瑞幸 , 一个被咖啡耽误的科技大佬Luckin, a tech giant who was delayed by coffee
问世间最近的距离，不是你在我对面，而是，我想你的时候，你就这么突然的出现了。
就像你每次发呆想嘴里嚼点啥东西时，好家伙，眼就那么一撇，瑞幸咖啡就这么来了。所以，你公司楼下那家瑞幸，是怎么开在那里的？
不是缘分，是AI。
2025 年，超过七成的瑞幸咖啡新店选址由 AI 推荐。换句话说，你每天路过的那家店，大概率是算法中的 " 懂你 " 发动了技能之你可能要喝一杯了。
这就有意思了。一个卖咖啡的品牌，独门秘籍居然是一套选址算法？
但作为科技媒体，我们更多的关注是：瑞幸开在这个位置，真的是随缘的吗？带着这个问题，我去了全球最顶级的 AI 盛会——在上海开幕的WAIC 2026。
参加这次的 WAIC 的 AI 企业高达 1100 多家，有 300 个最新 AI 产品首发。满场都是大模型、机器人、自动驾驶，脑机接口等硬核科技。
WAIC 上的瑞幸
瑞幸不仅是本届 WAIC 2026 的" 独家现制饮品合作伙伴 "，它还搭了个展区，把它是如何利用 AI 懂消费者的需求，怎么管理供应链，如何开店选址的，全部展示了出来。
端着现场领的咖啡转了一整圈。出来之后就一个感受：瑞幸表面上是卖咖啡的，但它的AI 技能树其实早就点满了。
进展厅第一个区域，跟点咖啡有关。
以前点瑞幸是什么体验？打开 App，面对满屏饮品开始犯选择困难症，来回划拉五分钟，最后还是不知道点啥。
瑞幸说：这事 AI 来。
它做了一个智能体叫AI Lucky，底层接了 DeepSeek 和豆包大模型。你不用翻菜单了，直接跟它说话，只要跟咖啡沾边的事，它都能搞定。
现场有个小姐姐手把手教体验。我直接掏出手机，给了它一个相当抽象的需求：" 天太热了，帮我点 10 杯冰茶，下午开会喝。"
说完我就等着看它出错。
结果 AI Lucky 先定位最近门店，然后选品，再一杯杯加进购物车—— 10 杯冰茶，搭配了5 种不同口味。这任务要交给我自己来，我估计点到第三杯就已经烦了。它比我还上心。
更贴心的在后面。我说 " 下单吧 "，它直接跳到支付界面，还自动帮我找到了最佳优惠组合。你点 10 杯它帮你算怎么凑单最便宜——这已经不是 AI 助手了，这是一个替你省钱还不邀功的编外财务。
现场快闪店里，其他观众的体验也很有意思。有个顾客跟 AI Lucky 说 " 我最近在减肥，帮我推荐一杯美式 "，它直接推了热量最低的标准美式。没有给你推什么 " 低卡轻盈系列 " 然后塞一杯其实热量也不低的燕麦拿铁，而是实打实地帮你挑了最干净的那杯。
它不是在 " 分析 " 你。它是真的在懂你——你模糊地说出一个需求，它替你想到你自己没想到的那一层。而且这不是展台上做做样子的 Demo。打开你手机上的瑞幸 App，右下角就能用，微信、支付宝也能唤起 .
