Choose your own sweetness and ice level — Taiwan’s first-ever self-service bubble tea vending machine

Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department; Photos by / SOYes Huangdou Ge

Bubble tea has become increasingly popular, with almost everyone in Taiwan carrying one in hand — a trend almost unique to the country, so much that even Japanese tourists are obsessed. This has also sparked various creative business opportunities in the bubble tea category. Located in the Qianmei commercial district of Taichung, the bubble tea shop — SOYes Huangdou Ge, has sparked heated discussion by combining freshly ground soy milk with fresh tea beverages. It has also introduced Japan’s vending machine model, creating an automated ordering kiosk that not only issues receipts and accepts tax ID numbers but also offers many customization features. Customers can choose their preferred sweetness and ice level. The store is promoted as Taiwan’s first self-service beverage ordering shop. A branch was recently opened on the 9th floor of Taipei’s Sanxing Life, where it often draws long queues on weekends.

The vending machine accepts coins from 5 NT dollars up to 1,000 NT dollar bills. Customers can also choose whether to add boba or a bag, among other options. Its zero-interaction approach may seem impersonal, but it also avoids many issues — not only saving on labor costs but also preventing customer ordering mistakes. In addition, it eliminates food hygiene concerns such as making drinks immediately after handling money.