The discussion trends around coffee shop chains on social media have shown remarkable shifts in the first half of 2025. The rapid growth of TikTok and the emergence of Threads have provided users with more diverse ways to share their coffee shop experiences – creating new opportunities for brands to expand their reach and engage customers more effectively.
1. TikTok Doubles in Growth, Threads Emerges: A Clear Platform-Based Segmentation in User Discussions
According to the Coffee Shop Chain Market Movement Report on Social Media H1/2025 by YouNet Media, the total volume of discussions about coffee shop chains on social media has continued to surge significantly. While the first half of 2024 recorded 519.8 thousand mentions, this number climbed to 760 thousand in the first half of 2025 – reflecting the growing public interest in coffee shop chain brands across Vietnam.
See Full Report: Coffee Shop Chain Market Movement on Social Media H1/2025
Disclaimer: The definition of the Coffee Shop Chain Market in this report includes the Top 10 brands with the highest volume of discussions on social media. The measurement period spans from January 1 to June 30, 2025. Data is collected and analyzed using YouNet Media’s SocialHeat platform, covering Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, E-commerce sites, Forums, Blogs, and Online News.
In terms of platform share of discussions, Facebook Pages continue to lead with the largest share, showing a 5.3% growth compared to the same period last year – from 313.2K discussions in H1/2024 to 329.8K in H1/2025. This reaffirms Facebook’s position as the key channel for brands to deliver official communications, execute marketing activities, and maintain engagement with users.
A standout trend in the first half of 2025 is the strong surge in discussions about Coffee Shop brands on TikTok. In H1/2024, coffee shop chains generated 73.6K mentions (accounting for 14.16% of total discussions), which soared to 240.3K mentions in H1/2025 (equivalent to 31.63%). Alongside Facebook, TikTok has emerged as a platform where a large number of users share their coffee shop experiences.
Additionally, compared to H1/2024, the appearance of Threads in the social media landscape marks a new development. Despite accounting for a modest 3.32% of total discussions in H1/2025, Threads remains a relatively less popular platform among Vietnamese users. However, its emergence introduces a “new playground” where users can discuss coffee shop chains – and where brands can experiment to diversify customer touchpoints.
Overall, the discussion trends around Coffee Shop chains in the first half of 2025 have become more diverse and segmented compared to the same period in 2024. Facebook, particularly Facebook Pages, remains the primary communication hub with stable discussion levels. Meanwhile, TikTok’s rapid growth has positioned it as the key platform for vibrant, user-driven discussions – a space brands should leverage to enhance reach and image management. In parallel, Threads is emerging as a new opportunity for brands to test, explore, and expand their interaction channels with customers.
2. TikTok Becomes a Powerful Tool for Driving Brand Conversations
The rapid growth of TikTok within the Coffee Shop Chain market in the first half of 2025 highlights the platform’s pivotal role in popularizing short-form video content. While Facebook remains associated with image-based or text-heavy posts, TikTok enables users to engage with brands through short, dynamic videos – spanning product introductions, customer experience reviews, store ambiance showcases, and even corporate activities. The platform’s visual appeal, interactivity, and viral potential have turned TikTok into a powerful catalyst for conversations, providing brands with new opportunities to build authentic and emotional connections with consumers, particularly among younger audiences.
With its fast-growing influence, TikTok has become a promising platform for brands to invest in – expanding reach and deepening engagement with customers. Amid this rapid evolution, which coffee shop chains have sparked the most discussion on TikTok?
Highlands Coffee stands out as the most talked-about brand on TikTok, generating over 70K discussions, largely driven by Earned Media, which accounts for nearly all brand-related mentions. In early 2025, Highlands Coffee launched unique and creative products such as PhinDI Matcha Dau (Strawberry Matcha) and PhinDI Dua Mon (Coconut Taro), sparking widespread conversations through customer reviews and curiosity-driven content around these innovations.
Meanwhile, Cheese Coffee recorded the highest level of Owned Media discussions, thanks to its creative content strategy, encouraging staff to participate in humorous, on-trend videos filmed within store settings while showcasing products. This approach successfully generated buzz around both the brand and its content.
A key insight from the Top 10 most discussed coffee shop chains on TikTok is that Earned Media accounts for up to 98% of total conversations, vastly surpassing brand-owned content. This confirms TikTok’s identity as a “playground” for UGC (User-Generated Content), where community voices shape visibility, drive virality, and amplify brand impact.
