10 Fun Facts About Bubble Tea

How much do you know about your beloved bubble tea? Well, these fun facts about bubble tea can help you get to know your favorite drink better! After all, bubble tea has a pretty cool history full of funny and interesting things.

Are you ready? Here we go!

Fact #1: It originated in Taiwan

One of the most commonly known facts about bubble tea is that it originated somewhere in Asia. While there are two theories on who invented bubble milk tea, both stories suggest that the refreshing drink originated in Taiwan (one in Taichung, and the other in Tainan) before its popularity grew and spread across the world. 

Fact #2: It has been around since 1980s

Whether you believe it or not, bubble milk tea has been present for more than 40 years. This might sound unreal, as the cool drink became a trend in most countries only somewhere in 2010s. But one theory of the drink’s origin places its first creation somewhere in early 1980s while the other one claims bubble tea was first made in late 1980s.

Fact #3: “Bubble Tea” is just one of its many names

Getting a few different monikers is not unlikely for a drink that is being enjoyed by different countries with different cultures. Aside from bubble tea, people also call it boba tea, milk tea (this does not apply to bubble tea with no milk, of course), pearl milk tea, black pearl tea, boba nai cha, and more!

Fact #4: There are now numerous types and flavors of bubble tea

Like pizza and doughnuts and other foods, bubble tea is has evolved into many flavors and variations through the years since its creation. Bubble tea has so many flavors today that you can basically divide them into groups with milk, no milk, with fruit, with yogurt and more! And it all started with one flavor—amazing right?

Fact #5: “Bubble” also refers to literal bubbles

One many of the many fun facts about bubble tea is how the word “bubble” in the term not just refer to the tapioca balls but to the bubbles that form on the drink’s surface after it’s shaken. But what’s really funny is how the word “boba” means big boobs in colloquial Taiwanese language!

Fact #6: Bubble tea date is a great idea for first dates! 

People always asked other people out for coffee dates or drinks at bars, but what about asking someone out on a bubble tea date? Bubble tea drinks are refreshing and have no alcohol, and the casual feel associated with the drink can make the date fun, chill, and very enjoyable.

Fact #7: Bubble milk tea itself is now a flavor!

As mentioned before, there are so many flavors of milk-infused bubble tea. But do you know that there are also foods that are bubble milk tea-flavored? With just a quick Google search you will see bubble tea ice cream and ice drops, boba milk tea cakes, bubble milk tea-flavored mochi, and milk tea boba cookies!

Fact  #8: Bubble tea is so popular that McDonald’s is jumping on the trend

Did you know that bubble tea became so trendy that even McDonald’s fast food restaurant chain jumped on the bandwagon? McDonald’s McCafé in Germany and Austria served bubble milk tea in 2012, while McDonald’s Philippines started serving bubble tea in 2019. By 2020, McDonald’s Hong Kong announced that they will be offering bubble tea starting September of that year and has been since!

Fact  #9: You can order a gallon (ca 3.8l) of bubble tea

If you ever dreamed of drinking from a bottomless milk tea cup, you will love this fun fact about bubble tea: you can order a gallon of bubble tea. Nope, we’re not kidding! There are some countries that have bubble tea shops that serve it in gallons! 

Fact  #10: Indonesia has the largest bubble tea sales

This may come as a shock, but while the largest bubble tea chain is from Taiwan, it’s actually Indonesia who has the largest bubble tea market size! According to Channel News Asia, Indonesia’s bubble tea market reached 1.68 billion in 2021 and is predicted to rise to 2.5 billion by 2026.