Chatime vs Chia Cha:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Chatime had more branded searches than Chia Cha among bubble tea chains in New Zealand. Chatime had about 1,660 branded searches, while Chia Cha had 100. Chatime made up 7.1% of all bubble tea chain searches we track, and Chia Cha accounted for 0.43%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about bubble tea chains, Chatime appeared in four of the five answers and Chia Cha in none.
Who do people search for more?
Chatime, about 17 searches for every 1 for Chia Cha
Who does AI mention more?
Chatime, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Chia Cha in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Chatime, the only one of the two named
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Top bubble tea chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Chatime was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Chia Cha did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Gong cha4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Chatime4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Hulu Cat Tea & Mocktail2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- WUCHA1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
ChaPanda0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Noah's Ark Teahouse0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Chia Cha0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about bubble tea chains
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which bubble tea chain should I shop at in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best bubble tea chains in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best bubble tea chain in New Zealand for tapioca drinks?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best bubble tea”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“milk tea nz”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.
Is Chatime or Chia Cha more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Chatime and Chia Cha by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight bubble tea chains we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Chatime, Chia Cha. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Gong cha | Hulu Cat Tea & Mocktail | WUCHA | Chatime | Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea | ChaPanda | Noah's Ark Teahouse | Chia Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 55.3% | 21.6% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 1.8% | 0.03% | 1.6% | 0.39% |
| Nov 2025 | 56.2% | 22.1% | 9.7% | 8.3% | 1.4% | 0.3% | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 57.3% | 22.8% | 10% | 6.7% | 1.2% | 0.24% | 1.3% | 0.35% |
| Jan 2026 | 57% | 22.2% | 9.9% | 6.7% | 1.8% | 0.29% | 1.6% | 0.49% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.2% | 22.3% | 9.9% | 8.1% | 1.5% | 0.29% | 1.3% | 0.33% |
| Mar 2026 | 53.3% | 20.4% | 9.1% | 7.4% | 1.9% | 6% | 1.5% | 0.45% |
| Apr 2026 | 58.2% | 18.6% | 10% | 6.8% | 2% | 3% | 1.1% | 0.34% |
| May 2026 | 54.5% | 20.8% | 11.2% | 7.6% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.31% |
| Jun 2026 | 58.9% | 18.4% | 10% | 7% | 1.9% | 2% | 1.3% | 0.42% |
| Jul 2026 | 54.5% | 20.9% | 11.2% | 7.5% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.39% |
| Aug 2026 | 56% | 21.4% | 9.5% | 6.5% | 3.1% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 50.7% | 23% | 12.4% | 7.1% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.43% |
How has the Chatime and Chia Cha comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Chatime was ahead of Chia Cha in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Chatime’s share of searches among bubble tea chains in New Zealand moved from 9.8% to 7.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3K to 1.7K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Chia Cha’s share of searches among bubble tea chains in New Zealand moved from 0.39% to 0.43%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 120 to 100.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand bubble tea chains in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Chatime gained share of searches among bubble tea chains in New Zealand, from 6.5% to 7.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Chia Cha in New Zealand fell 16.7% over 12 measured months, from 120 to 100 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
16 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Chatime’s and Chia Cha’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.
Other head-to-heads among bubble tea chains
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