The incident has drawn public attention to food safety and the brand’s handling approach. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the origin of the foreign object, the consumer’s claim process, relevant legal grounds, and offers practical advice to help readers better protect their rights in similar situations.

In today’s era of increasingly popular coffee consumption, the hygiene and safety management of brand outlets have come under close scrutiny. Yet, some consumers still report finding foreign objects in their purchased drinks. Recently, a customer who bought a drink at a Luckin Coffee outlet on the first floor of Hexin Plaza in Haikou found a greenish object at the bottom of the cup, sparking widespread discussion.

According to the consumer, he purchased a drink around 6 p.m. on October 11 and later noticed a foreign object at the bottom of the cup. He immediately returned to the outlet to inquire. The outlet confirmed that the object was a component of the direct drinking water outlet. The staff stated they would report the issue to their superiors but did not immediately provide a specific solution.

Subsequently, the consumer filed a complaint through the Haikou 12345 platform, but the current mediation result shows that the outlet disagreed to provide compensation. Although Luckin’s official customer service contacted the consumer multiple times, the two parties were unable to reach an agreement on the compensation amount. Notably, the consumer discovered that Luckin had unilaterally refunded the order in question without any action on his part.

Photos provided by the consumer show that the foreign object at the bottom of the cup was greenish. Since the customer had ordered an “Orange C Americano,” the bottom of the drink contained dark concentrated juice, which initially obscured the object and made it go unnoticed until some time after drinking.

That same evening, the outlet staff contacted the consumer via WeChat to apologize and explained that the foreign object had fallen into the cup due to a loose direct drinking water outlet component. The component was made of food-grade contact material, and the staff emphasized that it is cleaned and disinfected daily and should not pose a direct health risk. As compensation, the outlet offered the consumer five free coffees in the future.

However, the consumer did not accept this compensation offer and insisted on claiming a thousand-yuan refund in accordance with relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law. He pointed out that according to the law, consumers have the right to seek corresponding compensation if foreign objects are found in their food, but the outlet did not directly address this demand. Later, although someone claiming to be a regional manager tried to reach out through mutual acquaintances for private negotiation, the consumer still refused.

On social media platforms, netizens have varying opinions on the incident. Some believe such accidents are unavoidable and suggest mutual understanding between both parties. However, many voices criticized Luckin’s handling as lacking sincerity, arguing that offering just five free coffees does not meet consumers’ reasonable expectations for food safety. Additionally, some netizens mentioned that inserting a straw too forcefully could also cause plastic pieces inside the cup to detach, though not necessarily directly related to the brand’s production process.

Luckin has long been known for its high standards of hygiene management. Many internal employees have shared rigorous cleaning procedures, even joking that they “thought they had entered the cleaning industry.” However, this incident still highlights that even under strict management, oversights in details can lead to foreign objects being mixed in.

Regarding this incident, Luckin’s official customer service responded by saying they take it very seriously and will assign a dedicated person to follow up on the matter, though no clear compensation plan has been provided yet. Communication between the consumer and the brand is still ongoing.

Food safety is the top priority for the catering industry. Brands should continuously strengthen risk monitoring and preventive measures to ensure the safety of every cup of drink. For consumers, when encountering similar situations, it is important to understand their own rights, make reasonable claims based on the Food Safety Law, and retain relevant evidence to effectively safeguard their interests.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.