Waited 2 hours for this 'water'? My honest Chagee Jakarta experience
qponx
2026-01-24
Is the new Chagee in Jakarta worth the insane 2-hour wait? This honest review spills the tea on the viral sensation. While the stunningly photogenic packaging is a major draw, the drinks themselves are described as underwhelming and bland. The article weighs the social media-worthy aesthetics against the disappointing flavor and chaotic experience, offering tips to navigate the hype and helping you decide if it's truly worth your time and money before you join the massive queue.
Guys, I'm seriously speechless! Today I went to check out the new Chagee at PIK Avenue, and Anjay… the crowd was insane, I thought a celebrity was visiting or something! The on-site queue was at least an hour long, and a lot of people said they waited 2-3 hours just to get their drinks[1]. Seriously, I've never seen anything like this in Jakarta's milk tea scene. This is purely a case of paying for FOMO[2].
To be fair, their packaging design is truly Mantap![3] The paper bags and cups are super photogenic. The Chinese-style design is full of texture and quality, and holding it makes you feel like the coolest kid on the block. I ordered the most popular Da Hong Pao Fresh Milk Tea[4], and my friend got the Jasmine Green[5]. How should I put it… my expectations were set way too high. The Da Hong Pao did have a tea flavor, but it was just okay, not as amazing as the hype suggests. My friend's Jasmine Green was even more… bland. It was a bit like bottled tea from a convenience store mixed with milk foam. Many people also said that after waiting so long, the ice melted, and the drink was as bland as water (hambar)[6]. It's really not the same as the ones in China and Singapore.
As for the price, it's about 40k-52k[7] per cup, which, to be honest, isn't great value for money. It's fine if you're paying for the packaging and the social currency. But if you're just looking for a good cup of tea, I think there are better options in Jakarta. Also, they don't have any extra toppings you can add[8]! It's just the pure tea base, so for all the girls who love toppings, take note!
How to Avoid the Pitfalls (Quick, take out your notebooks and jot this down!)
In short, if you want to go check it out and take photos, go for it. But you must manage your expectations and not hope for too much in terms of taste and service. Otherwise, it will really ruin your good mood for a day of Nongkrong! Peace out ✌️
- Don't just foolishly wait in line! I highly recommend ordering through the official app to save yourself the pain of queuing on-site. But! You still have to wait a long time for pickup (1-2 hours is the norm)[9], so you can go shopping first and come back for it later.
- The pickup area is a"battlefield"! Don't just wait for your number to be called; your drink might have been ready for a while with no one attending to it. You have to go to the front, check for yourself, and proactively ask the staff, or you'll be waiting forever.
- Popular items will sell out! If there's something specific you want to try, it's best to go early, or it might be gone later. Also, the in-store menu isn't updated in real-time.
- The vouchers can be a"trap"! I saw someone complaining that when they tried to use a free voucher, they were told the item was"sold out"[10], so be mentally prepared before using any vouchers.
- PIK Avenue's new Chagee? Massive queues Jakarta's milk tea scene hasn't seen, pure FOMO hype [1][2].
- Their traditional design packaging is super photogenic; premium bags and cups make you a street-style star [3].
- Queue 1 hour? Gotta try their hottest Da Hong Pao fresh milk tea to see if it's worth the hype [4][5].
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