Gelato Marcello Bubble Waffles - a dessert that stops people in their tracks
Some products need explaining, while others explain themselves the moment customers see them. Bubble waffles belong to the latter category. Their distinctive bubble structure is instantly recognisable. All it takes is seeing one in another customer’s hand, and the buying decision is practically made. It is one of the most powerful impulse-purchase drivers in the dessert foodservice sector.
Hong Kong, social media and queues outside your venue
Bubble waffles originated in Hong Kong, where they are known as GAI DAAN JAI. They have been a popular street snack since the 1950s, sold on street corners throughout the city. Their global success started with one simple fact: they look different from everything else.
When they reached Western cities and merged with the culture of premium desserts, ice cream and social media, they became one of the fastest-growing dessert formats in the world. Not because they were trendy, but because they were photogenic, customisable and delicious all at once. Those three qualities never go out of style.
This is not just a regular waffle in a different shape
A classic waffle is comfort food. A bubble waffle is an experience. The difference is fundamental and directly influences how customers buy it and whether they share it online.
The bubble structure creates a unique sensory experience - each bubble is lightly crispy on the outside and soft, almost creamy, on the inside. It is a contrast that cannot be achieved with a traditional waffle and one that customers remember long after they have finished eating it.
The format is just as important as the flavour. Bubble waffles can be served flat with toppings, rolled into a cone with ice cream or shaped into a cylinder filled with cream. The waffle itself becomes the packaging for the dessert. This flexibility is something a classic waffle can never offer.
Instagram and TikTok work for you
The moment it is rolled into a cone, the flowing topping, the contrast between warm waffle and cold ice cream, and the first bite breaking through the crispy bubble surface - it is ready-made content for a short video that customers willingly record themselves without any encouragement. Every such video generates organic reach for your business at zero advertising cost.
A well-prepared bubble waffle can turn a venue into a mini destination - a place people intentionally visit because they saw it on a friend’s Instagram.
How to build an offer around a single mix
One mix, multiple price points and margin levels. Available in both classic and vanilla versions.
- Classic version - waffle with icing sugar and whipped cream; fast, simple and high-turnover
- Ice cream version - rolled into a cone and filled with a portion of Gelato Marcello twisted ice cream; visually striking and perfectly balanced in flavour
- Showpiece version - with magic shell topping, sprinkles, fruit and decoration; a premium dessert that looks like it came from a pastry shop and is ready in 30 seconds
- Flurry version - waffle used as the base for a dessert mixed with ice cream and sauces; the highest average transaction value
What does your business gain?
- One of the strongest visual attractions in desserts. The bubbles catch attention from a distance and customers stop on their own without any encouragement
- Organic social media marketing. Customers naturally take photos and videos; every post is free advertising for your venue
- Less competition than traditional waffles. Bubble waffles are still relatively rare, allowing you to stand out from the very first glance
- Exceptional menu flexibility. From a simple entry-level version to an eye-catching premium dessert, with complete freedom to build your menu
- Strong premiumisation potential. A small increase in ingredient costs through the addition of ice cream and toppings can significantly increase the selling price
- Works all year round. With ice cream in summer and warm creams and sauces in autumn and winter. A format that is not dependent on the ice cream season.
A product that turns your venue into a destination
Most dessert venues offer waffles. Very few offer bubble waffles. Even fewer offer bubble waffles with Gelato Marcello ice cream, magic shell topping and an ingredient list that owners can proudly show to customers.
That is not a small detail. It is the difference between a place people walk past and a place people return to.