不只是帮助用户，在瑞幸内部，他们也在用AI 生产大量宣传物料——海报、主视觉、传播素材，让海量创意快速就位，更加贴近消费者。
但这还只是表面能看到的 AI。
往里走，有一块区域专门展示了一个更深层的问题：瑞幸为什么总能出爆款？
根据搜罗来的数据——生椰拿铁卖了21 亿杯，橙 C 美式5.5 亿杯，到目前为止已经有 22 款单品销量破亿。做消费品的都清楚，出一个爆款靠运气，出两个靠实力，连续出 22 个——这不是欧皇附体，这是把抽卡变成了科学。
展厅把新品筛选逻辑直接摊开了：用户反馈、市场分析、上市时机、口味趋势，四个维度交叉验证，精准筛出最有爆款潜质的那一杯。而且上线不是终点——数据持续追踪，随时调整迭代。
你觉得 " 这杯好喝 " 的时候，背后是一整套系统在理解趋势、理解你。在你意识到自己想喝什么之前，对的那杯已经备好了。
再往里走，进入供应链展区。
这块是我觉得最震撼的部分，因为它回答了一个我之前从来没认真想过的问题：为什么我在每家瑞幸买的生椰拿铁，味道都是一样的好喝？35000 家店，遍布全国，难道它们的咖啡豆是复制粘贴出来的？
答案是：AI 把这条链路每一个环节都管住了。
先是选豆。瑞幸的咖啡豆从中国云南、巴西、埃塞俄比亚等全球优质产区采购，选哪个产区、哪批豆子、什么时候采，背后都有数智技术在驱动。不是采购经理飞过去拍脑袋定的，是 AI 在做数据化的比对和决策。
然后是仓配。这一段现场小姐姐说得很清楚—— AI 在做仓网规划、品仓布局、路径优化，保证从豆子到门店的每一程，都是新鲜、及时、稳定地送达。
到了门店端更狠。订货这件事，以前是店长凭经验估的——明天周末，多备点；下雨天，少进点。现在是AI 预测驱动全链路智能订货，经验被沉淀成了一套完整的数字化能力。
最近大家肯定看过一个故事——山东泰安一对夫妻开了家肉火烧店，生意快黄了，隔壁开了家瑞幸，结果不但没抢走客人，反而带来了大量年轻客流，火烧店起死回生。4 秒短视频点赞超过 15 万，瑞幸官方还跑去拍了探店视频。
故事很暖。但大家有没有想过，瑞幸为什么偏偏开在那个位置？
展厅里 " 万店智脑 " 展区回答了这个问题。现场小姐姐介绍，从去年到现在的新店中，超过七成的位置都是 AI 推荐的。它不是随便找个人流量大的地方就开—— AI 理解了社区的需求和人群动线，所以瑞幸总出现在你最顺路的地方。
选完址，建店也是一套标准化体系在跑。4 种门店风格背后是统一的材料库、电脑自动出图、标准化施工、AI 自动验收，从报审到开业平均工期18天。一年交付9000多家店，效率拉满。
更底层的支撑是什么？70 万台以上 IoT 设备联网，在线率99%。正是这些设备在给 AI 提供最新、最准确的数据反馈，从而保证 35000 家门店、每一杯咖啡品质如一。
不管你在上海还是在泰安，在北京还是在县城，拿到手的那杯，是一样的。
逛到最后还有一件事值得说——展厅里有一面墙，是瑞幸这次首次公开的" 智萃生态圈 "。
阿里云、百度智能云、飞书、华为云、火山引擎、腾讯云、天数智芯、亚马逊云科技。中国头部云厂商的豪华全家桶，几乎到齐了。
这不是那种 " 发布会上摆一排 Logo 然后各回各家 " 的合作。是真的在一起搞事情——让 AI 技术在更多场景中融入消费者的日常。
一般公司搞数字化，是 " 我要用 AI"。瑞幸搞到这一步了，已经变成了 " 我把跑通的模式打包，让整个消费行业都能用 "。
藏在咖啡里的另一个瑞幸
逛了 WAIC 2026 瑞幸的展馆，突然觉得有点不认识每天都在喝的瑞幸了。
我是瑞幸的老用户了，基本上每天一杯，喝了少说也有大几百杯。但在今天之前，我对瑞幸的全部认知就是——打开 App，点一杯，付款，等三分钟，取走。这套动作已经丝滑到我从来没想过背后有什么。
今天逛完才意识到，" 丝滑 " 本身就是技术力的证明。
你不会感觉到 AI 在选豆，但你喝到的每一口都是稳定的。你不会感觉到 AI 在选址，但瑞幸就是开在你最顺路的地方。你不会感觉到 AI 在帮你挑口味，但你确实越来越觉得 " 瑞幸挺懂我的 "。
最厉害的科技从来不是让你觉得 " 好厉害 "，而是让你根本感觉不到它的存在——但离开它你又会觉得哪里不对。
瑞幸的 AI 就是这种。你说不出它在哪，但它在每一杯里。
所以回到今天的开头——瑞幸是一个被卖咖啡耽误的科技大佬吗？
逛完这一圈，我倒觉得它没被耽误。
卖咖啡，恰恰是它最好的证明方式。别人用 PPT 讲 AI 能干什么，它用 41 亿杯咖啡告诉你 AI 已经在干了。
The closest distance in the world is not when you are across from me, but when I miss you, you suddenly appear.
