Patrons with Tea bags

[Naftal]

In the coffee and tea forum there was a very interesting discussion about patrons bringing their own tea to restaurants. I am really into good tea and I asked a waitress at a place I frequent if she could just bring me a pot of hot water into which I could put my own tea. She was willing to do that and now I have a pot of water waiting for me whenever I go there.

Would most restaurants do this, or am I just lucky?

But,most importantly, I am wondering how people would take being asked that question? I do not want to offend anyone.

Edited March 15, 2008 by Naftal (log)

[Badiane]

In the coffee and tea  forum there was a very interesting discussion about patrons bringing their own tea to restaurants. I am really into good tea and I asked a waitress at a place I frequent if she could just bring me a pot of hot water into which I could put my own tea. She was willing to do that and now I have a pot of water waiting for me whenever I go there.

    Would most restaurants do this, or as I just lucky?

    But,most importantly, I am wondering how people would take being asked that question? I do not want to offend anyone.

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I'd follow it up with "and I will be happy to pay for it" especially if you will be using any milk or sugar or anything else with it. If you drink it straight, I guess it's no different than a glass of tap water, is it? So I don't see the harm. Doesn't seem the least bit offensive, unless of course you are using the exact same tea they sell in the restaurant, thereby robbing them of the money they are entitled to for selling you a cup of tea...

This could be a very interesting discussion.

[Tri2Cook]

We have a couple regulars who spend quite a bit of money each week with us that do it. We'd lose a lot more than we'd gain by saying no. They just prefer a certain tea, it's not anything to do with being cheap. People who order water and lemon slices then add sugar and make free lemonade are the cheap bastards.

[andiesenji]

I've never had a problem with ordering just hot water. I always offer to pay the same as if I ordered their tea but don't recall that I have ever been charged. A local restaurant makes a point of bringing me near-boiling water in a thermal carafe as I am a regular customer.

(I also tip well.)

[KatieLoeb]

Tipping well and being polite about the request goes a long way toward currying favor with the staff. And more often than not it's more trouble/has bad blowback to say no to someone even if the restaurant wants to. The point about losing more than you'd gain by saying no is true. But that's a subtle form of economic blackmail, isn't it? You're still bringing your own food/beverages into a restaurant. And I'm just not sure that's ever really appropriate, unless there's a truly compelling reason to do so, for instance having special dietary needs or taking some sort of homeopathic prescriptive. One's preference for a certain brand isn't compelling. Drink it at home or try and convince the restaurant to carry it for you and all the other customers.

[rooftop1000]

Maybe it will convince more restaurants to carry more than Lipton tea, I do love when they bring you a proper tea selection at a nice place. I mean if a local luncheonett can have a rack of Celestial Seasons teas can't more real restaurants offer something nice??

tracey

[andiesenji]

I would certainly never take my own tea into a restaurant that carried decent stuff. However, I resent paying a dollar or more for a tea bag of Lipton (or worse, some no-name brand) that has been sitting around for a year.

Unless the restaurant has a good-sized base of customers who drink tea, it is not worth their while to carry specialty teas and it can be prohibitively expensive for them to carry even a limited line.

At the local cafe I mentioned earlier, the owners often will come and sit with me and have a cup of my tea - (I always have a selection of several tea bags in a Zip-Loc bag) - when they aren't too busy.

[cathrynapple]

In regular restaurants that serve lipton tea, I always bring my silly ceylon tea bags. Actually, I carry them in my purse for "emergencies." I order the tea and don't use the teabag. I use my own and pay the 1.50 or whatever the price. Most restaurants are willing to give you hot water, but i think since it requires heating and extra utensils and accessories, it's polite to expect to pay for it.

[austramerica]

In regular restaurants that serve lipton tea, I always bring my silly ceylon tea bags. Actually, I carry them in my purse for "emergencies." I order the tea and don't use the teabag. I use my own and pay the 1.50 or whatever the price. Most restaurants are willing to give you hot water, but i think since it requires heating and extra utensils and accessories, it's polite to expect to pay for it.

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I agree with you on this...I do the same as you -- order tea but don't use theirs, use mine.

