On the 10th, photos of an online ride-hailing driver in Jiangmen, Guangdong, equipped with coffee equipment in the car and selling freshly ground coffee with clearly marked prices sparked heated discussions on social platforms. Some people praised the idea, while others questioned whether it was compliant. On the 11th, the relevant staff of the Didi platform clearly responded to reporters that it is not recommended to do so. "Once a complaint is made, the money earned will not be deducted."
A taxi-hailing driver in Guangdong provides freshly ground coffee. Picture/Photo provided by interviewee
Xiaoyu, a passenger who had taken the car, recalled that a coffee machine was placed in the passenger seat of the car at that time, and a neat price list was posted on the back of the seat. Thinking that this business model was quite novel, Xiaoyu casually took a photo, but due to hygiene concerns and her preference for coffee, she did not purchase it. "The driver was very talkative and told me the difference between cappuccino and American cappuccino all the way, but he didn't actively promote it throughout the whole process."
The coffee machine is placed on the passenger seat. Picture/Photo provided by interviewee
Another passenger, Ms. Hu, also told reporters that the driver drove normally throughout the journey and did not push passengers to buy it. "It has little impact on passengers, the ride experience is good, and there is a smell of coffee in the car, but the price is indeed too expensive, so I didn't buy it."
Judging from the pictures taken by "Xiaoyu", the brand name of this car is "Red Light Coffee", which is marked as "freshly brewed and drunk, made on site". Both American and Italian coffees cost 22 yuan a cup. Latte and cappuccino are the most expensive, priced at 29 yuan. There are also drinks such as lemonade and orange milk tea, all priced at more than 15 yuan. Xiaoyu guessed that it was probably named "Red Light Coffee" because the driver made it on the spot for passengers while waiting for the red light.
Xiaoyu takes this car’s order. Picture/Photo provided by interviewee
Many coffee lovers expressed their appreciation for this, "You can drink freshly ground coffee even when taking a taxi, which is the ultimate mobile service." The reporter noticed that some local people also said that Jiangmen, as a third-tier city, has an extremely strong coffee atmosphere. According to data disclosed by the Jiangmen Municipal Development and Reform Bureau, the annual output value of Jiangmen's coffee and related industries will exceed 3 billion yuan in 2026. The number of coffee shops per 10,000 people ranks among the top five in the country, and its density is comparable to many first-tier cities.
But there are also many doubts. Netizens’ questions focused on three aspects: Are the health qualifications complete? Do passengers need to pay the low-speed waiting fee while waiting at a red light to make coffee? How to ensure driving safety when operating coffee equipment in the car? Someone said bluntly: "The fare is not as expensive as coffee. Do you have a business license and health permit?"
On the afternoon of April 11, Didi Platform responded to the above issues. Staff members said that the platform has strict regulatory requirements for drivers to promote products and add premium services. According to current regulations, the platform restricts drivers from proactively asking passengers for services outside the itinerary, such as promoting products; if the driver does not proactively promote products, this clause will not be triggered. However, in the fare increase and premium rules, the platform clearly prohibits drivers from increasing fares and premiums other than ride-hailing services. "For example, low-speed waiting fees, if it is found that they are not caused by the objective itinerary, the driver will be punished. At present, we have not received complaints related to the sale of coffee, but once a passenger initiates a complaint and it is verified that there is a fare increase and premium, the driver will be deducted from service points and fined ranging from 50 to 200 yuan. In serious cases, he will be suspended from accepting orders for 1 to 30 days."
The staff member also made it clear that the platform does not recommend that drivers place coffee machines in their cars to sell freshly ground coffee. “Once a passenger complains, it is easy to be judged and money will be deducted. In this way, the money earned is not deducted as much.”