2.1 Four Popular Content Themes Surrounding Coffee Shop Chains on TikTok
According to data from YouNet Media, four major content categories dominate Coffee Shop–related discussions on TikTok.
First, product introduction and new collection videos remain the most essential and familiar content type for brands. The short-video format allows audiences to observe products in real life and share authentic experiences through review videos. When combined with trusted KOLs/KOCs, this format amplifies reach, sparks curiosity, and drives higher engagement and discussion around the brand.
Second, employee-generated content is becoming increasingly common. In many cases, staff members act as brand ambassadors, producing humorous, on-trend videos or reenacting everyday scenarios between employees and customers within the café environment. This sense of authenticity and entertainment has fueled significant user engagement and conversation.
Third, content showcasing or reviewing store spaces is another popular theme. These videos often highlight “Instagrammable” corners or recommend must-visit locations, catering to customers who like to explore before visiting in person. This type of content not only spreads brand imagery but also helps boost in-store traffic and experiential interest.
Finally, corporate and brand news is gaining traction on TikTok. Instead of static text announcements on Facebook, brands are now transforming information about store openings, groundbreaking ceremonies, or business events into engaging videos, making it easier for audiences to consume. This approach helps brands generate discussion while strengthening credibility and brand image.
Overall, TikTok has proven to be a dynamic space where customers actively share personal experiences connected to Coffee Shop chains. The authenticity and relatability of short-form videos foster emotional connections with audiences and drive strong engagement. From unique products and creative staff moments to signature store spaces and brand updates – all types of content resonate with users and create powerful UGC-driven amplification opportunities.
3. Threads Emerges as a “New Playground” for Coffee Shop Chain Discussions
The report reveals that most discussions on Threads originate from user-generated written content. Netizens view Threads as a space to express their personal emotions directly and authentically, where any opinion can quickly go viral and spark brand-related conversations.
Among the Top 5 most-discussed Coffee Shop chains on Threads, Starbucks Vietnam stands out as a rare example with an active Owned Media presence. The brand strategically leverages teaser-style and interactive posts to engage the community – for example: “The coffee is rich, the music is coming… Drop a rhyme in the comments if you’ve guessed the secret Starbucks is brewing!” Thanks to this approach, Starbucks became the most-discussed brand on Threads in the first half of 2025, with over 15,000 discussions and more than 20,000 followers on the platform.
In contrast, the remaining brands in the Top 5 showed little to no proactive content strategy, relying entirely on user-driven discussions. This highlights that overall brand competition and presence on Threads remain relatively low, leaving room for future strategic development.
3.1 Three Topics Threads Users Often Mention About Coffee Shop Chains
According to YouNet Media, discussions about Coffee Shop chains on Threads mainly revolve around three key content themes.
First, promotion-related content dominates the conversation. Unlike Facebook or TikTok, Threads has seen a trend where users themselves proactively spread information about discounts and special offers. Customers often share and discuss “good deals” they find, allowing promotional information to spread organically.
Second, review requests are also common. Users frequently post questions to seek feedback about a Coffee Shop chain before visiting. These posts often attract a large number of comments and suggestions, generating lively community discussions.
Lastly, user feedback forms another significant topic. Threads is widely perceived as a space for authentic and unscripted opinions, largely free from “seeding” or brand manipulation. This gives brands an opportunity to access genuine customer insights, including both praise and complaints. At the same time, it emphasizes the need for brands to actively monitor these discussions to address potential negative issues promptly.
Overall, Threads is emerging as a promising new arena where Coffee Shop chains can explore deeper customer insights and diversify their engagement strategies beyond traditional platforms. Although its popularity is still limited, Threads offers a valuable testing ground for brands looking to expand their reach and strengthen interaction with users.
4. Conclusion
The H1/2025 Coffee Shop Chain Market Movement Report on Social Media by YouNet Media reveals that online discussions surrounding Coffee Shop chains have become increasingly diverse and multidimensional. Facebook remains the channel for official information, brand messaging, and key corporate campaigns. Meanwhile, TikTok drives viral content trends, reaching younger audiences and amplifying messages through KOLs/KOCs. In contrast, Threads emerges as a space for authentic customer feedback and genuine conversations.
User-Generated Content (UGC) continues to be the main driver of brand visibility for Coffee Shop chains on social media. Review videos, shared experiences, and check-in moments bring a sense of authenticity and relatability, building trust within the community. As a result, UGC not only fosters sustainable discussions but also exerts a strong influence on customers’ decisions to experience a brand—often more powerfully than official posts from the Coffee Shop chains themselves.