[Alex of the North]

As the owner of a coffeehouse that bothers to stock 10-12 premium, loose leaf teas (that are mostly fair-trade) at a time, each of which is probably of a higher quality than anything found in a tea bag, I'd have to say that generally speaking, I'm not cool with patrons bringing their own tea bags. I can see making exception though. Is the tea medicinal in some way? Did they offer to pay for the hot water? Is the person a regular patron? Are they buying food (we're a vegetarian restaurant) and/or bakery? If the person is trying to occupy our space without paying for anything, that's not acceptable. Just as coming into our coffeehouse and taking a table and not buying anything is not acceptable. In my experience, the majority of people who try to get away with this are younger people who think they can get away with something. The cost of having that person there goes far beyond the cost of the tea. There's our rent, our utility bills, cost of labor, cost of insurance, and on and on.

If you're going to do this, I'd recommend offering to pay the same amount that you would pay for tea at that establishment. Tell them that it's a matter of preference. I can't see anyone having a problem with that. Some might choose to give you the hot water. Having a coffeehouse is a fairly marginal business at best, and personally, I feel a little disrespected when someone asks this. It's in the same category as people who feel entitled to bottomless brewed coffee because they purchased a latte. Would that person feel entitled to all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster because they had fish?

UPDATE: I Hope that didn't sound too harsh. The people I'm thinking about are mostly trying to get away with something, not concerned about the quality of our tea. After all, we don't serve Lipton.

Edited March 16, 2008 by Alex of the North (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

There's a local restaurant that serves great hamburgers. Unfortunately, their fries suck. I much prefer McDonald's fries. Is it okay if I bring in some fries from the nearby McDonald's and eat them with my burger?

[aliénor]

i was just visiting in paris and went into a tea room with my husband. not a fancy place, just a small neighborhood place in either the third or fourth arrond. my husband ordered an espresso-price 2 euro 50. i ordered tea with milk. i received a small pitcher of of water a small pitcher of cold milk and a teacup with a bag of tea-no special brand on the tag. the cost of this service for me was -get this!-4 euro 50 . absolutely outrageous. and this wasn't unusual, most places were i had tea whether in the airport or a cafe overcharged for the tea. why are we, the tea drinkers of the world, so discriminated against.

regards from france.

[onocoffee]

I think this is the right time to introduce a "Baggage Charge" similar to a "Corkage Fee".

[ghostrider]

As the owner of a coffeehouse that bothers to stock 10-12 premium, loose leaf teas (that are mostly fair-trade) at a time, each of which is probably of a higher quality than anything found in a tea bag, I'd have to say that generally speaking, I'm not cool with patrons bringing their own tea bags.

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I can't imagine anyone who appreciates tea wanting to bring a tea bag into your establishment. Places like yours are way too few & far between.

(You aren't located in Jersey by any chance are you?)

[Alex of the North]

Baggage charge! I will use that, thank you! Nope, not in Jersey, we are in Wisconsin. Surely there's something in Teaneck?

[TJHarris]

I see this very much like a corkage issure. I think it is only fair to expect a charge for hot water service. The economics of the situation dictate. Ware washing and breakage are a more significant part of the equation than the cost of a tea bag.

[Naftal]

Tipping well and being polite about the request goes a long way toward currying favor with the staff.  And more often than not it's more trouble/has bad blowback to say no to someone even if the restaurant wants to.  The point about losing more than you'd gain by saying no is true.  But that's a subtle form of economic blackmail, isn't it?  You're still bringing your own food/beverages into a restaurant.  And I'm just not sure that's ever really appropriate, unless there's a truly compelling reason to do so, for instance having special dietary needs or taking some sort of homeopathic prescriptive.  One's preference for a certain brand isn't compelling.  Drink it at home or try and convince the restaurant to carry it for you and all the other customers.

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Hello-You raise very interesting point. My response: If this is"blackmail" (and I am not sure that it is), isn't the blackmailing mutual? I will continue to go to a restaurant that serves wonderful food and lets me bring my own tea instead of going to an equally wonderful, or better, place that won't let me do this. As I mentioned earlier, I am deeply into good tea.

[Naftal]

I think this is the right time to introduce a "Baggage Charge" similar to a "Corkage Fee".

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I see this very much like a corkage issure.  I think it is only fair to expect a charge for hot water service.  The economics of the situation dictate.  Ware washing and breakage are a more significant part of the equation than the cost of a tea bag.

