Gong cha vs Happy Lemon:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Gong cha had more branded searches than Happy Lemon among bubble tea chains worldwide. Gong cha had about 1 million branded searches, while Happy Lemon had 135,000. Gong cha made up 47.3% of all bubble tea chain searches we track, and Happy Lemon accounted for 6.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about bubble tea chains, Gong cha appeared in all four answers and Happy Lemon in two. Gong cha was mentioned before Happy Lemon in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Gong cha, about 7 searches for every 1 for Happy Lemon
Who does AI mention more?
Gong cha, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Gong cha, named ahead of Happy Lemon in every answer
Follow Gong cha vs Happy Lemon and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top bubble tea chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Gong cha appeared in all four answers. Happy Lemon was mentioned in two out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. Gong cha was listed before Happy Lemon in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Gong cha1st
Kung Fu Tea2nd
Sharetea3rd- CoCo4th
Tiger Sugar5th
Chatime6th
Happy Lemon7th
ChaPanda–
Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Gong cha4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Kung Fu Tea4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Sharetea4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- CoCo4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Tiger Sugar3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Happy Lemon2 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Chatime1 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- ChaPanda0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about bubble tea chains
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which bubble tea chain should I shop at?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best bubble tea chains?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best bubble tea chain for a sweet drink?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bubble tea chains”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bubble tea menu”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Gong cha or Happy Lemon more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Gong cha and Happy Lemon by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine bubble tea chains we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Gong cha, Happy Lemon. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Gong cha | Chatime | Kung Fu Tea | Happy Lemon | Sharetea | Tiger Sugar | ChaPanda | Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea | CoCo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 43% | 15.8% | 19.4% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 0.64% | 2.1% | 0.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 46% | 13.8% | 16.9% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 5.1% | 0.68% | 2.3% | 0.11% |
| Dec 2025 | 41.2% | 15.2% | 22.7% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 0.75% | 2% | 0.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 44.2% | 13.3% | 19.9% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 0.8% | 2.2% | 0.13% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.9% | 14.4% | 17.6% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 4.3% | 0.71% | 1.9% | 0.09% |
| Mar 2026 | 42.8% | 15.7% | 19.3% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 0.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.8% | 15.8% | 19.3% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 0.08% |
| May 2026 | 48.6% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 8% | 6.6% | 4.4% | 1.1% | 2% | 0.12% |
| Jun 2026 | 44.9% | 16.5% | 16.5% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 4.9% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 0.11% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.7% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 7.4% | 6% | 4.9% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 0.08% |
| Aug 2026 | 44.7% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 7.4% | 6% | 4.9% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 0.08% |
| Sep 2026 | 47.3% | 17.4% | 14.2% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.09% |
How has the Gong cha and Happy Lemon comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Gong cha was ahead of Happy Lemon in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Gong cha’s share of searches among bubble tea chains worldwide moved from 43% to 47.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Happy Lemon’s share of searches among bubble tea chains worldwide moved from 7.1% to 6.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 165K to 135K.
How did search popularity change for bubble tea chains worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Gong cha gained share of searches among bubble tea chains worldwide, from 44.7% to 47.3%.
In September 2026, Happy Lemon lost share of searches among bubble tea chains worldwide, from 7.4% to 6.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Gong cha’s and Happy Lemon’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Gong cha
1 branded search term
- gong cha
Happy Lemon
1 branded search term
- happy lemon
Other head-to-heads among bubble tea chains
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.