Introduction:Recently, there have been reports that Luckin Coffee might be joining Meituan’s group-buying delivery platform “拼好饭” (Pinhao Fan), sparking discussions among both the market and store employees. Known for its low-price group orders, if Luckin joins, the already affordable 9-yuan coffee may see further price drops, attracting even more consumers. However, some stores in Xiamen have already begun trials, and while sales have noticeably increased, employees are facing challenges such as overtime work and staff shortages. This article takes an in-depth look at the current status of Luckin’s trial on Pinhao Fan, its pricing strategy, and the real impact on stores.
Recently, a piece of news has circulated on social media platforms suggesting that the well-known coffee brand Luckin may soon join Meituan’s group-order food delivery service “拼好饭” (Pinhao Fan), drawing concern and unease from many Luckin store employees. Pinhao Fan is a group-buying service launched by Meituan Delivery, where users can share orders with others to purchase drinks and meals at prices lower than the market average—such as teas for just a few yuan or simple meals for just over ten yuan—leading netizens to jokingly refer to it as the “Pinduoduo of the food delivery world.”
If Luckin does indeed become a partner on Pinhao Fan, its already very consumer-friendly 9-yuan coffee may see its price drop even further, which is undoubtedly great news for customers. Many netizens have been asking Luckin stores across the country when the brand will officially join the platform, what the actual prices for a Luckin drink might be, and whether the price cuts will affect product quality.
However, reactions from Luckin employees across various locations to this rumor have been mixed. Some staff said they have not received any official or operational notifications and believe the credibility of the news remains questionable. But others have shared screenshots of previous group chats, pointing out that some city-based Luckin stores have already started trialing the Pinhao Fan service, suggesting the rumor may not be entirely baseless.
Particularly in Xiamen, where Luckin’s headquarters is located, some employees revealed that the brand seems to have quietly joined Meituan’s Pinhao Fan about half a month ago, and the prices of the drinks offered are indeed lower than those on regular channels. However, the selection of Luckin products currently available on Pinhao Fan is still relatively limited, mainly including standard Americanos, Panda Meteorite Lattes, and a few other common drinks. In the future, the official team may expand the range of best-selling items depending on the situation.
The more affordable pricing strategy has successfully attracted many local consumers to place orders through Pinhao Fan. According to observations by Xiamen-based employees, since the brand joined Pinhao Fan, order volumes at some stores have seen significant growth. Coupled with the traffic boost from the delivery platform itself, the daily sales volume at some stores has jumped from around two to three hundred cups to seven to eight hundred cups, showing a clear improvement in sales performance.
However, the increase in sales has also brought new challenges. Multiple Luckin employees reported that although the brand continues to adjust its delivery operations to stimulate sales, stores are still generally facing staff shortages. When the platform launches promotional activities that lead to a sudden surge in orders, employees often have to work overtime to cope, and in some cases, even unpaid overtime. One employee admitted: “Who understands? We close at nine but end up working until after eleven,” “Yesterday I worked two extra hours for free,” “We close at ten but don’t get off work until one in the morning”—showcasing a noticeable increase in work pressure.
Therefore, upon hearing that Luckin might fully launch on Pinhao Fan, or even participate in popular promotions like the recent “0-yuan takeout” deals, many employees have expressed concerns, fearing another surge in order volume that could push their workload beyond what they can handle. Some staff have bluntly stated that nowadays, just hearing the notification sound for a new delivery order makes them feel stressed, with some humorously saying, “I’m begging the brand not to give us any more endless takeout orders that we can’t finish.”
Overall, Luckin’s trial on Meituan’s Pinhao Fan may bring more affordable prices and a wider range of purchase options for consumers, but it also has a tangible impact on store operations and employee workloads. If the initiative is rolled out nationwide in the future, how the brand balances expanding its market share with maintaining service quality will be a key point to watch.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
