The Winning Formula of Jian Cha and Kanori: Two Famous Eateries Claim Top Prizes at GrabThumbsUp 2026 That Foodies Must Try

Jian Cha, a premium Thai tea brand, and Kanori, a renowned hand roll sushi restaurant, won the "Best Selling Restaurant of the Year" award at the GrabThumbsUp Awards 2026. This award was chosen from over 900 restaurants nationwide, with a tough criterion requiring actual user satisfaction scores of at least 4.6 out of 5, underscoring the trusted quality and deliciousness these brands offer consumers.

A deep dive into the success of Jian Cha and Kanori, the 2026 top sales champions.

Among the 100 awarded restaurants this year, the highlight is the "Best Selling Restaurants" group, which achieved the highest order volumes on the platform.

• Jian Cha – Best Selling Restaurant of the Year (Delivery): A premium Thai tea brand that created a sensation online by elevating fresh fruit tea menus with a high-quality concept, becoming the most popular on the delivery side.
• Kanori – Best Selling Restaurant of the Year (Dine Out): The pioneer of hand roll sushi in Thailand, offering a new sushi bar experience using fresh, premium ingredients, turning it into a highly sought-after spot with top in-store sales and reservation queues.

Scan of the 100 best restaurants of 2026: quality judged by the "people who order."

AwardsGrabThumbsUp Awards 2026This year’s event was held under the theme “The Taste of Trust.” Every awarded restaurant had to meet strict criteria covering taste, service standards, and management. Noteworthy winners in other categories include:

Rising stars and social media favorites

• UNO Coffee took the Rising Star award with a strategy of selling Geisha coffee beans at accessible prices.
• Three viral favorites won the Social Media Darling awards: Mae Jun’s Pot (rich coconut curry), Hom Mee (egg noodle) from Chiang Mai, and Pak Cham Kham Hom, a well-known vegetarian restaurant.

Beyond popular eateries, this year also featured a collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to present special awards promoting Thailand’s culinary soft power.

• Lisa Manoban received the “Outstanding Leader Bringing Thai Cuisine to the World” award as an Amazing Thailand Ambassador.
• SOURI earned the “Flavor Creator of the Year” award for using local ingredients in confectionery.
• Five regional landmarks awarded for promoting tourism include Suki Chang Phueak (North), Phuket Teak Coffee Bar (South), Lao Wo Pattaya (East), Prasit Pochana (Northeast), and Thong Smith (Central).

Celebrities take home the “Celebrity Restaurant of the Year” awards.

This year’s food scene was vibrant with celebrity-owned restaurants that proved their quality beyond fame, winning the Celebrity Restaurant of the Year awards:

• Khao Kaeng LA by A-Supachai Srivijit.
• BURNT Bangkok, a premium sandwich shop by Sky Wongravee Nateethorn.
• NOOD'S, a noodle shop by Alec Teeradetch Metawarayut.

Additionally, the Best Foodie of the Year award was given to influential food lovers inspiring consumers, including Kie Chod Oposoi (Opal Panisara & Pookie Paweenuch), Stefan from the Ah Fan Kitchen show, Bow Kanyarat, and Captain Chonlathorn - Ploy Chawaporn.