Why This Coffee Chain Now Serves Steak and Thai Food

When you walk into a place called expecting espresso and cake but find a juicy $29 steak on the menu, it raises a fair question: is this a coffee shop or a restaurant? In mainland China, the line is getting blurrier — and on purpose.

The short answer: , backed by roaster FrontStreet Coffee, is deliberately transforming its 600-strong cafe network into a platform for fast-growing, low-cost dining brands. Its first move? Launching , a trendy steakhouse serving cuts from just RMB 29 (US$4), and it’s just the beginning.

What’s Really Going On With ?

isn’t your usual coffee chain. While it still serves coffee, chairman Yang Jinfa saw an opportunity in China’s booming domestic demand and shifted focus toward affordable, high-volume dining. By mid-2024, had already opened its first casual restaurant brand, , in Hangzhou — a stylish, youth-oriented steakhouse with entries priced as low as RMB 29. This wasn’t a side project. It was the first brand in a much larger rollout.

What’s the Expansion Plan?

Yang Jinfa revealed that is only the start. Additional planned brands include (Taiwanese-Thai cuisine), (teppanyaki), (bakery), along with future concepts for Korean BBQ, hotpot, and general grilling. By the end of 2024, aims to have 50 new casual dining outlets open — 15 in Hangzhou, 8 in Wuhan, and others in Chengdu and Nanjing. The goal is to scale to 200 locations next year.

How Are They Making This Work?

The rapid rollout isn’t luck. has spent a decade building operational expertise, a talent pipeline, and — crucially — a centralized supply chain. The company has invested RMB 40 million (US$5.6 million) into a new central kitchen in Xiasha, Hangzhou, capable of supplying ingredients for over 1,000 locations. Future kitchens are planned for Wuhan, Chongqing, Beijing, and Fuzhou. Thanks to centralized production, coffee achieves near-zero waste on premium items like steak, converting even small losses into sauces and sides. That’s a level of efficiency most standalone steakhouses can’t match.

How Will the Stores Be Rolled Out?

Yang plans a tiered expansion model. First-tier (provincial capital) cities will get company-owned outlets. Second- and third-tier cities will use a single-unit franchise model to accelerate growth. The strategy leverages ’s existing scale — 600 cafes — and purchasing power, particularly for proteins like steak, to keep costs and quality consistent across locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a coffee shop or a restaurant?

is primarily known as a cafe chain but has expanded into affordable casual dining under the same brand umbrella. Its first major dining concept, , is a steakhouse offering meals from RMB 29. The company now operates both coffee shops and restaurants, often in the same location or under shared branding.

What is ?

is a casual steakhouse brand launched by in May 2024. It features a youthful interior design and affordable steak options starting at RMB 29. The brand is part of ’s push into the broader casual dining market beyond coffee.

How many new restaurants is planning to open?

plans to open 50 casual dining outlets by the end of 2024, including 15 in Hangzhou, 8 in Wuhan, and others in Chengdu and Nanjing. The goal is to grow to 200 locations in 2025, across multiple dining concepts such as Thai food, teppanyaki, and hotpot.

What’s behind ’s rapid dining expansion?

The expansion is driven by China’s rising incomes, particularly in cities like Hangzhou where household earnings are approaching Taiwanese levels. is leveraging its 10 years of experience, a 600-cafe base, and a new RMB 40 million central kitchen in Hangzhou to scale quickly and efficiently.

Will cafes still serve coffee?

Yes. While is expanding into casual dining, it continues to operate as a coffee shop chain. The new dining brands like are additional concepts operating alongside or within the existing cafe network.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Restaurant Pairings

For pairing with affordable steakhouse or casual cafe dishes, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui — a bright, juicy Ethiopian offering notes of blueberry and citrus that cut through rich flavors. For something more balanced, the Yirgacheffe provides floral and lemony tones ideal with lighter meals. The Classic Blend delivers a smooth, chocolatey base that works well with both sweet and savory dishes. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.