While I love a good home-cooked meal, when it comes to eating out, I’m never going to say no to a trip through the drive-thru. One of my all time favorite foods is a Double-Double from In-N-Out, and I’m a sucker for a Chick-fil-A Peach Milkshake come summertime. And, when Taco Bell has Cheesy Dipping Burritos on the menu, it’s safe to say I’m the first one in the drive-thru line, ready to stock up.
So, when I learned that an international chain recently surpassed McDonald’s as the largest fast food chain globally and it was opening its first U.S. locations in New York City, I knew I had to check it out—because, let’s be honest, can any place really beat the Golden Arches?
Mixue Bingcheng Opens First Locations in the U.S.
Last year, McDonald’s was officially dethroned as the world’s largest fast food chain after being taken down by Mixue Bingcheng, a Chinese bubble tea and ice cream shop. Although the chain may be unfamiliar to most Americans, Mixue Bingcheng—which translates to “Honey Snow Ice City”—recently overtook the No. 1 spot for total number of global stores.
With an impressive 45,000 locations across China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and more, Mixue officially outnumbers McDonald’s more than 44,000 global locations and Starbucks’ 40,000+ stores internationally. Of those 45,000 international locations, Mixue now has four in America—three in New York City and one in Los Angeles.
Just like another rapidly expanding Chinese chain, Luckin Coffee, Mixue also offers a digital-forward approach to ordering that increases store efficiency. Digital screens are available in the store, but the chain also has an app for on-the-go ordering—and it offers plenty of in-app deals and promotions for rewards members.
My Honest Review of Mixue Bingcheng
Mixue Bingcheng offers a solid lineup of affordable beverages, including boba, coffee, and tea drinks, plus a selection of soft-serve ice cream cones and sundaes.
The soft serve, which is available in either vanilla or matcha, is just $1.19 per cone, but new rewards members are offered a cone for a single cent (plus sales tax). While a dollar for ice cream is a steal in NYC, I’m never going to turn down a soft serve for a single cent. I was pleasantly surprised by the matcha flavor, which was refreshing and tea-forward without tasting too earthy or artificial.
As for bevs, Mixue Bingcheng has a few selections of fruit drinks and milk teas, with prices ranging from $1.99 to $4.99. I don’t like overly sugary drinks, so I opted for half-sweetness when ordering my Pearl Tea—and truthfully, I thought the barista made a mistake, because my drink was *quite* sweet.
Sugar rush aside, I’ve definitely had better bubble tea in New York, and I’d probably choose to spend a couple more bucks at a chain like Coco or Gong Cha solely because of how sweet Mixue’s was. But, at $3.49 for a Jasmine Milk Tea and Pearl Milk Tea with boba for just $3.99, the price tag makes it easy to overlook a drink that isn’t absolutely perfect.
I also tried Mixue’s lemonade, which cost $1.99—and it was fine! I’d still choose a Chick-fil-A Lemonade any day of the week, but as far as the value goes, I can’t complain. Like the other beverages, the lemonade was a little on the sweeter side, but still decent.
Overall, I think that Mixue’s appeal definitely lies in its prices. The small shop in Chinatown was bustling and the experience felt more chaotic than like a relaxing pick-me-up—though I will acknowledge that the grand opening novelty may have had something to do with it. If you’re looking for the best bubble tea or ice cream you’ve ever had, I’m not sure you’ll find it at Mixue Bingcheng. But if you’re looking for bubble tea and ice cream that costs less than a cup of coffee in New York City, you simply can’t beat the price of a sweet treat from Mixue.
