Bigger than McDonald's, cheaper than everyone: China's boba behemoth has landed in L.A.

"Mixue, the fast-growing megachain that boasts a bigger global retail footprint than McDonald's, opened its first U.S. outpost on Hollywood's Walk of Fame last month, selling drinks for less than $5 and ice cream for about $1. Mixue spokesperson Xu Ping said in a written statement in Chinese that the company chose Hollywood as its first U.S. location because the "movie capital of the world" attracts both international tourists and local consumers year-round."

"Mixue was founded as a shaved ice stand in 1997 in Zhengzhou, China, by college student Zhang Hongchao, who used money lent from his grandmother. The store's Chinese name, Mi Xue Bing Cheng, translates roughly to "sweet snow palace." The store has more than 53,000 stores worldwide. The lion's share are in China, but the company also has 4,700 locations across Australia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore."

"The megachain's entry into Los Angeles' boba market comes at a time when local shops are struggling with rising costs driven by tariffs and economic uncertainty. By comparison, McDonald's has more than 44,000 stores worldwide, and Starbucks has more than 40,000. Founder Zhang and his brother Zhang Hongfu, who control the company, have a combined fortune of $8.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index."

Mixue opened its first U.S. outpost on Hollywood's Walk of Fame offering drinks for less than $5 and ice cream for about $1. Additional locations followed quickly in New York City's Brooklyn, Koreatown and Chinatown, with more stores planned across California. The company chose Hollywood because the "movie capital of the world" attracts both international tourists and local consumers year-round. Mixue began in 1997 in Zhengzhou as a shaved ice stand founded by Zhang Hongchao with money lent from his grandmother; its Chinese name translates roughly to "sweet snow palace." The chain operates more than 53,000 stores worldwide and maintains a larger global footprint than many major competitors, while vertical integration and ownership of factories in China enable lower costs.

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