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The Chinese coffee chain has been expanding its U.S. presence. Photo via Flickr user<\/a><\/p>\n Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox<\/a><\/p>\n The Upper West Side is getting a new caffeine option. Luckin Coffee, the Chinese coffeehouse giant that famously dethroned Starbucks in its home market, has signage up at the former home of a beloved taco joint.<\/p>\n The company\u2019s forthcoming arrival<\/a> at 2799 Broadway at the corner of West 108th Street\u2014the former home of Cascabel Taqueria\u2013marks another step in Luckin\u2019s ambitious U.S. expansion, which began in June 2025 when the company opened its first two American locations in Manhattan: one in Greenwich Village near NYU and another in NoMad. By September 2025, Luckin had opened five NYC locations<\/a>, in high-traffic areas like Midtown and Washington Square Park. Luckin Coffee is a Chinese coffee company and coffeehouse chain founded in Beijing in 2017. The company operates shops, stores, and kiosks that offer coffee, tea, and food, generally at lower prices than their competitors. Unlike traditional coffee shops, purchases can only be made using an online app\u2014there are no cashiers. Customers order through the Luckin app, pay digitally (the U.S. app supports Apple Pay and PayPal), and pick up their drinks.<\/p>\n The company has expanded rapidly since its founding, and by 2019, its stores outnumbered Starbucks locations in China.\u00a0In July 2025, Luckin had 26,206 stores<\/a> globally.<\/p>\n Luckin\u2019s path to the Upper West Side hasn\u2019t been straightforward. In April 2020, the company revealed that it had inflated its 2019 sales revenue by up to $310 million. This resulted in its stock price crashing and several executives being fired. Trading was suspended, and the company was delisted from NASDAQ<\/a> on June 29, 2020.<\/p>\n Luckin filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in February 2021. But the company staged a remarkable turnaround. In December 2021, the company received court approval to restructure $460 million worth of debt and settle class-action lawsuits. In 2022, Luckin emerged from bankruptcy<\/a> after completing its financial restructuring and replaced most of its top management, who were held accountable for the earlier fraud. <\/p>\n Luckin Coffee is China\u2019s largest coffee chain and has expanded aggressively, overtaking Starbucks on the mainland with more than twice as many outlets.\u00a0In 2023<\/a>, Luckin reported annual revenue of 24.9 billion yuan ($3.48 billion), surpassing Starbucks\u2019 China revenue of around $3.16 billion.<\/p>\n The company\u2019s secret sauce? Chinese chains combine budget pricing with unusual flavors that often blur the line between coffee and bubble tea. Luckin\u2019s alcohol-infused latte, developed with China\u2019s leading Moutai liquor maker, sold more than 5.4 million cups<\/a> on its first day in 2023, generating over $13.7 million in sales. The company launched 119 different items in 2024 alone.<\/p>\n Luckin caters to younger generations with its mostly takeout booths and \u201c100% cashier-less environment.\u201d The menu<\/a> includes traditional coffee offerings alongside signature items, such as \u201cfruity americanos\u201d that blend espresso with fruit flavors, plus pastries and breakfast items.<\/p>\n Pricing appears competitive with other chains. A 16-ounce drip coffee at Luckin goes for $3.45 compared with<\/a> $3.65 at Starbucks. The company has also been known to offer steep discounts<\/a> to new customers\u2014on opening day at other locations, customers could order drinks via the app for only $1.99. <\/p>\n The Upper West Side location at 2799 Broadway replaces Cascabel Taqueria, the beloved Mexican restaurant that was a longtime favorite of Columbia students and neighborhood residents.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve reached out to the company for a target opening date; we\u2019ll provide updates when we know more.<\/p>\nRenderings and permits are up at 2799 Broadway
Renderings and permits are up at 2799 Broadway <\/p>\n