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China's largest coffee chain, Luckin Coffee, opened its first two outlets in Singapore today (Mar. 31).
Photo by Hayley Foong
The Marina Square and Ngee Ann City outlets are the first to be opened outside of China.
We visited the Marina Square outlet and tried a few of their signature drinks.
15-seater cafe
The cafe is relatively small, with a total of 15 seats for its customers and ample walking space.
It boasts a clean interior with marble flooring and a simple cool-toned floral wallpaper.
Photo from Hayley Foong.
Photo by Hayley Foong
Photo by Sarah Hannah Charles
100 per cent cashierless
Do take note that Luckin Coffee is 100 per cent cashierless.
This means that customers will have to download the Luckin Coffee mobile app to select, purchase and pick up their drinks.
The app was easy to navigate and much like other food delivery apps, it includes both self-pickup and delivery services.
Customers can choose to pay through credit, debit card, GrabPay or PayNow.
Screenshot by Sarah Hannah Charles via Luckin Coffee's mobile app
Screenshot from Sarah Hannah Charles via Luckin Coffee's mobile app
Photo by Hayley Foong
What's on the menu
Luckin Coffee has a pretty wide variety of drinks including:
- Coconut series: Coffee-based lattes made with cold-pressed raw coconut milk
- Exfreezo series: Frappucino for coffee and non-coffee-based drinks
- Single Origins Expresso (SOE) series: Features two varieties, the Yirgacheffe and Hambella
Their Arabica beans are sustainably sourced from various locations such as China, Columbia and Ethiopia.
The drinks range from S$4.80 to S$6.80. Kind of like your typical popular coffee chain pricing.
Photo by Hayley Foong
Here are some of the drinks we tried:
Iced Coconut Latte (S$6.40)
Photo via Hayley Foong
The latte is made with plant-based milk which balanced out the overall sweetness of the drink.
Our only gripe is that we expected a stronger coconut flavour.
Iced Matcha Exfreezo (S$6.40)
Photo by Hayley Foong
Here's one for frappuccino and matcha lovers.
Compared to other matcha-flavoured drinks we have tried, the drink was not overly sweet and had just the right balance of matcha and cream.
Hot Creamy Dreamy Latte (S$6.40)
Photo by Hayley Foong
While we are not fans of lattes, this drink was a pleasant surprise.
As opposed to regular foamy lattes, the drink had less foam which provided a smoother drinking experience.
The drink had a light creamy taste which was not too jelak even after a few sips.
Hot Hambella Americano (S$5.60)
Photo by Hayley Foong
Unlike usual Americanos that pack a strong punch, this was much subtler.
While robust, the coffee went down pretty smooth which made the drink more enjoyable.
Here's the full menu:
Photo by Sarah Hannah Charles
Photo by Sarah Hannah Charles
Photo by Sarah Hannah Charles
Luckin Coffee @ Marina Square
Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-153, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening hours: Daily, 8am to 10pm (last order at 9:30pm)
Luckin Coffee @ Ngee Ann City
Address: 391 Orchard Road, #01-K2, Civic Plaza, Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238872
Opening hours: Daily, 9am to 9:30pm (last order at 9:30pm)