Luckin takes on Starbucks in New York City

New York City better known as the city that never sleeps can never have too a large number of coffee shops That s completely a fact The Big Apple continues to be at the epicenter of an ongoing caffeine war as coffeehouses both large and small establish their storefronts across the five boroughs As of June a new chain has entered the villa Luckin Coffee the fast-growing Chinese coffee chain that bested Starbucks in domestic sales opened its first two U S locations in New York City The stores are located in Greenwich Village a quick walk from the New York University campus and in Chelsea Founded in Beijing in Luckin became known for its technology-driven retail model appealing to a young consumer base with its app-focused ordering cashless payments loyalty programs deep discounts and promotions Speed and convenience are the coffeehouse s forte which is underscored by its grab-and-go model and lack of indoor seating Related Starbucks sells out its secret menu I visited Luckin s Greenwich Village location this week which was packed with eager patrons ordering and waiting for their drinks As part of its opening promo Luckin s drinks were between to percent off meaning selected drinks cost as low as Inside customers were glued to their phones while the baristas were hustling behind the counter hurriedly making drinks or warming up food The space itself was small with only a sparse tables and chairs available It was missing that welcoming area coffeehouse feel that Starbucks is best known for Luckin s menu includes cold brews lattes hot coffee matcha and fruit-focused drinks called Refreshers They also offer pastries like a chocolate chip brownie sausage egg cheese croissant and a banana yogurt loaf Here s everything I tried Iced Velvet Latte As someone who s vehemently lactose intolerant I was pleased no elated to see that Luckin offers not one but three different options for non-dairy milk Coconut Oat and Almond Their Iced Velvet Latte is typically made with whole milk which I swapped out for coconut milk along with two shots of Dark roast espresso and Velvet Milk made with a blend of sweetened condensed milk heavy cream whole milk and an ice cream milk mixture that gives the drink its milkshake-like texture I didn t realize that Velvet Milk has dairy in it until after I ordered my drink So if you re looking for a thoroughly lactose-free vegan beverage perhaps opt for a regular latte That being mentioned the Iced Velvet Latte was incredibly delicious The coconut flavor from the milk was mild and the drink s overall sweetness was perfect not saccharine in the slightest As for its texture the drink wasn t thick like traditional American milkshakes but more so a hybrid of an iced coffee and a milkshake smooth and fluid with a subtle creaminess Raspberry Cold Brew During a fresh trip to Japan I tried my very first iced espresso lemonade which made me fall in love with the rather unconventional flavor combination Never did I think to combine coffee with cold citrus or fruit juice Luckin s Raspberry Cold Brew may sound a bit eyebrow-raising at first but it s worth giving the drink a chance Raspberry and coffee are already a perfect pairing Mix fresh raspberry juice with cold brew and you ve got a refreshing drink that s both bold and robust with a hint of tartness If you re looking for a more citrus-heavy option Luckin also offers a Blood Orange Cold Brew Pink Sunrise Made with coconut milk two shots of mango juice and strawberry sweet cold foam the Pink Sunrise is described as a mango coconut refresher that has a consistency similar to a fruit smoothie It s creamy and incredibly fruity The drink itself is also quite colorful with shades of pink orange and yellow making it the epitome of summer in a cup Solar Breeze Similar to Starbucks signature Refreshers Luckin s Solar Breeze is more juice-heavy and features a citrus blend of blood orange and grapefruit juices It s light refreshing as its name suggests and mildly sour I sipped on this drink during a midday walk and it kept me cool quenched and satisfied Additional Refreshers include Ruby Ocean a strawberry refresher and Golden Summer a pineapple refresher Iced Matcha Coconut Latte Craving a vegan iced matcha lattee Well look no further than Luckin s Iced Matcha Coconut Latte which touts a coconut milk base and three pumps of matcha sauce The drink leans more sweet and doesn t have the prominent grassy or earthy flavor that seasoned matcha drinkers may prefer But it s still not as sweet as Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte or its Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha Read more about coffeehouse chains Our partners are the face of our brand Starbucks is updating its dress code for baristas Starbucks reduces the number of items customers can order through its mobile ordering system Starbucks says it will reduce its food and beverage menu by by the end of The post Luckin takes on Starbucks in New York City appeared first on Salon com