Introduction:Luckin Coffee, once known for attracting talent with flexible employee beverage benefits, has recently adjusted its policies—restricting free customization and tightening waste management—which has sparked dissatisfaction among frontline staff. This article delves into the background and specifics of Luckin’s employee beverage policy changes, as well as the dual impact of its cost-cutting and efficiency-enhancing strategies on both employees and consumers, helping readers understand the current operational realities within the coffee industry.

Working in a café not only provides income but also offers the perk of tasting coffee anytime—this is one of the reasons many young people choose to become baristas. In the past, Luckin Coffee attracted enthusiasts with its lenient employee beverage benefits: as long as their working hours met the requirement, they could enjoy drinks and even customize them freely based on personal preference. However, this once highly praised benefit has gradually been tightened, triggering strong pushback from frontline staff.

According to multiple current and former employees, in the past, as long as they worked at least four hours, they were eligible for one employee beverage. Those working full shifts would often enjoy one on-site and take another home. Although individual stores might have slight differences in ingredient usage, if employees didn’t like the standard menu options, they would often creatively mix available ingredients to craft their own unique coffee—a major appeal of Luckin’s employee beverages.

However, recently, some employees revealed that if they didn’t follow the official recipe when making a drink, they could be caught on surveillance, leading to warnings for the store and requiring the store manager to write a report explaining the incident. Such control measures have made frontline staff feel distrusted and significantly increased their work pressure.

Beyond customization restrictions, managing ingredient waste has also become a point of contention. In the past, stores allowed employees to report waste for their self-created beverages either under the closest standard recipe or by itemizing each ingredient. But now, to strictly control costs, many Luckin outlets have explicitly prohibited employees from improvising, requiring strict adherence to standard recipes without any unauthorized adjustments.

Faced with these changes, many employees have expressed dissatisfaction: “I came here specifically for the employee beverages. I’ve worked enough hours but can’t even get one—that’s just ridiculous,” “A lot of our stores don’t let us drink anymore. When we ask why, they say it’s to reduce waste—every bit saved counts,” “Now they’re cracking down on employee beverages again. How ironic—no matter what we do, it’s wrong,” “We’ve never really allowed DIY because of this waste issue.” These voices reflect the disappointment and confusion of frontline staff toward the policy adjustments.

Notably, since the “Luckin March Incident,” employees have long been dissatisfied with the arrangement of single-staffed stores, believing the company overly prioritizes data performance while neglecting actual operational needs. When orders surge but staffing is insufficient, not only do customer complaints increase, but employees also face immense pressure. Now, with the reduction in employee benefits, the work environment has become even more challenging.

Since last year’s financial report was released, Luckin has implemented a series of measures to boost profitability, including raising drink prices, reducing staff, and tightening control over ingredient waste. However, based on online public feedback, these cost-cutting and efficiency-enhancing strategies have simultaneously drawn dissatisfaction from both consumers and employees. Luckin’s goal of increasing store profitability through these measures may face significant challenges.

In summary, the adjustment of Luckin’s employee beverage policy not only affects the job satisfaction of frontline staff but also reflects the dilemma faced by chain coffee brands in balancing employee welfare and corporate interests while pursuing operational efficiency and cost control.

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