Boba tea originated in Taiwan, but has quickly grown in popularity across the world. Today, it isn’t unusual to find bubble tea shops in cities, small towns, and everywhere in between. Boba tea trucks are also a common sight at sporting events, carnivals, and other special events.
While 16 ounces is the standard size for bubble tea, there is no reason to limit your customers to just one option. Offering a few choices is a great way to make sure that you have something for everyone. Whatever size you choose, make sure to buy a custom clear plastic cup that can be printed with your business’s name and logo.
At Disposable Design, we sell custom-printed disposable products to small and medium-sized food service businesses throughout the United States, like boba tea shops. We offer a full array of promotional boba tea packaging products that can be custom printed to increase your marketing efforts. Reach out today to talk to a member of our branding team about how we can help your business.
Boba Tea Cup Sizes
There are few drinks more refreshing (or fun!) than bubble tea. Sweetened tea or fruit juice paired with tapioca pearls or bursting boba is an absolute delight. It is little wonder that this Taiwanese delicacy has become incredibly popular throughout the world.
If you decided to hop on the boba trend and open up a bubble tea cafe or truck, you might be wondering how to get started. While we can’t help you with the best boba recipes, we can help guide you when it comes to picking out the right cup sizes.
The first thing to consider is cup size. Worldwide, the standard boba tea serving is 500 ml, which is approximately 16 ounces. Of course, there are good reasons to offer both larger and smaller drink sizes. A smaller cup means that a person can test out a new flavor without committing to a large drink, while a bigger cup allows a fan to get more of their favorite drink.
Perhaps more importantly, offering a variety of cup sizes is important to meet customer needs. Some people simply want more – or less – to drink than others. Our clear plastic cups are available in a full range of sizes to meet customer needs, from very small to extra large.
The Most Popular Bubble Tea Cup Sizes & Uses
| Size | Use |
| 3-ounce cups | Perfect for offering free samples and taste tests |
| 5-ounce cups | This size works well for toddler-sized drinks. |
| 12-ounce cups | The most common size for a small bubble tea. This cup size holds the same amount of liquid as a can of soda. |
| 16-ounce cups | This size is often used as a medium. It’s the most popular size for bubble tea and is large enough to accommodate crushed ice while still providing a satisfying amount of liquid. |
| 20-ounce cups | A 20-ounce cup may be a better fit for medium than a 16 in some cases. Opting for a larger size provides space for syrup to settle if you’re combining boba with condensed milk. |
| 24-ounce cups | The most common size for a large bubble tea. This size is great for sharing and for those who want a little extra boba in their cup. |
| 32-ounce cups | This size isn’t as commonly used, but with many American consumers preferring large portions, offering this size gives you another upsell opportunity. Offering a 32-ounce option ensures you can satisfy any craving, no matter how large. |
Of course, it’s impractical for most boba tea trucks or cafes to offer 7 or more different boba tea sizes. It is also confusing for customers and can slow down ordering.
We typically recommend that bubble tea shops pick 3 or 4 sizes and offer small, medium, large, and extra large options. For example, you might choose an 8-ounce cup for a small boba, a 16-ounce cup for medium, a 24-ounce cup for a large, and a 32-ounce cup for an extra large. The choice is up to you, but having a few options is usually a good idea to make sure that you can give your customers what they want.
Bubble Tea Cup Sizing Mistakes
Ordering Cups That Are Too Small
A common misstep many shops make is offering boba cups that are undersized. Customers expect a full experience—loaded with chewy tapioca pearls and rich, flavorful syrup. When the cup is too small, there’s simply not enough room for everything, especially the syrup that settles at the bottom and ties the whole drink together.
The syrup isn’t just a sweetener—it’s what gives the drink its character. Skimping on it by using a cup that’s too small robs your customers of the full flavor profile they’re craving. In short, an undersized cup leads to an underwhelming experience.
Ordering Cups That Are Too Large
On the flip side, oversized cups can create problems, too. While it’s great to serve a generous portion, a cup that’s too large can be awkward to handle, especially when filled to the top. Customers may find themselves spilling their drink before they’ve even taken a sip.
Not only does this waste product, but it also leaves your customers frustrated and sticky. A poor drinking experience—no matter how tasty the boba is—can deter them from coming back. The key is to strike the right balance: a cup that holds enough for a satisfying drink but is still easy and clean to enjoy.
Finding The Right Balance
Our team has extensive experience working with bubble tea shops. We can help you assess your needs and determine which sizes would be best for your drink offerings. You can contact us for help determining cup sizes for your shop.
Picking the Right Boba Tea Cups and Accessories
Cup Options
When it comes to offering beverages to go, you have quite a few options. This includes several different choices for hot drinks (like ripple cups) and choices for cold beverages (such as paper cups). For boba tea, however, the gold standard is a clear plastic cup.
The reason why is simple: bubble tea is something that should be seen! It often features vibrant colors, swirls, and, of course, the fun of the boba at the bottom of the cup. A clear cup allows both the patron and others to see the beauty of your boba creation. It will also look great in photos on social media.
Our clear plastic cups are made from food-safe commercial-grade polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. They can be printed with your business’s name and logo, which will serve as a great, low-cost advertisement. Our cups are also recyclable, as PP and PET plastic are accepted at most curbside recycling programs.
Lid Options
Once you have chosen your favorite sizes of clear plastic cups, the next step will be deciding what you want in terms of a lid. Boba tea is typically served with a sealing film rather than a lid. This creates an airtight seal and prevents spills when the tea is mixed and transported. It also allows you to premake popular drinks to help during busy times. Our sealing film can also be custom printed with your business’s name and logo to further your branding efforts.
Of course, you can also order our cups with lids if you don’t want to invest in a sealing machine. We offer three lid styles: dome, flat, and sipping. For boba, we recommend dome lids because they can accommodate the larger size boba straw (so customers can suck up the little bubbles with their drink!).
Our boba tea cups are the perfect option for any bubble tea business. They’re easy to store, sturdy, and hygienic. They can also be custom printed as an easy way to advertise your business for pennies on the dollar. Our design team can work with you to help you pick out the best size options and decide on lids or cup sealing film. We can also help you coordinate with other items like custom-printed paper napkins.
Get the Best Custom Boba Cups (in All Sizes) from Disposable Design
Investing in a boba tea business is a great option given how popular this beverage has become. If you are just starting out, you should consider purchasing multiple cup sizes to give your customers a choice when it comes to how much bubble tea they want. Ideally, your boba will be served in custom clear plastic cups to show off the drink and your business acumen.
Based in Michigan, Disposable Design helps boba tea businesses get the custom-branded products that they need at fair prices. Using custom-printed clear plastic cups is a no-brainer for any boba tea business. If you need custom plastic cups, custom paper SOS bags, custom napkins, or another product, we can work with you to pick the right product and finalize the perfect design. To learn more about our boba tea products or to speak to a member of our branding team, fill out our online contact form or hit the live chat button at the bottom of the screen.
