Today I finally tried CHAGEE for the very first time! They recently opened a branch at Causeway Point in Woodlands, and since I happened to be in the area during lunchtime, I thought, why not join the hype and see what this tea brand is all about?
CHAGEE is a tea place, but it feels a little different from the usual milk tea shops that have been around for years. For one, the shop itself looks very polished and modern. Warm lighting, clean wood tones, and a long tea bar lined with those pretty blue-and-white cups. It almost looks like a specialty coffee bar, but for tea lovers.
Because this outlet is newly opened, they’re running a promotion, so of course I wanted to take advantage of that and also finally taste their milk tea. 😆 From what I understand, CHAGEE focuses on freshly brewed tea leaves. Instead of just mixing from a giant pre-made base, they brew as you order. The whole concept is about quality, from the ingredients to the brewing method, so you can expect the tea flavor to be more pronounced and “real.”
What also stood out to me is how they reinvent the ordering process. You have a few options:
I decided to try the app because I wanted to experience their online ordering system and hopefully cut the queue a little. Once I registered as a new user, I saw they have tiered rewards, and as a first-timer I was entitled to 50% off one drink. You already know my habit by now: when I visit a place for the first time, I always go for the bestseller. 😂
So I ordered the Jasmine Green Milk Tea, less ice and less sugar. I really like green tea in general, and jasmine adds that floral fragrance I enjoy. I was also eyeing the Osmanthus Oolong, but I decided to save that for my next visit and stick with the top seller this round.
Then came the surprise…
As soon as I confirmed my order, the app showed an estimated waiting time of almost 1 hour with more than 200 cups in production ahead of me. 🤯 I stared at my phone like, “All this for tea?!” The queue was insane. It made me realise just how popular CHAGEE has become. Yes, the promotion probably plays a big role, but even then, not every promo can pull such a long, consistent crowd—especially considering the discount had already been running for about two weeks.
Watching the tea bar in action was quite fun though. The staff moved quickly, cups lined up with numbers, machines going non-stop. It felt like a little tea factory, but still calm and organised. The packaging is also really pretty, very giftable and premium looking.
By the time my drink was finally ready, I actually felt a small sense of achievement. 😂 First sip: the jasmine aroma hit me right away, light but fragrant. The tea itself tasted clean and smooth, with a nice balance between milkiness and tea strength. Since I chose less sugar, it wasn’t too sweet, which I appreciated. It felt like a more grown-up version of milk tea, something you could slowly sip and enjoy instead of just gulping down.
Overall, I’d say CHAGEE delivered on the quality they promised. The wait was long, but it also showed how strong their marketing and branding are. It’s not easy to keep such a crowd going after the initial opening hype, yet here they are, still brewing hundreds of cups at a time.
Will I be back? Yes, but next time I’ll order earlier… and maybe finally try that Osmanthus Oolong. 😉 Cheers to long queues and good tea!