Just like every time you daydream and want to chew something in your mouth, my goodness, with just one glance, Luckin Coffee comes here. So, how was the Luckin store downstairs from your company located there?
It's not fate, it's AI.
By 2025, over 70% of Luckin Coffee's new store locations will be recommended by AI. In other words, the store you pass by every day is likely to be activated by the algorithm's "know you" skill, and you may need to have a drink.
That's interesting. Is a coffee brand's unique secret actually a set of location selection algorithms?
But as a technology media, our focus is more on whether Luckin Coffee's position is really a matter of fate? With this question in mind, I went to the world's top AI event - WAIC 2026, which opened in Shanghai.
More than 1100 AI companies participated in this WAIC event, with 300 of their latest AI products being launched. The venue is filled with hardcore technologies such as large models, robots, autonomous driving, and brain computer interfaces.
Luckin on WAIC
Luckin Coffee is not only the "exclusive freshly made beverage partner" for this WAIC 2026, but it has also set up an exhibition area to showcase how it uses AI to understand consumer needs, manage supply chains, and select store locations.
I walked around holding the coffee I received on site. After coming out, I had a feeling: Luckin Coffee appears to sell coffee, but its AI skill tree is actually already full.
Entering the first area of the exhibition hall is related to ordering coffee.
What was the experience of using Luckin Coffee before? Opening the app, facing a full screen of drinks, I started to have difficulty choosing. I scrolled back and forth for five minutes, but in the end, I still didn't know what to order.
Luckin said: AI will handle this matter.
It has developed an intelligent agent called AI Lucky, which is connected to DeepSeek and the Big Bean Model at the bottom. You don't have to flip through the menu, just talk to it. It can handle anything related to coffee.
There was a young lady on site who taught hands-on. I took out my phone directly and gave it a rather abstract request: "It's too hot, please help me order 10 cups of iced tea for the afternoon meeting
After speaking, I waited to see if it went wrong.
As a result, AI Lucky first located the nearest store, then selected products, and added cups to the shopping cart -10 cups of iced tea, paired with 5 different flavors. I'll have to take care of this task myself, and I'll probably get tired of it by the third cup. It cares more than me.
More considerate at the back. I said 'place an order', and it jumped directly to the payment interface, automatically helping me find the best discount combination. You order 10 cups and it helps you figure out how to make the cheapest order - this is no longer an AI assistant, it's an extra finance tool that saves you money without taking credit.
The experience of other viewers in the on-site pop-up store was also very interesting. A customer told AI Lucky, 'I've been losing weight lately, can you recommend me an American style drink?' It directly recommended the lowest calorie standard American style. I didn't recommend any "low calorie lightweight series" to you and stuffed a cup of oat latte that is actually not low in calories, but actually helped you choose the cleanest cup.
It's not analyzing you. It really understands you - you vaguely state a need, it reminds you of a layer that you didn't think of yourself. And this is not a demo for show at the booth. Open the Ruixing App on your mobile phone, and it can be used in the lower right corner. WeChat and Alipay can also be aroused
Not only to help users, but also internally at Luckin, they are using AI to produce a large amount of promotional materials - posters, main visuals, and communication materials, allowing massive creative ideas to be quickly put in place and closer to consumers.
But this is only the visible AI on the surface.
Going inside, there is an area dedicated to showcasing a deeper question: why does Luckin always have explosive products?
According to the data collected, coconut latte has sold 2.1 billion cups, orange C American style 550 million cups, and so far 22 individual products have sold over 100 million. Those who specialize in consumer goods are well aware that producing a popular product relies on luck, producing two relies on strength, and producing 22 in a row - this is not the possession of the European Emperor, but turning card drawing into science.
The exhibition hall directly unfolded the logic of new product screening: user feedback, market analysis, launch timing, taste trends, cross validation of four dimensions, and accurately screened out the cup with the most explosive potential. Moreover, going live is not the end point - data is continuously tracked and iterations can be adjusted at any time.
When you think 'this cup is delicious', there is a whole system behind it that understands trends and you. Before you realize what you want to drink, the right cup is already prepared.
Go further inside and enter the supply chain exhibition area.
