Introduction:After surpassing 10,000 stores, Luckin Coffee launched a pour over service at its first flagship store, making it the only outlet under the brand to offer this option. However, videos taken by netizens revealed that the so-called pour over was actually prepared by a machine that simulates the techniques of champion baristas — with strict parameters governing the number of pours, water temperature control, and total extraction time — but the resulting flavor sparked polarized reviews. This article analyzes the actual brewing process and key data of this machine-made pour over, while also exploring the challenges and possibilities of Luckin’s foray into specialty coffee.
When it comes to Luckin Coffee, most people immediately think of its frequent cross-industry collaborations and its affordable pricing starting at just nine yuan. This budget-friendly chain image has secured its place in the market, presenting a more casual and accessible alternative compared to Starbucks. Yet, as the number of stores officially hit the milestone of 10,000, Luckin chose to attempt a transformation through its flagship store format, and the most notable addition is the introduction of a pour over coffee service.
This flagship store not only offers regular ready-to-drink coffee, but also dedicates a special area for pour over coffee, making it the only Luckin location currently where customers can enjoy this type of beverage. The new service quickly attracted many coffee enthusiasts and netizens eager to experience how this budget brand interprets an aspect of specialty coffee.
However, a netizen recorded the entire pour over brewing process and shared it on social media, instantly sparking heated discussion. Unlike the traditional image of a barista manually pouring water from a pour over kettle, Luckin’s version of pour over is entirely handled by a machine. This machine mimics the brewing parameters of a champion barista, following standardized settings for coffee dosage, water temperature, and pouring rhythm.
According to the video footage, the staff first precisely weighed out 23 grams of coffee beans, which were then ground and placed into the pour over dripper, before being positioned under the machine’s water outlet. Next, the machine poured 88°C hot water in ten separate pours , with the entire process lasting about three minutes, ultimately extracting 330 milliliters of coffee liquid. However, at one point during the process, there was a blockage in the coffee grounds layer, which the staff seemingly failed to notice in time, yet the machine continued operating according to its preset program.
Based on taste feedback, the color of this pour over coffee was noticeably lighter, and the flavors lacked concentration, with the overall profile coming across as rather weak. When a netizen directly asked the staff about it, the response was simply that “the hot one is slightly lighter,” without further explanation of the flavor formation.
After the video was exposed, online discussions exploded. Many netizens bluntly stated that a process entirely operated by a machine, devoid of human adjustment, could hardly be called pour over coffee. Comments such as “this should just be called machine pour over” or “flashy but not substantial, might as well use a clever dripper” abounded, with some even suggesting that Luckin should focus on the commercial coffee it already does well, rather than forcing its way into the pour over segment.
However, some consumers held differing views. A number of those who tried it mentioned that, at a price of around twenty yuan , this pour over already met their daily coffee needs — especially since light roast beans naturally tend to yield a lighter color and flavor, and the stability of machine production became an advantage. Moreover, for consumers trying pour over for the first time, experiencing a different brewing method at an affordable price still offered a certain level of novelty value.
In truth, the flavor experience of pour over coffee has always varied from person to person, and it’s difficult to definitively judge its quality based solely on subjective online reviews. But from a professional standpoint, many coffee enthusiasts emphasize that the essence of pour over lies in the barista’s ability to adjust pouring rhythm, water temperature control, and coffee-to-water ratio through feel and experience, thereby highlighting the unique flavor layers of the beans. While a fully machine-operated process can ensure parameter consistency, it also loses the most captivating “human touch” element in pour over coffee.
Additionally, some netizens pointed out that the staff did not intervene promptly when faced with the coffee grounds blockage issue, and their responses to customer questions seemed somewhat perfunctory, indicating room for improvement in overall professionalism. Regarding Luckin’s ambition to expand into the specialty coffee market, many consumers expressed understanding, but also hoped the brand would pay more attention to product quality and service details, ensuring that every yuan spent on “pour over” delivers corresponding value.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
