Today we’d like to introduce you to Fay Cheng.
Fay, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Most of my childhood was spent in China until I turned 15. When I was 15, I came over to the US and settled in Mansfield, TX and have stayed here ever since! I attended Mansfield HS and worked throughout college at a local sushi restaurant, where I met my would-be husband. It was during that time of attending school that I discovered my ambition to have a career in the restaurant industry.
At first, working at the restaurant, I noticed that not many women were in the restaurant kitchen and became very interested in becoming a chef as I organically developed an expertise in recipes and taste. Eventually, though, I realized that there was so much more to running a restaurant than just serving food and ended up pursuing my management degree with the dream of opening up my own restaurant.
That dream finally came true in 2011 when my husband and I opened Ninja Sushi & Grill in Arlington! From there we’ve expanded to another Ninja Sushi & Grill location in Fort Worth in 2015 and, finally, to 2017’s exciting opening of Ninja Ramen and Royal Tea in Arlington!
One of my motivations for going into the restaurant industry has been the experience of spending my young adult years here in Texas.
Back in the early 2000s, there weren’t a lot of Asian restaurants or shops where I grew up and, when I hung out with friends, it was always at a Starbucks. Knowledge of various Asian cuisines, drinks, and desserts by people who weren’t Asian was very limited back then, so I really wanted to share our culture in a way that was accessible and enjoyable for everyone. What inspired me to open up Royal Tea, in particular, was a recent trip to LA where I discovered that Boba Tea was common and accepted like coffee by all types of people! I thought that was amazing and really wanted to bring that idea back to Texas and bring Boba Tea to Arlington.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest struggle has probably been the learning process. We really knew nothing about opening restaurants when we first started out, so we had to learn everything and start from the bottom. There are so many little details and operational problems that are involved with starting your own restaurant. Every shop is different and the learning process of operating each one can be a long, long process.
Another struggle to mention has been the process of fine-tuning our offerings in order to make our customers happy. Preferences are different for every person, so trying to design that perfect recipe is challenging. We’ve found that allowing customization has really helped, especially at Royal Tea. Allowing our guests to pick their levels of sweetness and their favorite toppings & flavors may make things a bit more complicated operationally, but having our guests leave happy is more than worth it.
Royal Tea – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At our core, Royal Tea is a boba tea shop. We have a large variety of classic teas, milk teas, Thai teas, fresh fruit teas, and sea salt foam teas that are made on the spot by our expert teamakers with freshly brewed tea. Other drinks include smoothies, frappucinos, special fruit drinks, and yakults! All of our drinks can have toppings added to them, such as boba (also called bubbles, tapioca, etc.) and jelly. We offer more than 18 types of toppings that can be added to any drink and we are always adding fun, new seasonal toppings, as well!
Beyond our classic drinks are our special drinks and desserts that we’re proud to be one of the first in the area to offer! Our Lightbulb Drinks are a hit with its unique look and delicious taste. We are also the first to present Eggettes, which are Hong Kong-styled waffles topped with ice cream and various sweets, to the Arlington area! Snow Ice, or fresh cream that is frozen in a snowflake-like texture topped with fresh fruit or sweets, is also a fun and popular option that our guests like to eat with friends! In addition to sweets, we also serve savory small bites that go perfectly with a cup of boba tea.
What I’m most proud of with Royal Tea is the atmosphere and experience we’ve established. Many shops have very calm atmospheres, but we specifically wanted to create an inviting space where friends and families could hang out and have fun! We have shelves full of games that our guests can play with and our menu has fun and unique products that can only be enjoyed at Royal Tea! We are that exciting boba shop where people can come with their friends after a meal (maybe a ramen bowl at Ninja Ramen next door!) and have fun into the night.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My biggest marker of success for me is seeing customers happy. Seeing our guests come into Royal Tea, enjoying our products, playing games, and having fun late at night is the best feeling. The fact that I am able to introduce Asian drinks and foods that are appeal to everyone, regardless of race and preferences, and have them enjoy it in a space that is welcoming and fun makes me feel that successful.
Contact Info:
- Address: Royal Tea
4654 S Cooper St. #340
Arlington, TX
76017 - Website: royaltea-usa.com
- Phone: (682) 270-0089
- Email: royaltea.arlington@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/royaltea_usa
- Facebook: facebook.com/royalteaus
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/royal-tea-arlington-3
Image Credits:
Gia Ly
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