It’s happened again. Gong Cha has seemingly pulled the plug on its Singapore operations, with numerous outlets closing all across the country. There has been no official word on the matter, yet netizens have already noticed the shutdown of many of their beloved Gong Cha stores, including the ones at Plaza Singapura, Nex, Bugis Junction and many more.
But it’s not just Gong Cha’s stores that have disappeared—their website and social media are gone, too. Whether it’s the Singapore website or Instagram page, they’ve all gone dark. One can only assume the worst.
If you’re seeing your nearest Gong Cha listed as “Open” on Google Maps, don’t be so quick to make the trip. In many of these situations, like the Compass One pictured above, a look at a food delivery platform will reveal that the outlets are closed. Unfortunately, it looks like you won’t be able to get your Gong Cha fix anytime soon—or possibly ever again.
As alluded to earlier, this isn’t the first time Gong Cha has closed its doors. It did so in 2016, before making a grand return a year later. Hardcore Gong Cha fans can cling to the faint hope that history might repeat itself.
Perhaps the best way to mourn would be to get yourself some bubble tea… from the countless other bubble tea stores in the country, such as CHAGEE tea and artisanal tea brand HEYTEA. For newer entrants to the scene, read our LULI coverage. LULI has over 400 outlets across China, and is known for TCM-inspired drinks such as Lingzhi Dragon Ginseng ($9.80). This bubble tea has the bitter and earthy flavours of ginseng, which are eventually mellowed by the fresh milk and tea. There’s also the Roselle Digestive ($5.50), a sweet, refreshing drink made with plum, hawthorn, roselle, licorice root, and dried tangerine peel.