Introduction:Luckin Coffee has recently launched large-scale recruitment across multiple districts in Hong Kong, advertising positions such as store manager, assistant manager, and baristas, while also revealing a competitive salary structure. Ranging from an hourly wage of HK$65 to a monthly salary of HK$30,000, the offers have attracted considerable attention. However, Hong Kong’s high cost of living and language barriers make this “southern expansion” full of challenges. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the recruitment criteria, salary and benefits, public response, as well as Luckin’s strategic positioning in the local market and against competing brands.
Luckin Coffee has recently posted recruitment notices in several bustling areas of Hong Kong, targeting districts such as Yau Tsim Mong, Central, and others. The vacancies include frontline roles such as store managers, assistant managers, and baristas. Details of this recruitment drive have sparked heated discussions on social media platforms. Aside from anticipation for a potential future launch of “HK$9.9 coffee,” netizens have also focused on Hong Kong’s relatively high cost of living and whether Luckin’s offered salaries can truly attract and retain talent.
According to leaked recruitment posters, both store managers and assistant managers are required to work full-time, with monthly salaries ranging from HK$18,000 to HK$30,000. Full-time baristas can expect a monthly salary between HK$16,000 and HK$20,000. For part-time roles, baristas are offered an hourly wage of HK$65, a figure that has surprised many mainland netizens, who consider it more attractive compared to what is available on the mainland. In addition, full-time employees are entitled to a range of benefits including Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions, meal and transportation allowances, performance bonuses, exclusive employee drinks, and promotion referral rewards.
It is worth noting that Luckin’s recruitment particularly emphasizes that applicants must possess Cantonese communication skills, and non-Hong Kong residents must hold a Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) to be eligible. The HKID is the smart identity card issued in Hong Kong, which is mandatory for all non-local residents to legally reside and work in the city. Under Hong Kong law, working without proper authorization can lead to legal consequences for both employers and employees, with severe cases potentially resulting in imprisonment. Therefore, even if enticed by Luckin’s salaries, one must ensure they meet the legal requirements for employment.
Following the announcement of the recruitment, online discussions quickly heated up. Many Luckin fans expressed excitement about the possibility of “HK$9.9 coffee” coming to Hong Kong, with some students openly hoping to soon achieve “Luckin Coffee freedom.” Other netizens called for popular items such as the “C Americano” and “Grape Iced Brew” to be introduced in Central. However, some rational voices pointed out that although the hourly wages appear attractive, the high cost of living in Hong Kong—especially rent and daily expenses—means that a monthly salary of just one or two tens of thousands of HKD may not leave much disposable income.
Even netizens familiar with the local market remarked bluntly that Luckin’s offer of a HK$30,000 monthly salary for store managers is not particularly outstanding within Hong Kong’s F&B sector. In fact, average salaries in Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry have been steadily rising in recent years, with some entry-level positions such as dishwashers approaching HK$30,000. As a result, for experienced professionals in the catering industry, Luckin’s conditions may not offer absolute competitiveness.
In fact, this is not the first time netizens have questioned “why there’s no Luckin in Hong Kong?” Many people who have traveled to or lived in Hong Kong have shared that they have not seen any Luckin outlets during visits to places like the University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Wan Chai, Tai Po, and Kwun Tong—instead, they spotted two Cupid (Kudi) outlets. Some analyses suggest that Luckin and Kudi may have intentionally avoided each other’s markets during their early overseas and special administrative region expansions, in order to reduce direct competition. At the time, both brands primarily positioned themselves against Starbucks rather than directly competing with each other.
However, this “non-interference” dynamic was broken by the end of 2023. With Kudi opening its first store in Singapore, Luckin also adjusted its capital structure in early 2024, reducing its registered capital in China from US$1.625 billion to US$1.225 billion, and clearly stating that part of the funds would be used for overseas market expansion and supply chain development. These moves indicate that Luckin is actively laying the groundwork for further internationalization, and Hong Kong—as a major Asian financial and consumption hub—naturally becomes a key part of its strategic map.
Currently, Luckin Coffee International (Hong Kong) Limited was registered in Hong Kong in February 2020 as a business engaged in commercial equipment-related operations, and currently holds one valid administrative license. Although it has not yet launched storefronts in the mass market, this large-scale recruitment drive is seen as a prelude to the brand’s official entry into Hong Kong’s consumer market. Whether it can successfully establish itself in Hong Kong’s highly competitive coffee market and realize its populist strategy of “HK$9.9 coffee” remains to be seen with time.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
