Offering a charming drink with a simple formula (pick your tea base, add milk if desired, choose your toppings, select what flavors, adjust sweetness and you’re on your way), Tpumps has managed in its past seven months of opening to achieve consistent crowd lines and amass new customers.

A milk tea franchise is nothing unheard of in the Bay Area, especially in the Cupertino Area, where there are five or six places situated so closely. With Ten Ren, Fantasia and BAMBU all in the same plaza and Tapioca Express, Cafe Lattea and Quicklys right across the street from De Anza, how has a single store managed to attract most of the attention?

After asking several students what they thought, I received mixed reviews. There were those who loved Tpumps, such as Gema Lacayo, 20, undeclared major who said, “I like that I can mix and match and choose what I want to throw in, other places don’t do that.” As well as Camille Garcia, 20, kinesiology major who said, “Pretty cheap. Good customer service too, and employees always hand out samples while you’re waiting in line.”

However, there were also students who left with the impression that Tpumps was not their cup of tea. Thomas Vu, 18, biology major stated, “Parking is a hassle. There’s either one small lot, or you have to find parking across the street.” Other complaints ranged from watered down drinks to the types of students who tend to hang out in the area.

If you go in expecting the next ground-breaking drink that will completely blow your mind, expect to be disappointed. But if you want to mix things up once in a while and try out the hippest place in town for now (and don’t mind the pumping of sugary syrups into your drink), then Tpumps is your destination.

Writer’s tip: Get the honey boba balls.