Automated beverage preparation and digital ordering kiosks are at the center of Gong cha's next growth phase, as the global bubble tea chain disclosed the operational infrastructure driving its accelerating franchise expansion. The brand ranked No. 129 on the 2026 Franchise Times Top 400 — up five spots from No. 134 in 2025 — reporting global systemwide sales growth of 8.8%, more than double the 4.3% combined rate posted across all 400 ranked systems.
The 2.0 Operating Platform
The Gong cha 2.0 model integrates automated beverage preparation equipment, self-service ordering kiosks, and an optimized store layout designed to increase throughput and consistency across a highly customizable menu. Kiosks allow guests to configure drink orders independently, while staff are repositioned to focus on preparation quality and drink handoff rather than order-taking. The platform is built to handle high-volume customization — a persistent operational challenge for beverage-forward concepts — while maintaining brand standards across franchise locations.
Geoff Henry, President of Gong cha Americas, framed the system as essential to scaling: "It takes an operating model that can handle customization at scale, support consistent service, and adapt to different real estate opportunities. That's where we're concentrating our investment as we build the next phase of Gong cha's growth."
For equipment specifiers and foodservice consultants working on beverage-concept buildouts, the 2.0 model signals a meaningful shift toward automation-first kitchen design in the QSR beverage segment — a layout philosophy that compresses labor requirements behind the counter while front-of-house kiosk hardware absorbs order flow.
Format Diversity and Build-Out Implications
Gong cha's expansion strategy is deliberately format-agnostic, which carries direct implications for back-of-house configuration. The chain recently signed a 50-unit franchise agreement in Texas and a three-unit deal in Southern California, both with experienced multi-unit operators. But the brand is also moving into non-traditional venues: its first U.S. airport location is set for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and it has established a university presence at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley through its Proud to Serve model.
Each format — street-level retail, airport concession, campus dining — demands a distinct equipment footprint and utility infrastructure. Non-traditional venues typically operate with compressed back-of-house space and limited utility drops, making the automated, compact prep equipment within the 2.0 platform particularly relevant. Michael Nedelkovich Jr., Vice President of U.S. Non-Traditional Franchise Development, noted the focus on "formats their teams can execute" — a recognition that equipment selection must match the operational realities of each venue type.
The broader beverage franchise category is also gaining momentum. Franchise Times reported that total sales for coffee and tea concepts increased 32.5% in 2025, underscoring the growing demand for beverage-optimized kitchen and counter equipment in the foodservice channel. Dealers and reps servicing QSR and fast-casual beverage accounts are positioned to benefit as brands like Gong cha accelerate multi-unit development with standardized equipment packages.
With more than 240 U.S. locations currently open across 24 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, Gong cha is targeting 500-plus Americas stores by 2028 — roughly doubling its current footprint in under three years, a pace that will generate significant equipment procurement activity across cooking, refrigeration, and front-of-house automation categories.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
