2 min read- The largest fast-food chain in the world isn’t an American hotspot like McDonald’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell.
- Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, headquartered in China, has more locations than any other chain in the world, with more than 45,000 outposts.
- The brand is known for affordable soft-serve ice cream, teas, and other beverages.
While titans like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell are household names across the country, surprisingly, none of them happen to be the biggest and baddest among fast food legends. The king of them all? Probably one you’ve never even heard of! Mixue Ice Cream & Tea—as it’s known in America—headquartered in Zhengzhou, China, has more locations than any other fast-food chain in the world. With more than 45,000 outposts, the bubble tea and ice cream shop outnumbers both McDonald’s and Starbucks in terms of the number of locations.
If its Chinese name, Mixue Bingcheng (which translates to honey snow ice city), doesn’t ring a bell, get ready for a frosty introduction. The beloved brand is known for soft-serve ice cream cones starting at just $1.19 and for teas and other beverages starting at $1.99. Its affordability is one of the biggest drivers of its mass appeal. Nothing on the menu exceeds $4.99, unless you opt for add-ins like coconut jelly, taro balls, or pudding, which only add a 49-cent surcharge.
Mixue is primarily found across parts of Asia, with a large footprint in countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam; however, the chain has recently expanded to the United States. Currently, there are only four locations in the U.S., three in New York City and one in Los Angeles.
There are a handful of reasons for Mixue’s success—first, it offers a small menu selection with only drinks and ice cream, and second, its brick-and-mortar locations are small. These small locales cut costs and also allow Mixue to have more locations, many in busy, prominent areas. All of this means minimal labor requirements and little equipment.
Additionally, Mixue leans heavily on a digital approach, steering customers to place on-the-go orders in its app to streamline efficiency and get through orders quickly. Another benefit: in-app deals and promotions for those who sign up for their rewards program.
Looks like I’ll be trading in my Big Mac for a matcha soft serve!