Dundee bubble tea fans form huge queue outside new takeaway

Huge queues formed outside a new bubble tea takeaway in Dundee as it opened for the first time on Friday.

Scores of people lined Reform Street to try out the offering at Cupp – with some waiting more than an hour to make their order.

Bubble tea, or boba, is a type of tea which originates from Taiwan, notable for its use of tapioca balls.

The drink is popular on social media due to its colourful appearance and the oversized straw used to suck up the tapioca balls.

Cupp has nearly 90 different drinks on its menu including milk teas, fruit teas – such as strawberry, grapefruit and mango – brown sugar teas and coffee boba.

The Courier went along to speak to some of the people eager to get their hands on one of the teas. 

Dundee university students Claire Ling and Charis Gibson waited an hour to reach the front of the queue.

Claire said: “I don’t think there are a lot of bubble tea places around in Dundee so we were very excited to hear there is a new store opening.

“I am from Singapore, bubble tea is a huge thing back home, I love it so much so I wanted to try this new shop.

“My friend Charis has tried it once before so I said she should come too.”

‘It feels healthier than a coffee’

Kurt Scobbie, Louise Kearney and Catriona Massie, all from Dundee, wanted to taste the tea after previously trying it at events such as DeeCon.

Louise said: “We love boba – boba for me is like an event thing.

“They do a stall at DeeCon in Dundee – it is a thing I would get while going somewhere so to have one here is really nice.

“And it feels healthier than a coffee.”

Catriona added: “It gives you a little serotonin boost.

“I am torn between two flavours – the strawberry cloud cake or the brown sugar.

“I’ve been craving boba for ages – I have a friend in America who lives near a boba place and she keeps sending me pictures.”

Mikayla Whittle, head of franchising for Cupp in Scotland, previously told The Courier how a steer away from highly caffeinated drinks had aided the brand’s success.

Dundee students queue for over an hour to try new bubble tea takeaway

Dundee university students Oliwia Laszkiewicz and Spencer Shek wanted to try Cupp as they thought it might be more affordable than other similar takeaways.

Oliwia said: “We have been waiting about an hour and a half.

“We were going to go – we knew there was going to be a queue but we didn’t know it was going to be so long.

“I’ve tried it quite a few times.

“There are a couple of other places.

“It seems quite nice inside as well, hopefully it will be good.

“I had a look at the menu on the app and I will probably get a coffee one as I really need some coffee.

Spencer added: “Some places are over priced, this one seems a little more reasonable.”

Elin Sjoberg, who attends Abertay university, met friends Ella Yates, Cailan Bailes, Rhys Murphy from St Andrews university to try the new takeaway.

Elin said: “I would say it was worth the wait.

“We were only in the queue for about half an hour and got here about half one.

“Once we were inside it was all really quick.”

Cailan added: “It is something fun to do with friends.”