A Singaporean's Guide: How to Get Your Bubble Tea Fix During Circuit Breaker

This morning, I awoke to some devastating news.

Koi x Grain did not deliver to my area as I live in the West. #Firstworldproblems indeed.

Ever since standalone bubble tea shops were declared as non-essential business and were made to close on 21 April — I’ve been craving a cup of bubble tea.

This craving might not be satisfied easily, especially since an update from the Enterprise Singapore (ESG) that:

“Shops selling bubble tea, alcohol and other beverages have been excluded from the list of food retail outlets that are allowed to reopen from May 12.”.

This means that Singapore bubble teas shops will not be able to reopen on May 12, as part of the extended Circuit Breaker measures.

Thankfully all is not lost.

These restrictions do not apply to “stalls in hawker centres, coffeeshop and food courts” which are still allowed to operate according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

This means that stalls that sell bubble tea in these places will still be allowed to open.

Standalone bubble tea shops will still be able to sell their products online (through food delivery platforms, for example) if the drinks are made in a licensed central kitchen or approved manufacturing facility.

TL;DR: How to Get Bubble Tea From Mainstream BBT Brands During The Circuit Breaker

Mainstream bubble tea brands like CHICHA San Chen, Gong Cha, KOI, Liho, R&B Tea, Tiger Sugar and Xing Fu Tang have teamed up with food establishments and food delivery platforms to continue delivering bubble tea to you.

Here is how to get your BBT fix from them.

*Do note that due to overwhelming demand for bubble tea, some of the brands on this list may not have their products available.

1) CHICHA San Chen Delivery 

Taiwanese brand CHICHA San Chen is a personal favourite.

The Taiwanese brand offers up bubble tea made with high-grade tea leaves.

I like their use of traditional teas and updating how they updated it for a modern drink bubble tea.

They are known for their more uncommon flavours like their High Mountain Pouchong Tea with Lemon Juice and Cassia Black Tea with Mousse.

The drinks available for sale via delivery include:

• Tea with Cream ($5.70)
• Tea with Mango ($5.70)
• Bubble Milk Tea ($6.00)
• Tea with Mousse ($6.20)
• Fruit Tea ($6.50)
• Fresh Milk with Brown Sugar Bubble ($6.50)
• and more…

CHICHA has teamed up with Yu Kee to deliver its drinks from its Connexis outlet via GrabFood (islandwide) and foodpanda.

CHICHA San Chen is open daily from 10 am – 8 pm.

CHICHA San Chen (Connexis) GrabFood Islandwide Delivery

CHICHA is selling its bubble tea islandwide from its outlet at Connexis via GrabFood. Look up their listing on GrabFood.

Additional Fees:

The GrabFood service fee which includes the GrabFood delivery fee starts from $3 and goes up based on delivery distance.

Grab also charges a small order fee for orders less than $20. I have tried it on the GrabFood app and it looks like you will have to top it up to $20.

For example, if you ordered $13 worth of BBT you will need to pay a $7 small order fee.

CHICHA San Chen foodpanda Delivery

CHICHA San Chen will also offer its wares via foodpanda from its Connexis Outlet. Look up their listing on foodpanda.

To order from foodpanda, your address will need to be within the delivery radius which can be as far as 5 km away.

Additional Fees:

Foodpanda also charges a delivery fee of $0.99 to $2.99 based on delivery distance.

2) Gong Cha Delivery (Professor Brawn Cafe)

Gong Cha has a pre-existing partnership with Professor Brawn Cafe — a Social Enterprise which provides job and social integration opportunities to people with special needs and the disadvantaged in society.

The cafe is run by the Autism Resource Centre and serves up Western cuisine like Grilled Chicken with Truffle Sauce, Battered Fish & Chips, Truffle Fries, Calamari, Salads and more.

There are two branches of the cafe, one at Ang Mo Kio and one in the Enabling Village.

However, Gong Cha is only available at the Enabling Village (Redhill) branch.

There are about 17 drinks with customisable toppings available. Here are some of the available drinks:

• Earl Grey Milk Tea with 3J ($4.30)
• Milk Foam Oolong Tea ($3.10)
• QQ Passionfruit Green Tea ($4.20)
• Milk Foam Brown Sugar Oolong ($3.90)
• and more…

You are encouraged to order your bubble tea drinks along with food. However, there is a limit of 5 Gong Cha drinks for every main ordered.

Professor Brawn Cafe (Enabling Village) is open daily from Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 9am-9pm. Sun (closed).

Gong Cha Delivery (Professor Brawn)

You will have to order via WhatsApp at 83212204 at least one day in advance (last order at 5 pm for next day delivery) or via GrabFood.

The good thing is that islandwide delivery is available at these rates:

Order $30 – $50 (min order $30)

Less than 15 km: $8

More than 15 km: $15

Order more than $50

Less than 15 km: FREE Delivery

More than 15 km: $15

Gong Cha Grabfood Delivery (Professor Brawn)

The GrabFood service fee which includes the GrabFood delivery fee starts from $3 and goes up based on delivery distance.

3) Grain x Koi Delivery

KOI has teamed up with Grain Singapore, an online restaurant that provides meals on-demand, meal plans and catering.

