Introduction:Luckin Coffee is known for its fast service, but recently there has been an increase in complaints about staff scanning orders and marking them as ready before they are actually prepared. In response, the headquarters has implemented strict auditing measures. Any violation will result in an immediate deduction of 100 base points from the store’s score, affecting not only the performance evaluations of all employees but also requiring the store to suspend operations for rectification. This article delves into the actual impact of the new policy on store operations and staff, and explores how to strike a balance between efficiency and compliance.
Luckin Coffee has long held a strong position in the market due to its efficient order fulfillment. Many customers place their orders in advance on their way to work and can usually pick up their drinks almost immediately upon arrival. However, recently some customers have reported that when they arrive at the store, they find that the staff has already scanned and marked their orders as ready, even though the beverages have not yet been prepared, raising concerns about service quality.
In response to such situations, Luckin’s headquarters has strengthened control over store operating procedures, particularly targeting behaviors that do not follow standard preparation processes. It is understood that if auditors discover a store has scanned orders before the drinks are ready, they will directly deduct 100 base points from that store,which not only affects the performance evaluations of all staff, but also forces the store to temporarily halt operations for rectification.。
According to insiders, each Luckin store starts with 100 base points. Once points are deducted due to violations—especially in severe cases such as a one-time deduction of 100 points—not only will the relevant employees face fines, but the entire store must also cease operations for rectification until it meets the required standards to resume business. This has put significant pressure on staff, who hesitate to scan orders as ready for drinks that are nearly complete but still lack a sealed lid.
Although Luckin has slightly relaxed the standard preparation time for beverages while implementing the new auditing policy, aiming to give employees more flexibility in handling orders, in reality, once staff stop scanning drinks early to avoid penalties, the overall on-time delivery rate of the store still shows a noticeable decline.
Store employees routinely handle both beverage preparation and order packaging, and their workload is already heavy. After the implementation of the new auditing standards, they face a dilemma:if they stick to the rules and avoid early scanning, the on-time rate will be affected; if they continue to scan orders prematurely, they risk facing serious penalties.Some employees choose to fully comply with the rules, sacrificing on-time performance to ensure every drink is completely finished—including the final step—before being scanned as ready. Even if this leads to being questioned by supervisors, the store manager steps in to take responsibility. Other employees, however, still hold onto the hope of getting away with it and continue to scan orders early, though they remain anxious about being caught on camera violating the rules.
Some staff adopt a flexible strategy: initially following the new rules, then quietly reverting to early scanning once they notice the on-time rate dropping too low. After the peak hours pass or the data stabilizes, they return to standard procedures. Regardless of the approach taken, employees generally report a significant increase in work pressure and heightened mental stress.
An anonymous employee commented that in the past, to maintain a high on-time rate, peak hours felt like a battlefield, but now they not only have to ensure beverage quality but also worry about the risk of point deductions. “It’s really too intense, not allowing anyone to breathe.” Another employee bluntly stated that if Luckin truly wants to improve the situation, it should adjust the standards to better reflect actual preparation conditions. “That way, everyone won’t feel forced to break the rules just to make the numbers look good, and customers can get their drinks without issues.”
Since the new policy was implemented, both store operations and employee workflows have had to adjust. Striking a balance between maintaining service efficiency and ensuring operational compliance has become an urgent challenge for Luckin. For consumers, although there may be a slight impact on service speed, in the long run, more standardized procedures are expected to enhance overall service quality and the customer experience.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
