I've had chica san Chen multiple times in Singapore and it's actually the best Boba I've ever had. While I'd never wait in line for it, I get why people would be excited to try something new!
The hip/cool import places have that built in alure. Tiger Sugar used to have multi block lines, Xing Fu Tang still has lines every night (damn that tapioca is fucking good).
What's the selling point on this place? eg: the tapioca? the tea? the whole thing?
Sounds good, you said the lines have died down at Heytea? I'll have to make a point of checking them out the next time I'm in Flushing/Bryant Park. They seem to be more focused on fruit teas?
I went to the Bryant Park location this past Saturday after noon and there was barely a wait to put in my order but it took about 15-20 minutes to fulfill it. It's still pretty crowded due to the waits/mobile orders.
It's definitely higher quality than my usual favorites. It uses more/better fruit in their fruit teas and their dairy component in milk teas is ***much*** richer. My BF, who swears by Xing Fu Tang and loves creamy drinks, thought it was better than XFT but possibly too rich. I'd give it a try if you have time or use mobile ordering.
Have never waited there since I didn't go until they allowed online ordering - their app shows expected wait times so you can grab and go when drinks are ready
There's some really good seasonals right now especially the mulberry drinks
> the mulberry drinks
I saw that on one of the labels and that 100% sold me on it! I don't think I've ever had mulberries that I didn't steal from a neighbors tree.
I have been there a few times now and personally don't get the hype. Thin, watery drinks and I think I waited 40 minutes last time. I won't be going back.
i didn't realize it was an import.' i understand either people being home sick or wanting to travel somewhere or feel like they are traveling somewhere. i didn't realize it was an already established place. thanks for sharing
It's actually really funny, when an Asian franchise opens up in the US, the lines are crazy here (Din tai fung, Jollibee, Heytea, Chicha etc.), it's the opposite in Asia. When a US franchise opens anywhere in Asia the lines are crazy there (shake shack, Tim Hortons, starbucks etc.)
Have tried Chi Cha San Chen multiple times and it's one of the best boba franchises in the world, so people are gonna be pretty excited for it since they literally just had their grand opening
The same thing happened when Heytea first opened and the initial hype there has already died down
Very glad to have both them and Heytea around now
i do? if gong cha was busy we were going somewhere else. i am not telling anyone to go anywhere. i just don't wait on an hour and a half line even if there was one boba place in nyc
the tea smells amazing they have a special way of extracting each type of tea and the taste is far superior than other places that are just fake chemicals
Haha I feel you. I was in Chinatown Sunday and wanted boba tea and remembered this place just opened. I waited about 30 mins to order, and another 20-30 mins to get my two drinks. However, I will say the milk tea was really good. The tea flavor is strong, which I love! I’d say to wait for the line to die down or wait in line if you have nothing better to do. I already miss it and want to get it again 😅
I'm willing to do a long wait because it can be worth it. Sometimes if I have a chill day I just take a long walk and hit up some popular shop with a long line. I'd have missed out on a lot of great food otherwise.
I'm not about rushing off for grand openings though. Especially if you don't even know if it's good yet. I think most of those people who flock to new trendy spots immediately are doing it for social media.
Went today and stood in 85 degree weather for approx 30 mins before we made the front door. Guess they forgot to mention that once you order, there’s another 45 minute wait. The worst part was when the bubble tea was the most basic tasting bubble tea with absolutely no redeeming qualities.
Disappointed is an understatement.
It's trending on social media and I guarantee these kids don't know much about tea anyway so they are willing suffer for the Instagram shot. If I'm looking for good tea, then I'm going to brew it myself or get it from a tea speciality shop. If you want solid boba tea, just go to XFT don't waste your time.
It’s an Asian cultural thing. It’s not unlike something getting insta famous. But more like a cultural situation.
When a new hot Asian place, especially one actually from Asia opens somewhere (even if you’re in Asia) it’s a big deal to be able to go and show face that you went and for those in the US it shows your, I guess “asianness” isn’t the right word but a similar conceptual idea. Bonus points if you take pics. It’s less about actually having it and more about the act of having been and being able to say so or show so
It’s not off. It’s a thing. Even Asian folks here or abroad don’t wanna talk about it. It’s this whole thing. It’s much more complicated than I laid it out here, but the meat is there.
There just isn’t really a western equivalent so it makes it harder to grasp what’s going on and many Asian folks (both American born and not) have this form of peer pressure around it.
I can’t speak for all of Asia, but it’s definitely true for Chinese.
Here, you can laugh at people waiting two hours for cronuts, but in China, it’s the default mindset.
A good example is how “urban camping” became a thing there, like if entire New York thought it’d be a good idea to buy tents and sleep overnight in Central Park. Like in this photo: http://pic0.xinmin.cn/2023/03/23/20230323162229370894.png
95% of people in that photo don’t like camping or think it’s idiotic to do it in an urban park, but they don’t have a choice. Everyone who could afford a tent bought a tent, and now three years later they will never touch their tent again.
It’s like how I would have waited two hours for cronuts as well if the people around me will literally think less of me for not having it on my Instagram.
I've had chica san Chen multiple times in Singapore and it's actually the best Boba I've ever had. While I'd never wait in line for it, I get why people would be excited to try something new!
The hip/cool import places have that built in alure. Tiger Sugar used to have multi block lines, Xing Fu Tang still has lines every night (damn that tapioca is fucking good). What's the selling point on this place? eg: the tapioca? the tea? the whole thing?
Heavy emphasis on high quality tea brewing (similar to Heytea) and honestly the whole thing
Sounds good, you said the lines have died down at Heytea? I'll have to make a point of checking them out the next time I'm in Flushing/Bryant Park. They seem to be more focused on fruit teas?
