Premium tea prices - Vancouver restaurants

[SBonner]

I'm working on re-vamping a restaurant tea program and was curious on consumer and trade prices on tea. What do or what would you pay for a pot of premium tea? I'm talking about higher end teas and not Red Rose or PG Tips..

Thank you,

Stephen

[BCinBC]

My wife would argue that Red Rose is not "tea" at all.

[jtcookie]

Stephen,

I'm happy to pay reasonably well for a properly made cuppa. Sure, provide a high end range, including bags (before you dismiss this convenience out of hand, try the Might Tea bag range - superb!) and loose. Where the real value comes is with the storage and preparation of the tea, and support of the program. I'm sure you need no help in determining correct tea preparation, but along with that I know that most local restaurants require thorough training and support.

China teapots, maybe even a "cozy" or blanket of sorts, matching ancillary crockery, dedicated hot water, and please, no frikkin' dairy portions, would have me happy to pay a premium price. If the standard charge is $2 to $3, I would gladly pay $3 to $6.

John

[*Deborah*]

I've only had pots of tea here in conjunction with the whole "high tea" schemozzle, but I would say that for a pot with 2 solid cups of good tea, I would pay something like $4 or $5 or up to maybe $8 depending on the venue. It depends if this is tea after a meal, or tea in the mid-morning or afternoon; if it's a lingering afternoon pot of tea that you're ordering a $4-$7 pastry or other sweet with, then the higher end of the range. But for a 1-cup pot after dinner, $5 would be the outside I think.

Hmm, not sure if that's helpful

[~cayenne~]

I'm working on re-vamping a restaurant tea program and was curious on consumer and trade prices on tea. What do or what would you pay for a pot of premium tea? I'm talking about higher end teas and not Red Rose or PG Tips..

Thank you,

Stephen

←

It would depend upon the venue, and knowing exactly what type of tea I was getting, much like wine or premium liquor. Also, the presentation and the condiments (dairy, sweetners (raw sugar crystals, honey, unpackaged white sugar, lemons, etc.). And, presentation includes the water prep and pour part of the production, quite important in good quality final tea enjoyment. If that was all the best of quality, and provided for more than one cup of excellent tea, I'd pay around $4.50 to $5.75.

[fud]

I think steeps on broadway is a good gauge. Their teas range from $3 to $7 I think. I am more than happy to spend about $5 to $6 on a really good pot 'o tea. The flowering ones are even more expensive I think.

[gourmande]

...What do or what would you pay for a pot of premium tea? I'm talking about higher end teas and not Red Rose or PG Tips..

What do you consider "premium"? I ask because in some restaurants it's no more than a Twinings (or similar) packet of Earl Grey, English Breakfast... not my idea of premium tea, and any more than $1.50 for that is robbery!

If it were me... I would be thinking along the lines of very good quality loose tea, and a selection at different price points that would include different varieties and blends at different grades. As for pricing, I would keep one standard price for a good "house blend" at say $3-$4 a pot; a really good single leaf or blend (OP or better) that could change from time to time but would have to fit a $5-$6 a pot price point; finally a true premium quality (TGFOP) at $7-$8 per pot. And just in case someone asked, I'd have a stash of truly superb tea (say maybe a FTGFOP Darjeeling) that I would be willing to share at $10 a pot!

These would be 4 cup pots filled 3/4 full with additional hot water offered to top up/dilute if needed. On the tray one would also find a strainer, milk jug, lemon and sugar cubes with tongs.

Ok... well that's my little tea room dream, FWIW

[Sam Salmon]

8 bucks tops/swank joint/good lookin' waitresses/no grannies.

["T"]

I am not sure what the going price for a pot of premium loose tea should be but I will say this, if the tea is prepared incorrectly, meaning improper water temp, inadequate room for the leaves to swell and unfiltered water, then a higher price cannot be justified.

That would be like drinking warm 1990 Latour in a dirty starbucks cup.

Ok, not that bad but sort of.

Stephen, PM me if you want or need another quote on highend loose teas.

Cheers, T

["T"]

8 bucks tops/swank joint/good lookin' waitresses/no grannies.

←

I work in West Van, there are some hot grannies

[gus_tatory]

just so you guys have some point of reference, in Montreal now, in Chinatown, we pay about 15$/100g for early season, white/green (i'm not sure) tea.

it is extremely tasty and astringent, and the owner of the shop claims he is bursting with health from this tea. will try to get a name...

[kurtisk]

I seem to remember that C has quite the stellar tea program, but that's back a couple years. You may want to follow that up. We've just switched over from "T" (whose teas we love and have no complaints about) to Biofilia/UrbanSpice ( http://www.biofilia.ca/teas.html ) who are a bit more local-oriented and quite the good fit with us.

If it's of any relevance, we charge $2.75 a pop. Peanuts!

k.

PS- We don't serve peanuts.