Taiwan's Popular Bubble Tea Chain Faces Collapse! From 513 Stores at Peak to Only 2 Remaining

The hand-shaken drink brand 'A-Niang-Wei! Liao Lao-Da Tea House,' founded by famous race car driver Liao Lao-Da, is now facing another wave of store closures across Taiwan. A netizen recently discovered that the Taichung Songzhu branch, which was still operating normally a week earlier, had quietly shut down, sparking local discussion. Subsequently, it was revealed that the Taoyuan Dayuan branch has also ceased operations. Currently, only two stores remain open nationwide: the Hsinchu Minsheng branch and the Changhua Zhangcao branch.

Once boasting over 500 locations across Taiwan, the 'Liao Lao-Da Beverage Shop' has now seen its Taichung Songzhu outlet quietly close. A post on the Facebook group 'Roadside Observation Academy' revealed the closure, prompting reactions from local residents. Comments included: 'Too bad, their drinks were actually quite good,' 'Their salted lemon seven was amazing, super refreshing,' 'The franchisees are the real victims,' 'It seems like the Tainan branches disappeared long ago,' 'So it finally collapsed, what a pity,' and 'It's a shame—I've tried their drinks, and they weren't bad.'

Additionally, local netizens confirmed that the Taoyuan Dayuan branch has also recently shut down. As of now, only two stores remain in operation across Taiwan: the Hsinchu Minsheng and Changhua Zhangcao branches.

The brand gained rapid fame through the 'Da Gui Hao' incident, aggressively expanding via franchising. The flagship store once incurred monthly operating costs of up to NT$500,000.

Liao Zhi-Xian, known as 'Liao Lao-Da,' rose to fame through the 'Da Gui Hao' incident, amassing a large following. In 2022, he launched the 'A-Niang-Wei! Liao Lao-Da Tea House' brand and rapidly opened franchises. Within just over six months, the number of franchise stores across Taiwan peaked at 513.

The flagship store on Huanzhong Road in Taichung spanned approximately 200 ping (about 660 sqm), with monthly operating costs—including rent, salaries, and raw materials—reaching up to NT$500,000. At its peak, the brand enjoyed unprecedented success.

However, after rapid expansion, the brand faced repeated controversies over inconsistent drink quality, excessively fast store openings, and headquarters mismanagement. Coupled with Liao Lao-Da's repeated controversial statements, which triggered negative public sentiment, store closures began spreading across the island.

Media reports indicate that from the brand's early days, industry insiders noted a lack of product differentiation in the market. Since each franchise operated independent supply chains, quality control became difficult to maintain. Frequent disputes with competitors further raised concerns about long-term sustainability. The current situation—only two stores remaining—validates the initial operational concerns.