Does McDonald‘s Have Boba Tea in 2024?
Boba milk tea, also known as bubble tea, has exploded in popularity across the United States over the last decade. The flavored milk drink mixed with chewy tapioca pearls has become a social media sensation and ubiquitous cafe offering.
With boba milk tea gracing the feeds and hands of Gen Z‘ers and millennials everywhere, many wonder if massive fast food chains will add it to their menus. So does the home of the Big Mac offer this Instagrammable drink?
Boba Tea‘s Rising U.S. Popularity
While boba milk tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, this sweet tea didn‘t make it to the U.S. until the early 2000s. But this novel drink quickly gained a cult following in Asian enclaves on the west coast.
In the last 5 years, boba has truly gone mainstream across America:
- The U.S. boba milk tea market size hit $585 million in 2020 and is projected to grow 15% year-over-year.
- Boba chains like Boba Guys and Tiger Sugar have expanded to hundreds of locations nationwide.
- Trendy boba cafes are popping up even in smaller towns and suburbs.
- Mainstream chains like Starbucks, Peet‘s, and Sonic Drive-In now offer boba tea.
- Google Trends data shows searches for "boba tea" quadrupled from 2016 to 2021.
With no sign of slowing down, boba mania has swept the nation.
No, McDonald‘s Does Not Offer Boba Tea in the US…Yet
Given boba tea‘s newfound status as a cultural phenomenon, McDonald‘s fans may wonder if the Golden Arches offers this drink sensation.
Unfortunately, as of January 2023, McDonald‘s locations in the United States do not serve boba tea. The fast food giant has not announced any plans to add it to menus either.
Why hasn‘t McDonald‘s latched onto the boba trend? There are a few potential reasons:
- Speed – McDonald‘s focuses on fast service, while boba tea takes more time to prepare.
- Price – Boba tea costs $3-$5 on average, which may be pricey for some McDonald‘s customers.
- Flavor profiles – Boba tea has rich, sweet, and creamy flavors that diverge from McDonald‘s typical offerings.
- Preparation – Boba pearls and tea require special storage and equipment that would disrupt McDonald‘s operations.
However, given boba tea‘s immense popularity, I predict McDonald‘s will test it as a limited-time offer within the next 2-3 years. They have a massive customer base to market it to. And McDonald‘s has experimented with trendier coffee drinks like frappes and lattes recently.
Boba tea would certainly go viral on social media and attract media buzz if they rolled it out. While logistically challenging, the potential sales and publicity may entice McDonald‘s eventually.
McDonald‘s Current Tea Offerings
While boba tea isn‘t on the menu, customers can still enjoy standard tea drinks at McDonald‘s. Their hot and iced tea options include:
- Hot tea
- Sweetened iced tea
- Unsweetened iced tea
Their hot tea features an orange pekoe and pekoe cut black tea blend. For sweetness, the iced teas use medium invert cane sugar syrup rather than plain granulated sugar.
Here‘s how McDonald‘s tea offerings compare on sugar content:
| Beverage | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Tea | 24g | 29g | 40g |
| Unsweetened Tea | 0g | 0g | 0g |
And on caffeine content:
| Beverage | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot tea | 50mg | 60mg | 70mg |
| Iced tea | 50mg | 60mg | 100mg |
Both the hot and iced teas are made from real tea leaves, not powdered instant tea mix.
However, the sweet tea contains 29-40g of added sugar per serving, which is 70-100% of the recommended daily limit. So those watching their sugar intake should opt for unsweetened or add their own sweetener.
Where You Can Find Boba Tea in the US
Since McDonald‘s doesn‘t offer boba yet, where can you get this chewy bubble tea? Dedicated boba milk tea shops are spreading rapidly across the United States.
Major national chains like Boba Guys, Vivi Bubble Tea, and Sharetea have 100+ locations and are continuing to expand. These chains allow you to customize milk, sweetness, and boba flavors to your taste.
Independent mom-and-pop boba cafes can be found in most urban areas, especially on the coasts. Ethnic grocers and Asian bakeries often have boba counters too.
For pre-sweetened boba tea on-the-go, try convenience store chains like Quickly and Tapioca Express.
And popular coffee chains like Peet‘s, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Starbucks now offer boba tea drinks. Sonic Drive-In has even launched boba tea slushes.
So while McDonald‘s doesn‘t serve this Instagram darling yet, there are still plenty of places to get your boba fix across America now.
Will McDonald‘s Ever Add Boba to Their Menu?
Boba milk tea is clearly not just a fad, establishing itself as a permanent part of the US drink scene. With demand skyrocketing each year, McDonald‘s has likely discussed adding it to their menu.
But boba tea poses operational challenges that have likely deterred McDonald‘s so far. Preparing the pearls and tea takes more time and ordering boba supplies would complexify their supply chain.
McDonald‘s focuses on efficiency and simplicity, so completely new drink ingredients could disrupt their kitchen flow. And questions remain whether their core customers would pay $3-5 for an unfamiliar boba milk tea.
However, I predict McDonald‘s will test limited-time boba tea offerings within the next couple years. As millennials and Gen Z‘ers grow older, their tastes mature as well, potentially making them more open to trying boba tea at McDonald‘s.
A viral social media-friendly drink like boba could attract buzz and new customers for McDonald‘s. The operator of their Taiwan locations said interest in McDonald‘s boba tea exceeded their expectations.
I wouldn‘t expect McDonald‘s to add boba tea permanently. But don‘t be surprised if boba milk tea appears on McDonald‘s menus for a limited time in the near future.
The Verdict: McDonald‘s Does Not Offer Boba Tea in 2024
Boba milk tea has become a sensation in the United States over the last decade. However, McDonald‘s has yet to add this trendy drink to their permanent menu.
You can find standard tea offerings like hot tea, sweet tea, and unsweetened iced tea at McDonald‘s. But for chewy boba pearls mixed into creamy milk tea, you‘ll have to seek out dedicated boba shops, Asian cafes, or chains like Starbucks and Peet‘s.
Given boba tea‘s exploding demand, McDonald‘s may test it as a limited-time offer in coming years. But for now, boba fans will have to fulfill their cravings elsewhere.
