Matcha has emerged as the defining beverage trend in Thailand, with orders jumping 300% year-on-year to 6.5 million cups, data from the app shows.
“Matcha has become this year’s new ‘affordable luxury’ drink,” said Yod Chinsupakul, Line Man CEO, as reported by Nation Thailand.
A glass of matcha. Photo by Pixabay/Jenskuvain |
“It’s positioned itself as both a healthy choice and a lifestyle statement that’s accessible to a wide range of consumers.”
The surge in matcha consumption has spilled over into the broader drinks category. Iced green milk tea – a cheaper option – has overtaken black coffee to become the platform’s most-ordered beverage.
The shift points to a growing preference among urban consumers for tea-based drinks.
Industry observers describe the matcha phenomenon as part of a wider appetite for so-called “affordable luxury:” products that feel premium yet remain within reach. A cup of matcha often costs between THB100 and THB250 baht (US$3.20-8.00).
Spicy papaya salad with pickled crab (tum pu pla ra) topped the charts as the country’s most-ordered dish, exceeding 8 million servings, surpassing fried chicken, a long-time favourite dish.
Searches for spicy dishes such as “som tam,” “yum,” and “mala” climbed above 16 million in 2025, according to Bangkok Post.
“After years of competing closely with fried chicken, tum pu pla ra secured a decisive win this year, reaffirming that bold, spicy flavours remain at the heart of Thai food culture,” the company said in its annual trends report.
Other popular items reflect the breadth of the country’s food scene. Shio pan (salted butter bread) proved so popular that more than 2,000 new shops joined the platform within a year.
Gai jor (deep-fried crab meat rolls) also gained traction as a surprise hit, valued both as a snack and as a full meal when served with rice.
Rice and curry shops have reinforced their role as Thailand’s everyday fast food.
Their annual orders exceeded 65 million, up 8% from the previous year. Rice and curry shops now account for 10% of all restaurants on Line Man.
The most frequently ordered dishes in these shops highlight comfort and value: fried pork and fried pork patties were the top choices, followed by boiled eggs in sweet brown soup, red curry, stir-fried curry paste, and green curry.
Line Man data were sourced from more than 10 million users and 700,000 restaurants nationwide.
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