They have actually installed a bubble tea machine in their central kitchen.

Bubble tea from KOI on Grain is now available in the East from 28 April, Tuesday and will be available in the West from 5 May Tuesday.

Grain is open daily, from 11 am – 9 pm.

KOI is only currently available at Grain, until the end of the circuit breaker. Or until the bubble tea runs out, whichever comes first.

Here are some of the available drinks:

• Yakult Green Tea (M) ($4.50)
• Peach Green Tea (M) ($4.20)
• Hazelnut Pearl Milk Tea (M) ($4.50)
• Brown Sugar Milk Tea (M) ($4.50)
• and more…

Grain x Koi Website Delivery

You can now order the Grain website or app.

Additional Fees:

Every order is subjected to Grain’s $10 minimum order limit and a $4 delivery fee.

A surcharge of $2 applies if you are ordering KOI drinks ala carte without Grain’s food.

*Due to the high demand, drinks on their website are currently “sold out”

Grain x Koi Grabfood Delivery

Grain is also available on the GrabFood app.

Additional Fees:

The GrabFood service fee which includes the GrabFood delivery fee starts from $3 and goes up based on delivery distance.

4) LiHo Delivery

LiHo is also offering its drinks online via Grab Delivery and Boss Happy Delivery.

The LiHo milk teas and drinks available include:

• Brown Sugar Milk Tea ($3.60)
• Classic Milk Tea ($3)
• Earl Grey Milk Tea ($3)
• Honey Green Tea ($3.10)
• Honey Milk Tea ($3.60)
• Jasmine Green Tea ($2.20)
• Salted Caramel Milk Tea ($3.60)
• and more…

LiHo GrabFood Delivery

It pays to have a parent company like Royal T Group.

LiHo has partnered with the restaurants under the Royal T Group umbrella to sell its drinks with every order of these restaurants’ food on GrabFood.

Additional Fees:

The GrabFood service fee which includes the GrabFood delivery fee starts from $3 and goes up based on delivery distance.

LiHo Boss Happy Island Delivery

Plus. LiHo will be selling its drinks ala carte islandwide on the Boss Happy Delivery platform as well.

Additional Fees:

Minimum order of $30 and a delivery fee of $5 applies.

Free delivery for orders above $45.

5) R&B Tea Delivery 

R&B 巡茶 sells bubble tea with fresh fruits and all-natural components.

There have more than 30 tea-based concoctions ranging from fruit-loaded brews, macchiato tea capped with tea cream to their signature Brown Sugar Boba series ($4.80, $5.50).

As of 23 Apr, all R&B tea outlets have been closed except for the one at Thompson Plaza located in the Koufu Foodcourt. This is kind of like a loophole as stalls in food courts are still allowed to operate.

The outlet is open daily from 11am – 9pm (Mon-Sun)

R&B Tea foodpanda Delivery

You can grab R&B tea from their Thomson Plaza (Koufu Foodcourt) outlet via foodpanda.

Additional Fees:

Foodpanda charges a delivery fee of $0.99 to $2.99 based on delivery distance, You can order from restaurants as far as 5 km away.

**Takeaway is also available if you live near Thompson Plaza.

6) Tiger Sugar Delivery

Tiger Sugar is known for bringing its brown sugar bubble milk drinks in Singapore.

The name ‘Tiger Sugar’, was given because of the coming together of the milk and dark brown sugar which forms tiger stripes at the side.

Like R&B, Tiger Sugar has been allowed to continue operating as their stall is located in the Paserbella food court at Suntec City.

The outlet opens daily, from 11.30 am to 9.30 pm.

There are a few delivery options available:

Tiger Sugar in House Islandwide Delivery

Tiger Sugar is doing their own inhouse delivery islandwide (excludes Jurong Island, Sentosa and Tuas)

There is no minimum order but there will be a fee delivery fee that is calculated based on your location.

You will have to order your drinks one day before from 10 am – 3.30 pm. Your drinks will be delivered the next day.

You can order via Tiger Sugar’s order form.

Payment details and your order information will be sent via WhatsApp once order is confirmed.

Tiger Sugar Grabfood Delivery

You can order Tiger Sugar drinks via GrabFood if you stay within the delivery radius of Suntec City Paserbella.

Additional Fees:

The GrabFood service fee which includes the GrabFood delivery fee starts from $3 and goes up based on delivery distance.

**Takeaway is also available if you live near Paserbella food court at Suntec City.

7) Xing Fu Tang Delivery

Last but not least on this list is Xin Fu Tang.

They have joined hands with The Fish Hut SG a local food establishment that sells all kinds of Fish Soup, White Bee Hoon, Fried Bee Hoon Vegetarian Dumplings and more.

The Fish Hut x Xin Fu Tang Islandwide Delivery

To get drinks from Xin Fu Tang you will need to order set that includes a main from The Fish Hut SG. Each set costs from $10 to $15.50.

You will have to make your orders before 2pm, while delivery will be made on the same day between 5 – 6pm.

You can order via their website.

Additional Fees:

Delivery cost varies from $4 – $10 per order depending on the distance.

Do note that you can only make payment via GrabPay.