Chatime is another popular boba chain in Vancouver. Originating from Taiwan in 2005, Chatime has expanded to become one of the largest bubble tea chains globally. With over 3,000 stores in 63 different countries, Chatime is a go-to pick for many. Renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation, Chatime prides itself on using premium tea leaves to create its wide array of flavours, including traditional milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, and specialty drinks. It’s a popular spot for many locals, with multiple locations throughout the lower mainland, including White Rock and Langley.
Chatime sells an assortment of unique drinks, ensuring something for everyone. Being their best sellers, their signature milk tea line, fruit tea and refreshing juices are a popular pick. One notable drink Chatime offers is its tea-presso line, which mixes its delicious milk tea with the bitterness of expresso to create a tasty balance between the two flavours. Other interesting lines are its Brown Sugar and seasonal lines. Drinks also have the option of being iced, no ice, or hot. Optional sugar substitutes like honey or osmanthus sweeteners are available for an additional cost.
Toppings come in different assortments: classic toppings like pearls, grass jelly, and coconut jelly and more irregular toppings like red bean, aloe vera, and lychee popping. They also have the famous Sea Salt Cheese Foam, which provides any drink with a savoury and sweet flavour.
Pricing + Promotion
Chatime pricing stays consistent overall. Most drinks start at $5 for a regular size, and the more unique drinks, like the brown sugar series, go up, starting at around $6 for a regular. Prices will typically range between $5 to $7. However, prices may be higher or lower depending on factors such as the size of the drink, additional toppings or customizations. Chatime drinks are affordable, allowing for a wide range of taste exploration.
Chatime has continuous promotions to save even more money on your favourite drinks. The weekday promotion, “Fave of the Day,” offers daily specials for only $4.99 for regular-sized drinks. Drinks include pearl milk tea, mango green tea, and QQ lychee, a diverse drink selection for each day of the week.
Chatime’s annual purple pocket returns with the approaching lunar new year. Purchasing two large drinks instantly wins you a prize. From discounts on drinks to a grand prize of a two-night weekend getaway, the promotion will excite customers about the upcoming holiday and incentivize them to buy more.
Lastly, with their reward program, Chatime SocieTEA, they gain points for additional savings and other perks and benefits.
I used to be an avid Chatime hater. I always thought their drinks were way too sweet and boring. But, after revisiting the franchise again, I found myself actually appreciating their drinks. Although I still find their drinks too sweet, remembering to adjust the sugar content to 30-50% allows for a more enjoyable experience.
With Chatime, I appreciate that they have different tea tea options. They have the standard Oolong and Earl Grey teas. Golden Lily, Iron Goddess, and Genmaicha are tea I haven’t seen other boba tea shops experimenting with. Although I praise Chatime, I still find their drinks to be nothing special, so they sit in front of Coco in the B tier.
Final Ranking: B Tier - average, drinks too sweet at 100%
