Bubble tea franchise opportunities in Australia
Chatime has bubble tea franchise opportunities open across Australia, including new sites and established stores for sale. Total investment starts at $300,000 + GST, typically $300,000 to $375,000 depending on store format and site. There is no application deposit at any stage.
What a Chatime bubble tea franchise involves
A bubble tea franchise is a licence to run a store under an established brand, using its menu, supply chain, systems and training in return for an upfront investment and ongoing fees. These are the terms for a new Chatime store in Australia.
| Item | What applies at Chatime |
|---|---|
| Total investment | From $300,000 + GST, typically $300,000 to $375,000 depending on store format and site |
| What it covers | The franchise fee, store fit-out, equipment, training and opening stock |
| Application deposit | None, at any stage of the process |
| Store formats | Kiosk, suited to shopping centre food courts, or inline, for street-front and larger tenancies |
| Training | 5 days online, then 6 days in-store at a Sydney franchise alongside a current franchise partner |
| Agreement term | 5 years, with renewal options |
| Royalty and marketing levy | Set out in the disclosure document you receive before you sign |
| Experience needed | No food and beverage experience required |
Chatime franchise opportunities by city
New sites and resales are listed as they come up, so what is open changes over time. Each city page shows the sites available there now and what the local market looks like.
Two ways to own a Chatime store
Neither route is better in general. They suit different buyers.
Open a new site
You open from launch, with a new fit-out and a lease negotiated for your location. Chatime works with you to find the site and deal with the landlord. There is no trading history to assess, so your numbers are a plan rather than a record.
See the new sites open nowBuy a store already trading
Established stores come up for sale when a franchisee moves on. You take over a store that is already open, and you can visit it and see it operating before you buy. Each store is priced individually, and every sale needs Chatime's approval.
See Chatime stores for saleKiosk or inline: the two store formats
The site decides the format, so you do not need to choose one before you enquire.
Kiosk
Suited to shopping centre food courts and busy walkways, where customers order at the counter and take their drink with them.
Inline
A shopfront tenancy, on the street or within a larger retail space. The layout depends on the site you agree.
How much a bubble tea franchise costs in Australia
For a new Chatime store, total investment starts at $300,000 + GST, typically $300,000 to $375,000. That covers the franchise fee, fit-out, equipment, training and opening stock. Where a store lands in that range depends mainly on its format and the specific site.
In any franchise system, some costs sit outside the headline figure. Plan separately for working capital to carry you through the early months, your own legal and accounting advice, and anything the landlord requires before you trade.
Ongoing royalty and marketing levy rates are set out in the disclosure document you receive before you sign. A store already trading is priced individually by its listing, so it can sit inside or outside the new-store range.
What Chatime provides, and what stays with you
A franchise gives you a system to run. These are the parts Chatime supplies.
Training
5 days online on systems, product and operating standards, then 6 days in-store at a working Sydney franchise alongside a current franchise partner. Included in the investment.
Site and landlord
Chatime works with you to identify a location and supports you through landlord engagement, then builds the site into your plan.
Menu and supply chain
The menu, recipes and supply chain come with the brand, so you are not sourcing ingredients, packaging and equipment on your own.
Marketing and loyalty
National campaigns, social media and the Loyal-tea app are run centrally, alongside local activation for your store.
Systems
A purpose-built point of sale with Loyal-tea app integration and store reporting.
A plan before you commit
A business plan template to build from, and time in a trading Chatime store so you see the day rather than the pitch.
What stays with you
Running the store day to day. That means hiring and rostering your team, paying them correctly under the right award, meeting food safety rules and keeping control of your costs. The brand gives you the system. How well it runs is up to you.
Is a bubble tea franchise profitable?
Some are and some are not. The difference comes down to the site and lease, local competition, wage and rent costs, trading hours and how the store is run. Chatime does not publish turnover, profit or return figures, and does not guarantee or predict what any store will earn.
For what decides the result and how to build your own numbers, see is a bubble tea franchise profitable?
How to choose a bubble tea franchise
Whichever brands you are weighing up, compare them on the same evidence. Ask each one for:
- A published total investment figure, and a list of what it includes
- The royalty, marketing levy and any other ongoing fees, in writing
- Franchisees you pick yourself from the full contact list in the disclosure document
- How many franchisees left the network last year, and why
- Its entry on the Franchise Disclosure Register, a public government register you can search without asking the brand
The 12-point guide to comparing bubble tea franchises sets out every criterion, where to verify it and a grid to fill in yourself.
Who a Chatime franchise suits
Franchise partners come from all kinds of backgrounds, and you do not need to have run a food business before.
The career changer
Leaving a corporate or trade career for a business of your own, with a system behind it from the first day.
The family business
Running a store together, with training and set procedures that make it easier to share the load.
The food and beverage operator
Already in hospitality and looking to operate under the Chatime brand, menu and supply chain.
The multi-site operator
Planning more than one store over time. Ask about the pathway to multi-site ownership when you enquire.
How to start a Chatime franchise
You are not asked for money at any point in the application. These are the main stages.
Enquire
Fill in the form on this page. You receive an information pack and an invitation to complete the application form.
Apply and talk through sites
Tell us about your background, your funding position and where you would like to operate, then talk through what is available.
Plan and agree a site
Build your business plan from Chatime's template, agree a site and spend time in a working store.
Take advice on the disclosure document
You receive it at least 14 days before you sign. Have a franchise lawyer and an accountant read it.
Sign, train and open
A 14-day cooling-off period applies after signing. Training and fit-out run in parallel, and then you open.
Enquire about a Chatime franchise
Tell us where you would like to open. The team will be in touch within one business day with an information pack and an invitation to apply. No deposit, and no obligation to go further.
Looking for a job in a Chatime store rather than a franchise? Store roles are listed on Chatime's Join Our Team page.
Bubble tea franchise in Australia: your questions
How much does a bubble tea franchise cost in Australia?
A new Chatime franchise costs from $300,000 + GST, typically $300,000 to $375,000 depending on store format and site. That covers the franchise fee, fit-out, equipment, training and opening stock. Royalty and marketing levy rates are set out in the disclosure document.
Is there a deposit to apply for a Chatime franchise?
No. Chatime does not charge an application deposit of any kind, at any stage of the application process.
Do I need experience to run a bubble tea franchise?
No food and beverage experience is required. Training is 5 days online, then 6 days in-store at a Sydney franchise alongside a current Chatime franchise partner, and it is included in the investment.
Where are Chatime franchise opportunities available?
Opportunities are listed in Australian capital cities and, from time to time, regional areas, and the list changes as sites come up. The available locations page shows everything open now. If your area is not listed, you can still enquire and tell the team where you want to open.
Can I buy an existing bubble tea store instead of opening a new one?
Yes. Established Chatime stores come up for sale when a franchisee moves on. Each is priced individually, and every sale needs Chatime's approval before it completes.
What is the difference between a kiosk and an inline store?
A kiosk suits a shopping centre food court or walkway, where customers order at the counter and take their drink with them. An inline store is a shopfront tenancy on the street or in a larger retail space. The site decides the format.
How long does it take to open a bubble tea franchise?
Typically several months to a year from first enquiry to opening. The pace is set mostly by site availability, lease negotiation and fit-out rather than by the application itself.
How much does a bubble tea franchise owner earn?
Chatime does not publish turnover, profit or return figures, and does not guarantee or predict what any store will earn. Results depend on the site and lease, local competition, operating costs and how the store is run, so build your own numbers from the disclosure document with an accountant.