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I could live with this. It makes a lot of sense.

[plattetude]

Wouldn't it be far more ideal to have them actually pour the boiling water over your own tea bag, as opposed to dunking into not-quite-hot-enough water (a considerable pet peeve of my tea-lovin' wife)? But then of course, you've got to know the moment they poured it so you know how long you want it to steep.

Point being, if you're really anal, you could really make it difficult on the waitstaff as well as yourself.

Just musing, is all.

Christopher

[Naftal]

Wouldn't it be far more ideal to have them actually pour the boiling water over your own tea bag, as opposed to dunking into not-quite-hot-enough water (a considerable pet peeve of my tea-lovin' wife)?  But then of course, you've got to know the moment they poured it so you know how long you want it to steep.

Point being, if you're really anal, you could really make it difficult on the waitstaff as well as yourself.

Just musing, is all.

Christopher

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Wonderful stuff, thanks. I will just make two points:

1)I do know many people who are fussy about water

temp. I am not, if I can use my own tea the water can be any temperature it wants, as far as I am concerned, the only issue is the tea.

2)The Chinese teahouse that I frequent serves their green, oolong and black teas at different temperatures. Not only that, but they offer the same three taps to the public so they can resteep their teas And,each table gets its own timer(set at 3 min.). I personally do not expect anything like this at any other restaurants.

And a question...Is there really any difference between the tea enthusiast who wants his tea properly steeped and the chef who wants his food properly cooked? I hope I am not out of place with this. I am really curious.

Edited March 17, 2008 by Naftal (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Tipping well and being polite about the request goes a long way toward currying favor with the staff.  And more often than not it's more trouble/has bad blowback to say no to someone even if the restaurant wants to.  The point about losing more than you'd gain by saying no is true.  But that's a subtle form of economic blackmail, isn't it?  You're still bringing your own food/beverages into a restaurant.  And I'm just not sure that's ever really appropriate, unless there's a truly compelling reason to do so, for instance having special dietary needs or taking some sort of homeopathic prescriptive.  One's preference for a certain brand isn't compelling.  Drink it at home or try and convince the restaurant to carry it for you and all the other customers.

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Hello-You raise very interesting point. My response: If this is"blackmail" (and I am not sure that it is), isn't the blackmailing mutual? I will continue to go to a restaurant that serves wonderful food and lets me bring my own tea instead of going to an equally wonderful, or better, place that won't let me do this. As I mentioned earlier, I am deeply into good tea.

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When I wish to go out for good tea, I go to a teahouse. When I wish to drink the tea of my preference, I go to the tea shop, bring it home and drink it at home. If I'm fortunate enough to find a restaurant that has tea I'm fond of, I'll order it after dinner instead of coffee. But I'm at the restaurant for the food. I'm at the teahouse for the tea. I can't tell you how many bad cups of coffee I've been served after a perfectly decent meal. But I didn't go down the street to any of the many fine coffee houses here in Philadelphia, get the coffee I liked better and bring it back to the restaurant. Just because the tea bag is portable, doesn't make bringing it in any less offensive. The McDonald's fries example is a good one.

And what of the other patrons that catch a whiff of your lovely tea, but can't have any?? Didn't we all get in trouble as kids for "not bringing enough for everyone" when we were sneaking gum in class? The restaurant is providing the same menu to everyone. The patron bringing their own should have to wear their chewed gum on the end of their nose until the end of class. And where does it end? A different patron sees someone bringing in their own tea and thinks it's OK to bring in their own bottled water, or their own soda because they prefer a certain brand. It causes more problems than it is worth for the restaurant. It's bad policy to show preference to regulars this way, just as it is to seat them ahead of new customers with reservations if they just walk right in.

Anyone can be as stubborn as they want to be about this, but I stand by my original argument. If there's a compelling reason to have to have your own damned tea, then bring it. It's a lot like bringing your own wine to a restaurant and paying the corkage fee. If that bottle of Bordeaux is the one you bought on your honeymoon in France and wish to uncork for your 10th anniversary dinner at the local upscale French restaurant that's going to recreate the meal you ate ten years ago, then have at it. I'd probably waive a corkage fee in that instance, because it's sentimental and a somewhat compelling reason. Otherwise, if the place has a liquor license, I'd tend to buy something off their list and not insult the time and energy they may have put into having and housing the wines available. If the restaurant hasn't put the time or energy into their non-alcoholic beverages that they have the wine list, then perhaps they don't care to. And maybe that isn't the place to have tea.

