Mixue

Mixue (蜜雪冰城) is the world's largest tea-and-ice-cream chain by store count, with tens of thousands of locations globally — overwhelmingly in China and Southeast Asia. Founded in 1997 in Henan province, Mixue built its empire on a single, brutally effective proposition: large drinks and soft serve at prices dramatically below the rest of the market. Its mascot, "Snow King," is one of the most recognizable brand characters in Asia.

The US is Mixue's newest frontier, and the brand is only just beginning to establish a presence, with its first American pilot stores opening in California. Mixue's US pricing remains its core differentiator: where Chagee and Heytea large drinks run $5.50-$7.00, Mixue's signature drinks sit in the $2.50-$4.00 range, making it by far the most affordable option in the Chinese tea-brand segment. This value positioning is central to understanding Mixue — customers trade some ingredient premiumness (more syrups and creamer vs. fresh fruit and milk) for significantly lower prices and larger portions.

Mixue's menu is anchored by its $2 Lemon Iced Tea and its $1 soft serve cone, both of which have near-cult status in Asia. The US menu is more limited than the domestic one and may not include every SKU. Availability and exact pricing vary by location and should be verified at the store level, particularly given how new the US operation is.