Chinese tea brands taste success on US main streets

On the day before New Year's Eve, powerful gusts swept through New York, battering the city with brutal winter weather, making it feel like — 10 C. But outside a newly opened Mixue store in Koreatown, dozens of customers waited in line patiently.

In a stark contrast to the freezing streets, the storefront felt unusually lively. Two staff members dressed in Mixue's signature snowman costumes greeted customers and passersby, while the brand's upbeat theme song played in the background, repeating its familiar refrain: "I love you, you love me, Mixue Ice Cream and Tea."

Among those waiting in line were not only Asian customers, but people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, most of them young. Customers stepped out with drinks in hand and, unexpectedly, many of them held ice cream cones.

Inside, the store was crowded with customers waiting eagerly for their orders. Behind the counter, seven employees were in constant motion, taking orders, preparing drinks and calling out numbers without pausing.

Compared with a typical Mixue store in China, the New York location is more than twice the usual size. The second floor is currently under renovation as the store prepares for heavier customer traffic. Despite the larger footprint, the New York store retains the brand's familiar design and layout.

Affordability remains one of Mixue's key selling points. A digital screen above the counter displays the menu ranked by popularity, with prices prominently shown. The top-selling item is a $1.19 ice cream cone, followed by fresh lemonade priced at $1.99, and peach oolong tea at $3.49.

Mixue's pricing is difficult to match. According to the food guide Eater NY, the average price of a cup of coffee in New York City ranges from $6 to $7, with non-caffeinated beverages typically priced at a similar level. By contrast, Mixue's prices remain largely below that range.

However, affordability is not the only factor driving interest in Chinese tea brands. At other chains such as HeyTea, where drinks average around $10 each, high prices have not deterred crowds, with customers continuing to line up for beverages.