What would you do if you discovered that Starbucks is competing with other fast-food establishments that serve Boba Tea? Aaryan Indla, a high school student, is asking himself that question now.
“Boba culture originated in Taiwan in the late ’80s, when someone combined three popular elements into one beverage: tapioca balls, shaved ice, and milk tea. The term “boba” comes from Taiwanese slang for breasts, a reference to the spherical shape of the tapioca balls. Over time, Boba evolved to include fruit boba and additional toppings like grass jelly, almond jelly, egg pudding, and red beans. Classic Boba has a sweet and creamy taste due to the non-dairy creamer used in place of milk,” Priya Krishna stated.
Eva Delgado (10) says her “favorite Starbucks drink is hot chocolate, and her favorite boba flavor is strawberry.”
She likes Starbucks better than Boba Tea because “the texture of the Boba is kinda weird to her, and she doesn’t like milk that much, and a lot of Boba’s are milk tea based. She loves hot chocolate, and Starbucks has really good hot chocolate.”
“A factor that could contribute to Gen Z liking Boba more than Starbucks is their excessive exposure to social media, which fuels their severe consumerism and need to keep up with trends. Millennials might like Starbucks more because of their brand loyalty and traditional mindset. They like to separate themselves from newer generations, and this is one way.” Eva Delgado stated.
“More boba shops are opening, which probably means they are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Plus, the newest generation is fueling their business, and once they grow up and get their own money, they might spend [it on]even more Boba.”
Eva doesn’t think “that boba will compete with Starbucks because they have very different drinks that will appeal to different demographics.”
She “drinks Boba Tea zero times a month and Starbucks four times a month.”
Eva responded that she is unaware of the health risks of drinking Boba Tea and Starbucks.
Aaryan Indla (10) says he “doesn’t like Starbucks but enjoys the mango tea with jellies” Boba Tea flavor.
Aaryan does not like Starbucks more than Boba Tea; he thinks, “Starbucks is very expensive and overrated! Many drinks are watered down, and Starbucks does not treat its workers well. Boba tea is much better. He likes cooler drinks and drinks with candies at the bottom.”
Aaryan thinks that “Boba Tea might compete with Starbucks, but they have very different demographics.”
Aaryan thinks Generation Z people like Boba tea more than Millennials and Generation X because” it is newer, and many older generations do not like trying new things as Generation Z does. Also, a massive boycott is happening against Starbucks, and Generation Z is really active in boycotting.”
Boba tea could remain popular because it is a type of drink rather than only one specific drink, which allows for various ways to drink it.
Since Boba Tea has various options of things you can put into the drink, Aaryan believes that Boba Tea could compete with Starbucks.
What are some health risks of drinking Boba Tea or Starbucks? Aaryan responded,” As long as you drink in moderation, you will be fine.”
Ellie Macke(10) said her favorite Starbucks drink is the “grande brown sugar shaken espresso.”
Her “favorite Boba Tea flavor is brown sugar milk tea.”
Ellie says she likes Starbucks more than Boba Tea because ” coffee tastes better, and she needs the caffeine! Also, Boba is too sweet, and the texture is weird sometimes.”
Ellie believes that Boba Tea will eventually compete with Starbucks, “depending on whether the next generation is super into Boba. However, for now, Starbucks is here to stay!”
More people in Generation Z like Boba tea than Millennials and Generation X because “TikTok and social media” Bob tea has become a trend, so everyone is trying it. Also, there are more stores for people to try it out,” Ellie commented.
Ellie expects that Boba Tea will be another food trend.
Ellie doesn’t think that “boba tea is in competition with Starbucks as more people now like Starbucks, and Starbucks is also trendy with Generation X.
Ellie drinks Boba Tea 2-3 times a month, whereas she drinks Starbucks 9-10 times a month.
Ellie answered that she thinks the health risks associated with drinking Boba Tea & Starbucks are “maybe caffeine addiction and possible diabetes.”
Boba tea restaurants are great places to hang out or take someone on a date.
Some U.S. locations that sell Boba tea, such as Queen Tea, provide board games to customers. This ultimately persuades the consumer that the restaurant is a beautiful, welcoming place to hang out and spend time with loved ones. Some restaurants that sell Boba tea entice customers to visit by providing an aesthetically pleasing environment!
Dayvin Mendez stated, “Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel, and Gordon Bowker. The name Starbucks came from the first mate in Moby Dick, Starbucks. Howard Schultz joined the company in the 1980s, and after a trip to Italy, he wanted to make Starbucks a coffee shop. The founders were against the idea, but Schultz tested it in one of the locations in downtown Seattle, and it was a success. In 1985, Schultz founded Il Giornale, offering brewed coffee and espresso drinks, and eventually acquired Starbucks, renaming everything Starbucks Corporation. Today, Starbucks has over 32,000 stores around the world.”
Nancy Rivera(12) said,” Her favorite Boba Tea drinks are brown sugar and strawberry milk tea.” She does not drink Starbucks.
Nancy agrees that Boba Tea will eventually compete with Starbucks.
She says,” A lot of people enjoy Boba; however if you asked the majority, they probably would choose Starbucks over Boba.”
Nancy thinks Generation Z likes Boba tea more than Millennials and Generation X because” it became more popular recently, and a lot of people didn’t have a Boba [shop] available to them back then.”
Nancy believes Boba Tea will stay popular in America’s society.
Nancy states that she drinks Boba tea about “5-times” a month.
Nancy Rivera knows some of the health risks caused by drinking Boba Tea or Starbucks. She said, “It can cause high blood pressure because of the amount of sugar” in the drink.
The health risks of drinking boba tea and Starbucks are not widely discussed. Boba Tea can be a tasty drink now and then. When consumed weekly, it can become hazardous and detrimental to your health, as well as highly addictive. Just like any other Starbucks drink with a lot of sugar and syrup, these can be highly addictive and dangerous. Sugar is mankind’s most addictive drug! Numerous studies have found that drinking Boba Tea, as well as Starbucks, can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other life-threatening diseases.
