Milk tea vs bubble tea: what are the differences? — Sharetea - Best Bubble Tea Brand (2024)

FAQs

Milk tea vs bubble tea: what are the differences? — Sharetea - Best Bubble Tea Brand? ›

The main differences between bubble tea and milk tea

Our drinks are made with freshly brewed teas and high quality ingredients shipped directly from Taiwan. To make sure customers get consistently fresh and delicious products meeting their expectations, we regularly test the tea leaves and ingredients.

Passion Fruit, Orange, and Grapefruit Tea – Tangy and sweet, this is the most popular bubble tea flavor among those who love indulging in yummy fruity teas.

So, to be clear, bubble tea and boba tea are completely synonymous terms that refer to the same type of drink. Some people may use one term more often than the other, depending on their regional preferences or personal choice, but there are no actual differences between bubble tea vs. boba.

Kung Fu Tea was founded in Queens, New York, in 2010. It is the country's largest bubble tea brand with over 350 locations across the U.S. Kung Fu Tea specializes in bubble tea. Also known as pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, or just boba, bubble tea is a Taiwanese drink, invented in Taichung in the 1980s.

The most popular bubble tea drink is a classic milk tea (black tea, milk, sweetener, and pearls) which tastes sweet, creamy, and silky because of the milk, and has a nice chewy texture because of the tapioca pearls. A common alternative to milk teas is fruit tea.

TLDR: When ordering boba tea, your barista will ask you for 4 things: flavor, sweetness, size, and toppings. Before you go in line, think through your choice for each of these. For example, you could say 'Milk Tea, 50% sugar, large with tapioca'.

The tea used is typically a hearty black tea like Ceylon, although aged teas like Pu-erh may also sometimes be used. It originated in Hong Kong, and may have its origins in the introduction of the practice of drinking afternoon tea with milk and sugar under British colonial rule.

The takeaway

At Sharetea, we understand the importance of choice, which is why we offer a variety of fresh milk alternatives, including soy milk and almond milk, ensuring that everyone can enjoy their favorite bubble tea just the way they like it.

What is the difference between bubble milk tea and milk tea? ›

The difference between bubble tea vs. milk tea is that bubble tea can refer to any tea based beverage with or without topping, milk tea is strictly tea drink combined with creamer or milk. Bubble tea can then be shaken to create the characteristic foam on top with the addition of topping.

Sharetea is a boba franchise based in Taiwan with over 500 locations ranging from South Korea to UC Irvine. It will open its doors on Broxton Ave. sometime before the end of this year, said owner Allen Cho.

Milk/cream/fresh Milk

Try honeydew milk tea, taro milk tea, oolong milk tea. Tip: Many shops often have a separate menu of their most popular drink combinations. That's a good place to start!

Black milk/Hong Kong milk tea

Black milk, also known as Hong Kong milk tea, is the classic and original flavor of boba tea. The base is normal, black tea, but the simplicity allows the black tapioca balls to steal the show. This is a timeless choice that will no doubt be a top seller on your menu.

Tetley leads the market with 27% share, followed by PG Tips with about 24% share. Typhoo is in third place with about 13% share. Twinings is fourth with about 11% share and Yorkshire Tea is fifth with about 6% share.

All ingredients used at Gong Cha tea houses are high end, quality products, which ensure that you are served the most delicious Bubble Tea drinks. This sort of commitment is what has made Gong Cha USA Franchise the leading Boba Tea Franchise in the U.S. and in over 15 other countries, as previously mentioned.

Chun Shui Tang (Chinese: 春水堂人文茶館; pinyin: Chūnshuǐtáng Rénwéncháguǎn) is an international teahouse chain based in Taichung, Taiwan. Founded in 1983 as the name Yanghsien Tea Shop, it is known for the origin of bubble tea. Besides bubble tea, Chun Shui Tang also serve traditional Taiwanese dishes and snacks.

One study found that Asian Americans were the largest demographic of bubble tea drinkers, followed by Hispanic/Latinx Americans and African Americans. This is unsurprising, given that bubble tea originated in Taiwan and has roots in East Asian culture.