Introduction:When a Luckin Tea employee’s remark — “If you want powdered creamer, go to Guming” — upset a customer, what seemed like a simple complaint turned into an industry public relations model, thanks to the brand’s swift and sincere response. This article delves into the full story of the incident, from the quick apology and tangible compensation to the handling of cross-brand relationships, showing how Luckin Tea turned a crisis into an opportunity and won over both consumers and the market.
A cup of milk tea and one inappropriate response actually ended up benefiting a competing brand? This customer complaint triggered by an employee’s slip of the tongue at a Luckin Tea store ultimately turned into a PR success for the brand, not only quelling consumer anger but also earning widespread praise in the market, even being regarded as a case study for the industry.
The incident began when a customer asked via a third-party platform whether a drink contained powdered creamer. Unexpectedly, the staff member responded: “If you want something with powdered creamer, you can go drink it at Guming.” This clearly disparaging remark about a competitor offended the customer, who had only been inquiring about product ingredients. The customer then posted on social media expressing dissatisfaction, stating bluntly, “Luckin Tea is blacklisted for life. I got so angry just drinking a cup of milk tea.”
Faced with the sudden wave of negative public opinion, Luckin Tea’s official team responded quickly, publicly apologizing in the comments section and promising the customer a full year of free drinks as compensation. Soon after, the brand went a step further by issuing an official statement detailing the handling process, which included immediately reassigning the involved employee from their original position, demonstrating a responsible attitude.
Notably, because the employee mentioned Guming during the conversation — even though Guming was not directly involved in the dispute — Luckin Tea took the extra step of offering a compensation measure that left many netizens exclaiming, “So generous!”: “Guming staff members can enjoy a 50% discount on in-store drinks at Luckin Tea by presenting their Guming employee ID.” This unexpected move instantly made the innocent Guming employees the “biggest winners” of the incident, with netizens joking that Guming had “won by doing nothing.”
The reason this incident turned from a routine customer complaint into a successful brand PR case lies in Luckin Tea’s proactive approach — reaching out to the customer swiftly before the issue escalated, offering a sincere apology and concrete compensation. Many netizens noted that the brand not only calmed the customer’s anger but also demonstrated strong management and accountability regarding employee conduct.
In reality, after communication between both parties, Luckin Tea did not fully implement the initially promised “365 free drinks,” but instead adjusted the offer to three practical solutions of “6 free drinks via the mini-program for takeout,” reflecting flexibility and successfully regaining consumer trust.
Moreover, Luckin Tea did not shy away from addressing the remarks about a competitor. In addition to clarifying the facts, the brand explicitly stated that “pulling down or belittling others is strictly prohibited,” and took concrete actions to bear the consequences of the employee’s inappropriate words, showcasing the brand’s respect for fellow businesses and commitment to market ethics — earning unanimous praise from both the industry and consumers.
The success of this crisis PR effort lay not only in the rapid response and tangible compensation, but also in the brand’s demonstration of strong self-reflection and respect for consumers.
The entire handling process — from apology to compensation, and the proper management of cross-brand relations — provides valuable lessons for other beverage brands, leaving many to marvel: “This level of PR performance is worthy of deeper industry study.”
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
