Dollar Boba brings self-serve DIY drinks to Richmond

Canada's first self-serve boba shop has opened in Richmond, letting you build your own bubble tea drink with unlimited toppings for a flat price.

Dollar Boba works like a frozen yogurt bar—you pick your tea or slush from a rotating menu of 24 varieties, then load up on whichever toppings you want. A regular size costs $3.99 and a large is $4.99 (20 per cent off during its soft opening). Toppings range from the classics—pudding jelly and boba pearls—to pink water chestnut popping boba and agar crystal pears.

The shop is teasing grilled sausages on the menu, with ice cream coming soon. The DIY model means you're not paying extra for each topping addition; everything's included in the base price. It's a departure from traditional boba shops where you pay per customization, making it easy to pile on as much as you want without watching the bill climb.

The concept removes friction from the ordering experience and lets you experiment without commitment—a play on the logic that made frozen yogurt's self-serve model so appealing a decade ago. Whether the format sticks as a trend or remains a novelty depends on whether locals embrace the freedom or find it overwhelming. Early foot traffic suggests people are curious.

Dollar Boba is located at 10111 No. 3 Rd. #130 in Richmond.