Edited March 18, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[crinoidgirl]

When I wish to go out for good tea, I go to a teahouse.  When I wish to drink the tea of my preference, I go to the  tea shop, bring it home and drink it at home.  If I'm fortunate enough to find a restaurant that has tea I'm fond of, I'll order it after dinner instead of coffee.  But I'm at the restaurant for the food.  I'm at the teahouse for the tea.  I can't tell you how many bad cups of coffee I've been served after a perfectly decent meal.  But I didn't go down the street to any of the many fine coffee houses here in Philadelphia, get the coffee I liked better and bring it back to the restaurant.  Just because the tea bag is portable, doesn't make bringing it in any less offensive.  The McDonald's fries example is a good one.

And what of the other patrons that catch a whiff of your lovely tea, but can't have any??  Didn't we all get in trouble as kids for "not bringing enough for everyone" when we were sneaking gum in class?  The restaurant is providing the same menu to everyone.  The patron bringing their own should have to wear their chewed gum on the end of their nose until the end of class.  And where does it end?  A different patron sees someone bringing in their own tea and thinks it's OK to bring in their own bottled water, or their own soda because they prefer a certain brand.  It causes more problems than it is worth for the restaurant.  It's bad policy to show preference to regulars this way, just as it is to seat them ahead of new customers with reservations if they just walk right in.

Anyone can be as stubborn as they want to be about this, but I stand by my original argument.  If there's a compelling reason to have to have your own damned tea, then bring it.  It's a lot like bringing your own wine to a restaurant and paying the corkage fee.  If that bottle of Bordeaux is the one you bought on your honeymoon in France and wish to uncork for your 10th anniversary dinner at the local upscale French restaurant that's going to recreate the meal you ate ten years ago, then have at it.  I'd probably waive a corkage fee in that instance, because it's sentimental and a somewhat compelling reason.  Otherwise, if the place has a liquor license, I'd tend to buy something off their list and not insult the time and energy they may have put into having and housing the wines available.  If the restaurant hasn't put the time or energy into their non-alcoholic beverages that they have the wine list, then perhaps they don't care to.  And maybe that isn't the place to have tea.

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A

men.

[maggiethecat]

Nice work, Katie.

I just finished " Service Included" wherein out heroine meets her lover at a diner and feels she has to carry her own maple syrup for the diner pancakes. I'm naive and sheltered and all, but that rocked me back on my heels. All I could think was: "Er, if you have to tote your Canadian Amber Grade B, you should be eating breakfast somewhere else."

Same applies to tea. If you can't get a good cuppa, just order the coffee. If you can, give that tea- loving restaurant your business.

[haresfur]

Nice work, Katie.

I just finished " Service Included" wherein out heroine meets her lover at a diner and feels she has to carry her own maple syrup for the diner pancakes.  I'm naive and sheltered  and all, but that rocked me back on my heels. All I could think was: "Er, if you have to tote your Canadian Amber Grade B, you should be eating breakfast somewhere else."

Same applies to tea. If you can't get a good cuppa, just order the coffee. If you can, give that tea- loving restaurant your business.

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Actually, I had a girlfriend who did that

Seriously though, why would anyone care if a customer didn't want to use the Mrs Butterworth's? I mean, maybe if they flavored the corn syrup themselves...

Could be just karma to balance the people who steal sugar packets.

Someone better tell the boys over on the cocktail forum to quit bringing their own bitters.

[KatieLoeb]

Thanks, Maggie.

It all seems pretty straightforward to me. I don't expect the restaurant to cater to the minutiae of my preferences beyond the menu that they are offering to everyone. Presumably, that's why I went there in the first place. To have their menu. It's just bad form to bring your own stuff into a restaurant, with the exception of the dietary restrictions like the gluten allergy, or if you are taking some sort of prescribed substance. I wouldn't dream of bringing my own tea, any more than I would bring my own baby salad greens from the farmer's market, just because I like them better than what the chef is offering that evening. I would simply not order the salad.