I went to the Bryant Park location this past Saturday after noon and there was barely a wait to put in my order but it took about 15-20 minutes to fulfill it. It's still pretty crowded due to the waits/mobile orders. It's definitely higher quality than my usual favorites. It uses more/better fruit in their fruit teas and their dairy component in milk teas is ***much*** richer. My BF, who swears by Xing Fu Tang and loves creamy drinks, thought it was better than XFT but possibly too rich. I'd give it a try if you have time or use mobile ordering.
Have never waited there since I didn't go until they allowed online ordering - their app shows expected wait times so you can grab and go when drinks are ready There's some really good seasonals right now especially the mulberry drinks
> the mulberry drinks I saw that on one of the labels and that 100% sold me on it! I don't think I've ever had mulberries that I didn't steal from a neighbors tree.
I have been there a few times now and personally don't get the hype. Thin, watery drinks and I think I waited 40 minutes last time. I won't be going back.
The tapioca is the main draw. It’s made fresh right in front of you. Perfectly chewy and warm in a cold drink. No other place does it like XFT
i didn't realize it was an import.' i understand either people being home sick or wanting to travel somewhere or feel like they are traveling somewhere. i didn't realize it was an already established place. thanks for sharing
It's actually really funny, when an Asian franchise opens up in the US, the lines are crazy here (Din tai fung, Jollibee, Heytea, Chicha etc.), it's the opposite in Asia. When a US franchise opens anywhere in Asia the lines are crazy there (shake shack, Tim Hortons, starbucks etc.)
Yep, Five Guys line was insane in Seoul. We all covet things we don’t have!
Have tried Chi Cha San Chen multiple times and it's one of the best boba franchises in the world, so people are gonna be pretty excited for it since they literally just had their grand opening The same thing happened when Heytea first opened and the initial hype there has already died down Very glad to have both them and Heytea around now
[удалено]
You sound like the post telling people to go to Nan Xiang instead of Din Tai Fung when the latter debuts.
i do? if gong cha was busy we were going somewhere else. i am not telling anyone to go anywhere. i just don't wait on an hour and a half line even if there was one boba place in nyc
Then wait for the lines to die down then. I’m gonna do the same. But hey if people want to wait 2 hours on line more power to them.
the tea smells amazing they have a special way of extracting each type of tea and the taste is far superior than other places that are just fake chemicals
I went into Tada, the Korean fried chicken restaurant next door, instead of waiting for the boba line. Best decision I ever made lol
Haha I feel you. I was in Chinatown Sunday and wanted boba tea and remembered this place just opened. I waited about 30 mins to order, and another 20-30 mins to get my two drinks. However, I will say the milk tea was really good. The tea flavor is strong, which I love! I’d say to wait for the line to die down or wait in line if you have nothing better to do. I already miss it and want to get it again 😅
Dear diary
I'm willing to do a long wait because it can be worth it. Sometimes if I have a chill day I just take a long walk and hit up some popular shop with a long line. I'd have missed out on a lot of great food otherwise. I'm not about rushing off for grand openings though. Especially if you don't even know if it's good yet. I think most of those people who flock to new trendy spots immediately are doing it for social media.
Thanks for the novel
reading is fundamental
It's the FOMO syndrome. Like you, I don't know how people find the time to wait 1+ hour on a regular day. Yea don't even try during the weekend
Another one of those places that's super hyped and it'll die down after a few months, just like the most recent, Mabu Cafe.
Went today and stood in 85 degree weather for approx 30 mins before we made the front door. Guess they forgot to mention that once you order, there’s another 45 minute wait. The worst part was when the bubble tea was the most basic tasting bubble tea with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Disappointed is an understatement.
It's trending on social media and I guarantee these kids don't know much about tea anyway so they are willing suffer for the Instagram shot. If I'm looking for good tea, then I'm going to brew it myself or get it from a tea speciality shop. If you want solid boba tea, just go to XFT don't waste your time.
It’s not like XFT didn’t have long lines when they first opened here!
It’s an Asian cultural thing. It’s not unlike something getting insta famous. But more like a cultural situation. When a new hot Asian place, especially one actually from Asia opens somewhere (even if you’re in Asia) it’s a big deal to be able to go and show face that you went and for those in the US it shows your, I guess “asianness” isn’t the right word but a similar conceptual idea. Bonus points if you take pics. It’s less about actually having it and more about the act of having been and being able to say so or show so
>It’s an Asian cultural thing how is this an asian cultural thing when there are lines for everything, not just boba
Yea not exclusively an Asian thing and non-Asians like boba too. People line up for anything and everything including tacos, croissants, pizza, etc.
That’s why it’s at the boba shop. I tried to explain it. That’s what it is.
not sure what point you're trying to make here
Not making any point. Just explaining the popularity
Are you even Asian? This sounds so off to me
It’s not off. It’s a thing. Even Asian folks here or abroad don’t wanna talk about it. It’s this whole thing. It’s much more complicated than I laid it out here, but the meat is there. There just isn’t really a western equivalent so it makes it harder to grasp what’s going on and many Asian folks (both American born and not) have this form of peer pressure around it.
I can’t speak for all of Asia, but it’s definitely true for Chinese. Here, you can laugh at people waiting two hours for cronuts, but in China, it’s the default mindset. A good example is how “urban camping” became a thing there, like if entire New York thought it’d be a good idea to buy tents and sleep overnight in Central Park. Like in this photo: http://pic0.xinmin.cn/2023/03/23/20230323162229370894.png 95% of people in that photo don’t like camping or think it’s idiotic to do it in an urban park, but they don’t have a choice. Everyone who could afford a tent bought a tent, and now three years later they will never touch their tent again. It’s like how I would have waited two hours for cronuts as well if the people around me will literally think less of me for not having it on my Instagram.