This is the most shocking part for me, because it answers a question that I have never seriously thought about before: why do all the coconut latte I buy at Luckin Coffee taste the same and delicious? 35000 stores spread across the country, are their coffee beans copied and pasted?
The answer is: AI has taken control of every link in this chain.
First, choose the beans. Luckin Coffee's coffee beans are sourced from high-quality global production areas such as Yunnan, Brazil, and Ethiopia in China. The selection of which production area, batch of beans, and when to pick them are all driven by intelligent technology. It's not the purchasing manager who flew over and made a decision, it's AI making data-driven comparisons and decisions.
Next is warehouse distribution. The young lady on site made it very clear that AI is doing warehouse network planning, product warehouse layout, and path optimization to ensure that every journey from beans to stores is delivered fresh, timely, and stable.
More ruthless at the store end. The ordering process used to be estimated by the store manager based on experience - prepare more tomorrow weekend; On rainy days, go in less. Now it is AI prediction driven full chain intelligent ordering, and experience has been accumulated into a complete set of digital capabilities.
Recently, everyone must have read a story about a couple in Tai'an, Shandong who opened a meat and fire restaurant. Their business was on the verge of decline, and next door they opened a Luckin store. However, instead of taking away customers, they brought in a large number of young customers, and the fire restaurant was revived. The 4-second short video received over 150000 likes, and Luckin officials even went to shoot a store exploration video.
The story is very heartwarming. But have you ever wondered why Luckin chose to drive in that position?
The "Wandian Intelligent Brain" exhibition area in the exhibition hall answered this question. The young lady on site explained that over 70% of the new store locations from last year to now have been recommended by AI. It's not just about randomly finding places with high personal traffic - AI understands the needs of the community and the flow of people, so Luckin always appears at the most convenient places for you.
After selecting the location, building a store is also a standardized system in operation. Behind the four store styles are a unified material library, computer-generated drawings, standardized construction, and AI automatic acceptance, with an average construction period of 18 days from approval to opening. Deliver over 9000 stores in a year, maximizing efficiency.
What is the underlying support? More than 700000 IoT devices are connected to the internet, with an online rate of 99%. It is these devices that provide AI with the latest and most accurate data feedback, ensuring consistent quality for every cup of coffee in 35000 stores.
Whether you are in Shanghai or Tai'an, Beijing or the county town, the cup you receive is the same.
At the end of the tour, there is one more thing worth mentioning - there is a wall in the exhibition hall, which is Luckin's first public "Smart Essence Ecological Circle".
Alibaba Cloud, Baidu AI Cloud, Feishu, Huawei Cloud, Volcano Engine, Tencent Cloud, Tiantian Smart Core, Amazon Cloud Technology. Almost all of China's top cloud providers' luxury family buckets are available.
This is not the kind of collaboration that involves putting up a row of logos at a press conference and then going back to each company. It's really about working together to integrate AI technology into consumers' daily lives in more scenarios.
Generally, when companies engage in digitalization, they say 'I want to use AI'. Luckin Coffee has reached this point and has become 'I package the running mode so that the entire consumer industry can use it'.
Another Luckin Hidden in Coffee
After visiting the WAIC 2026 Luckin exhibition hall, I suddenly felt a little unfamiliar with the Luckin that I drink every day.
I am an old user of Luckin Coffee, and I usually drink one cup a day, with at least a few hundred cups. But before today, all I knew about Luckin Coffee was opening the app, ordering a drink, making payment, waiting for three minutes, and then picking it up. This set of movements has become so slippery that I never thought there was anything behind it.
After browsing today, I realized that 'silk skating' itself is a proof of technical ability.
You won't feel AI picking beans, but every sip you drink is stable. You won't feel like AI is selecting a location, but Luckin is driving at the most convenient spot for you. You won't feel like AI is helping you pick your taste, but you do increasingly feel like 'Luckin understands me'.
The most powerful technology never makes you feel 'amazing', but makes you completely unaware of its existence - but without it, you will feel that something is wrong.
Luckin's AI is like this. You can't say where it is, but it's in every cup.
So back to the beginning of today - is Luckin Coffee a tech giant delayed by selling coffee?
After browsing this circle, I don't think it was delayed.
Selling coffee is precisely the best way to prove it. Others use PPT to explain what AI can do, but it uses 4.1 billion cups of coffee to tell you that AI is already doing it.