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| - Drinks in a lightbulb novelty: pretty much the only reason me have for visiting Royaltea. Fuck, I'm a sucker; yes at this point in time, some other places closer to my house are doing that too, but Royaltea is the first I knew of. Apparently they used to do drinks in IV bags as well (lol). Although I have heard here of a deposit being charged on the lightbulb glass if you are not going to buy the glass (which you could), as far as I am concerned I wasn't charged anything extra for the choice. You simply ask for your drink to be in a lightbulb and they insist honour-system style you will return it when done.
A steep deposit would be a very off-putting business idea by the way; not that me want to take home something with "royaltea" printed on it. Get your Instagram shot and go.
The menu has English, but the receipt is entirely in Chinese. As well, the lingua franca of the business is more Mandarin, rather than the Canto I'm more used to in other boba lounges in the area. Otherwise, this Finch-and-Midland strip plaza shop isn't that more different functionally than any other I know of--a large dark wood toned trendy space for all sorts of socializing or work.
So me got a matcha milk bubble tea. For close to $7, me probably could get a mega sized whatever at a Chatime that is better than the chalky and watery mess trapped in a hyped lightbulb bottle me got. Didn't quite enjoyed it. Me want to fire some tapioca balls at someone at bullet velocity.
The service was more diluted. The cashier sensed I was deciding in something and went on texting for a couple minutes, even when I was ready until she was done ignoring me. Then I had to yell at her three times. I didn't think the music nor the rowdy guys at the front playing cards were that loud that I couldn't be heard. She seemed more receptive to the folks behind me who addressed her in Mando.
Overall, unimpressively meh with a dash of rolleyes service. I wouldn't come back unless I'm with some friends who wants to hang out here. Maybe I'll have a durian mousse or ice-cream-and-waffles fed to me intravenously.
{TTC: 39, 57, or 199, pick one of these buses}
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