Most bubble tea shops don’t fail because of taste —
they fail because of operations, costs, and wrong assumptions.
❌ Mistake 1: Copying Menus Without Understanding Costs
Many first-time owners:
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Copy popular brands’ menus
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Offer too many SKUs
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Ignore ingredient waste
Result:
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High inventory pressure
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Slow prep
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Unclear best-sellers
Fix:
Start with a tight menu (12–18 core items max).
❌ Mistake 2: Underestimating UK Labor Costs
UK staffing reality:
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Minimum wage increases almost every year
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High turnover in food service
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Training takes time
Common mistake:
Designing a menu that needs too many steps per drink
Fix:
Design drinks for speed + consistency, not complexity.
❌ Mistake 3: Choosing Location Based Only on Footfall
High footfall ≠ high conversion.
Problems:
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Wrong demographic
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Tourists instead of repeat locals
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High rent with unstable demand
Fix:
Look for:
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Schools / universities nearby
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Residential + takeaway-friendly areas
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Reasonable rent-to-revenue ratio
❌ Mistake 4: No Clear Brand Positioning
“Cute logo + pink walls” is not a brand.
Without positioning:
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Customers don’t remember you
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Price competition becomes brutal
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Marketing becomes expensive
Fix:
Be clear:
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Are you value-driven?
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Premium?
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Health-focused?
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Student-friendly?
❌ Mistake 5: Ignoring Compliance & Local Regulations
UK food business requires:
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Food hygiene registration
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Allergen compliance
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Clear labeling
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Proper documentation
Many owners only realize this after opening.
Fix:
Handle compliance before branding and装修.
✅ Final Takeaway
Bubble tea shops fail not because:
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“The market is dead”
But because:
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Planning is shallow
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Costs are misunderstood
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Execution is weak
If you treat bubble tea as:
a real food business, not a trend
you already beat 70% of new entrants.
