Goodbye Machi Machi, and hello AI Slop Byward Bubble Tea? I walked by the other night and was super confused when I saw Machi Machi officially died RIP. The original shop owner was passionate and when the shop opened s year ago it started off strong but when owners changed a few months ago the shop began spiralling, with drink quality dropping, drinks taking ages, matcha becoming noticeably pale and inconsistent, and increasingly serious complaints emerging from behind the counter from staff. Former workers have alleged unpaid training, late wages, hours disappearing from paycheques, chronic understaffing, and threats of non-payment, while other allegations include expired products having their dates changed and dairy milk being added to drinks that were supposed to be dairy-free without customers being told. Staff were also allegedly instructed to mislead customers about changes to ingredients and drink quality, and one former worker on r/OttawaFoods saidnregular employees could wait weeks for their wages or have hours quietly deducted. I was shocked when I searched what happened, not because Machi Machi was my favourite, but because it seemed to always be full. Interestingly as I did some research I found allegations surrounding the owner’s previous business dealings, including another Byward restaurant venture that allegedly ended in unpaid rent and eviction proceedings. Machi Machi sold for $89,000. So, after arriving in Ottawa as an internationally recognizable bubble tea brand, changing ownership, accumulating allegations of wage issues and questionable food practices, and watching its reputation unravel, Machi Machi is long gone from the Byward Market. The replacement is just weird and the drinks were bad. The market has a lot of boba to offer and this new slop shop is sus.

AI Slop Replaces Machi Machi in the Market