The world’s largest fast-food chain by store count is continuing its U.S. rollout as low-price beverage and dessert brands push into major metro markets. In the Bay Area, that expansion reached Sunnyvale on July 10, when Mixue opened its first regional location and launched a weekend free-ice-cream promotion.
Mixue opens in Sunnyvale with more than 53,000 stores behind it
China-based Mixue celebrated the grand opening of its first Bay Area store on Friday, July 10, at 1641 Hollenbeck Ave. in Sunnyvale, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The company’s opening offer gives customers a free soft serve cone with the purchase of a drink through Sunday, July 12, and the store is also selling limited-edition merchandise tied to its Snow King mascot.
The opening adds a Bay Area foothold for a chain that the Chronicle reported has more than 53,000 locations worldwide, a total that puts it ahead of McDonald’s, Starbucks and Subway by store count. Recent company results cited in financial coverage indicate Mixue’s network kept growing in 2025, reaching nearly 60,000 stores by year-end, underscoring the pace of its international expansion. The brand was founded in Zhengzhou, China, in 1997 and has spread widely across China and other Asian markets before its recent U.S. push.
The Sunnyvale menu reflects the price positioning that has helped define the brand. The Chronicle reported that a vanilla soft serve cone is priced at $1.59, while drinks including milk tea, fruit tea and coffee generally run from about $3.50 to $5. SFGATE separately reported that the grand-opening event runs July 10 through July 12 and that nothing on the local menu exceeds $5.
What the Bay Area opening confirms, and what is still to come
For Bay Area customers, the confirmed development is straightforward: Sunnyvale is the first Mixue location now operating in the region. The Chronicle reported that the store is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., giving South Bay customers the first local access point to a chain that until now had not had a Bay Area presence.
The Bay Area expansion is not stopping with Sunnyvale, but the next step is still incomplete. According to the Chronicle, another Bay Area location is planned for downtown San Mateo, though the company has not announced an opening date. The company also has not released a broader list of additional Bay Area cities, so no other regional storefronts are publicly confirmed at this stage.
The Sunnyvale opening follows Mixue’s U.S. debut in Hollywood late last year, according to the Chronicle. Other reporting and public listings indicate the company has since added a small number of U.S. locations beyond California, but the Bay Area entry appears to be its first confirmed move into Northern California. That makes Sunnyvale a notable test for whether Mixue’s high-volume, low-price model can gain traction in one of the country’s most expensive food markets.
Why Mixue is expanding now and what customers should expect
Mixue has said its pricing is supported by a vertically integrated business model that gives it control over much of its sourcing, manufacturing and distribution. The Chronicle reported that this structure helps the company keep menu prices low, a strategy that has been central to the brand’s global growth and to its positioning in the U.S. as consumers remain price-sensitive on everyday food and drink purchases.
Industry and financial coverage has tied Mixue’s momentum to scale as much as to menu design. Recent company reporting cited by China Daily and other market coverage said the chain expanded its store base significantly during 2025 while continuing to invest in supply-chain efficiency. That combination has allowed Mixue to compete on affordability in categories like tea drinks, soft serve and coffee, where many U.S. consumers have become used to higher prices.
For customers in Sunnyvale, the immediate takeaway is practical: the opening-weekend promotion applies to drink purchases through July 12, and the regular menu is built around low-cost desserts and beverages. For Bay Area residents waiting on broader expansion, only the Sunnyvale store and a planned San Mateo location are publicly confirmed. The company has not announced further regional openings, but its latest Bay Area move places one of the world’s biggest chain operators directly into the local fast-casual dessert and beverage market.