Following the "ice cream price gougers," a new controversy dubbed the "ice cube gouger" has emerged in the coffee world.
Recently, a topic about Luckin Coffee Inc. (LKNCY)'s "extra large cup being half full of ice" went viral on Weibo, sparking widespread debate. The issue arose after staff reportedly refused to address customer complaints, stating that "not topping up the drink after removing ice is standard procedure." Consumers reported that after ordering an extra large latte with "no ice," they received a cup barely half full of the actual beverage.
A practical test revealed that the phenomenon of excessive ice at Luckin Coffee is indeed prevalent. Taking the brand's globally top-selling "Coconut Latte," with cumulative sales exceeding 2 billion orders, as an example, the coffee liquid after removing ice only amounted to about half the cup, showing a significant volume difference. Furthermore, a newly launched "All-Ice Dark Chocolate Americano" was found to be almost entirely filled with ice, leading netizens to joke about "spending over ten yuan to buy a cup of ice, with a bit of coffee thrown in as a bonus."
Regarding the "excessive ice" issue, Luckin Coffee responded, stating: "We have taken note of the recent discussions regarding 'no ice' products and the company takes this matter very seriously." The company explained that "to maintain product flavor and taste, beverages have fixed recipes. Some products, due to their flavor or attributes, do not support no-ice or less-ice options. Considering consumer demand, for products like the Coconut Latte, consumers can request no ice or less ice in the notes, and stores will replenish ingredients according to standard."
This ice-related dispute not only exposes an imbalance between Luckin Coffee's product standardization and user experience but also reflects underlying concerns about increasingly extreme cost-control measures under the pressure of its Q1 2026 financial performance, which showed revenue growth without corresponding profit growth.
Test Results Show Significant Shortfall
The test confirmed that for the top-selling Coconut Latte, the coffee liquid after ice removal was only about half a cup, with a clear capacity discrepancy. A staff member at a physical store indicated that if customers do not proactively request no or less ice, drinks are made to the standard formula. When asked if the drink is topped up after ice removal, the staff said "yes," but did not disclose the company's official ice standard.
However, there is a noticeable inconsistency in responses from different outlets. Some media reports cited store staff refusing to explain, citing "fixed company standard recipes" and the rule of "no topping up after ice removal." In contrast, the official Luckin Coffee customer service stated: "Some beverages support no-ice options. After removing ice, the vacant capacity will be filled with the product's main ingredients."
It was observed that on the official Luckin Coffee mini-program, almost all beverages only have "ice" or "ice/hot" temperature options, unlike brands such as Starbucks which offer "less ice/no ice" choices. Notably, the recently launched "All-Ice Dark Chocolate Americano" explicitly states on its sales page that it "does not support no-ice/less-ice" options. An order of this drink, delivered after a 20-minute ride, still arrived with the cup "almost completely full of ice."
An industry insider pointed out, "Luckin Coffee basically lacks less-ice/no-ice options, which leads some consumers who dislike added ice to find their drinks contain too much ice upon purchase, affecting their experience and breeding dissatisfaction."
Following the escalation of the controversy, a large number of netizens flooded related comment sections to express their dissatisfaction with Luckin Coffee. Data shows that in discussions about the "no topping up after ice removal is standard" issue, approximately 45% of netizens expressed strong dissatisfaction, accusing Luckin of consumer fraud and demanding clear labeling of actual liquid volume. Another 25% of users compared Luckin unfavorably to competitors like Cotti Coffee and Starbucks, which do top up drinks, criticizing Luckin's poor service.
One netizen commented, "Iced drinks should use larger cups; the liquid portion shouldn't be reduced. That's how consumer rights are protected!" Another complained, "The ice is added to a ridiculous extent. Last time I ordered a latte, I couldn't even insert the straw." Others lamented, "Ordered an extra-large cup, ice takes up 2/3 of it," and "The ice cube gouger is here."
In its latest response to address user disputes caused by "excessive ice," Luckin Coffee stated: "The company has strengthened relevant training across all national stores to provide consumers with higher quality products and service experiences."
A Recurring Issue Amid Financial Strain
In fact, this is not the first time Luckin Coffee has faced user dissatisfaction or large-scale public backlash over "too much ice." As early as July 2023, an incident where a user selected "normal ice" only to receive a cup "almost two-thirds full of ice" sparked widespread controversy and discussion.
At that time, a consumer protection committee commented that "businesses should respect consumers' right to fair trade. Adding ice to drinks should be moderate. Given the unit price often reaching twenty or thirty yuan, businesses should ensure genuine materials and value for money, and not let high-priced drinks become watered-down goods." Consumers are willing to pay for quality, and companies should conduct business fairly, focusing their differentiation strategy on quality.
An industry insider explained that the core espresso content in a cup of coffee is fixed, and ice primarily serves to adjust temperature and fill volume. Topping up with milk or other ingredients after ice removal would increase the raw material cost per cup. For Luckin, which follows a low-price strategy with daily sales reaching millions of cups, this cost increase multiplied by the massive sales volume would result in significant additional expenses. Therefore, increasing the ice ratio to appropriately reduce the use of other raw materials has become an unspoken "hidden rule" for some coffee companies.
On consumer complaint platforms, there are currently over 25,120 complaints against Luckin Coffee, with over 838 new complaints added in the past 30 days. Issues mainly focus on unresponsive after-sales customer service, membership fee disputes, food safety, and false advertising.
Among the numerous complaints, some users have even reported "black spots" on the ice used by Luckin Coffee, questioning the hygiene of its ice machines, while others have claimed to have found "glass" in their drinks.
Profitability Under Pressure in Q1
The concentrated outbreak of the ice controversy is closely related to the severe performance pressure Luckin Coffee currently faces. According to its Q1 2026 financial report, the company achieved a 35.31% year-on-year increase in total revenue, but net profit fell by 3.33% year-on-year, showing a clear trend of "revenue growth without profit growth," indicating pressure on profitability.
The decline in profitability stems from multiple factors. Firstly, competition in China's ready-to-drink coffee market is intensifying. Brands like Cotti Coffee and Luckin Coffee continue to capture market share with prices as low as 9.9 yuan or even lower. Luckin is compelled to maintain large-scale low-price promotions to retain users, further compressing profit per cup.
In reality, user experience is the core competitive advantage for chain coffee brands. Luckin Coffee's ability to surpass Starbucks in becoming the coffee brand with the most stores in China in just a few years is inseparable from its high cost-performance ratio and convenient consumption experience. However, if it persistently cuts corners to control costs, it will ultimately lose consumer trust.
For Luckin Coffee, the current need is not to "pinch pennies" on ice, but to control costs through healthier methods such as optimizing supply chain efficiency and improving store operational capabilities. Simultaneously, it should respect consumers' right to fair trade by clearly labeling the actual liquid volume and ingredients of beverages on product pages, providing clear no-ice and less-ice options, and standardizing operational procedures across all national stores to avoid inconsistencies between official statements and store practices.
From "ice cream price gougers" to "ice cube gougers," consumer tolerance for businesses giving "short measure" is continuously decreasing. For a leading coffee brand like Luckin Coffee, short-term cost control is undoubtedly important, but building brand reputation requires long-term accumulation. Sacrificing user experience for short-term profits will ultimately prove to be a losing strategy.
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