Nowadays, the key to success is the internet. This is something that led China to coin a term just to describe the phenomenon. “Wanghong” means “internet fame,” which refers to social media celebrities and places made popular through influencer marketing and online campaigns.
For many, it’s impossible to scroll down your TikTok “for you” page without seeing an advertisement for HEYTE. This explosively popular boba franchise (aptly called “wanghong” by internet users) recently opened its doors in Boston.
Shortly after opening a store in Shanghai, China, HEYTEA attracted significant attention on social media for their explosive opening day. Their long lines reportedly caused customers to have to wait a 4 hours to receive their drink. But reporters soon revealed an extra topping of deceit; HEYTEA hired paid actors to inflate the lines and manufacture hype. They wanted to pique curiosity about what exactly was worth the excessive wait, photos and videos of the crowd attracted attention online.
But even without the paid actors, the lengthy lines haven’t let up for HEYTEA’s Boston locations.
Recent Yelp reviews describe a 30-minute wait and completely packed stores. “I’d say it’s worth the hype. But would I want to wait this long for drinks again? Probably not,” a reviewer states, giving the cafe a generous four out of five stars. A 5-star reviewer expresses, “Okay, I learned the hype is real.”
As outlined on their website, HEYTEA began in 2012 as a small shop in China. By 2017, they’d expanded into several major cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong. By 2023, they opened their first US location in New York City. And by the summer of 2025, they opened their first Boston locations in Newbury and Allston. New storefronts open every month in major cities like Houston, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
What’s made HEYTEA stand out in the explosion of boba shops across the west is its innovation of “cheese foam.” Creamy and thick, it provides a unique kick to each drink when ordered as an add-on. However, it tastes just subtle enough to avoid overpowering the flavor of the drink itself. Originating in Taiwan, HEYTEA popularized the topping, bringing it into the global boba sphere.
HEYTEA also attracts customers through its many collaborations with other brands, notably “Genshin Impact” — an anime-style mobile game that has seen massive financial success since its release just before the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with “Genshin Impact,” customers can collect cups with illustrations of their favorite characters, special cup sleeves, and new signature flavors based on the game’s content.
In addition, they’ve collaborated with iconic artist Yayoi Kusama, the popular cartoon character Chiikawa, and high-end luxury brands like Fendi and Alexander Wang.
All of these collaborations are careful moves to refine and define HEYTEA’s social media presence.
Alexander Wang, in particular, is a noteworthy collaboration. As Alexander Wang is a New York-centric fashion designer and brand, the collaboration targeted Americans. HEYTEA’s work with luxury brands also gives them a high-end, luxurious reputation — especially fitting, considering some of their drinks will run you over $10 for a single cup.
As for the drinks themselves, their quality is undeniable. Each cup sports vivid colors and beautiful layers, all visible behind its iconic minimalist logo, practically demanding you photograph and post it online. The toppings are perfectly-textured, the ingredients look and taste fresh, and their specialty cheese foam cap is an inspired derivative of standard milk-based additions.
You also have to praise HEYTEA’s matcha menu. They offer 5 different matcha-based drinks, like the Triple Supreme Matcha Latte and Cloud Matcha Latte. These drinks don’t skimp on their use of ceremonial-grade powder, making sure matcha lovers can really taste what they came for.
Another standout drink is one of their most frequently ordered: the Coconut Mango Boom, made up of creamy coconut milk, fresh mango, sago, and pudding in a tropical blend.
Above all, each cup is a beautifully crafted work of art worthy of admiration and at least three different angles in the camera app. But, as passersby visit HEYTEA’s bustling Boston locations and try to wrestle for a spot in the line, it’s up to them to decide—is it truly worth the hype?
Featured image via heytea.usa instagram
Heytea’s virality really shows how modern food culture spreads through aesthetics, social media moments, and shareability rather than just taste alone. It’s interesting how a drink brand can become a lifestyle symbol, similar to how trends move across TikTok and Xiaohongshu. I also like how this connects to smaller specialty cafés like https://www.effyscafe.com/ it highlights how independent places can also build their own identity and loyal community through experience, atmosphere, and storytelling, not just products. That’s really the bigger trend here: people aren’t just buying drinks, they’re buying the feeling and the culture around them.