
Gong cha debuts in Washington with new Capitol Hill location
The store is run by father-daughter team Ajay and Prachi Keshap, who plan to open 50 regional outlets in five years.
Gong cha is opening its first Pacific Northwest location with a new outlet in Seattle’s Capitol Hill on 3 October, marking the chain’s entry into Washington State.
The store is run by father-daughter duo Ajay and Prachi Keshap, who hold the franchise rights for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
They plan to launch 50 outlets across the region within five years.
The Capitol Hill location will stay open until 2 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Along with its bubble tea menu, the shop will serve items like Shin Ramen and bubble waffles in flavours, including chocolate, matcha, and Oreo.
It will also feature Gong cha’s automated drink-making system, known as the Super Wu machine.
The Taiwan-based chain has nearly 2,200 stores in 30 countries. In the US, it operates more than 240 locations across 23 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with a goal of topping 500 stores by 2028.
Gong cha is currently seeking to add franchise partners in markets across North America, such as Southern California, Nevada, Utah, and the Southeast.