Metropol

Right, we were having an argument in Sociology the other day over coffee and tea (we're a complete bunch of geeks sadly). One person said they would only ever drink tea at home, but drink coffee when in Starbucks or Costa etc because it's "far too rude to have tea in a coffee shop".

So we've been set a task to do by our teacher; to find out peoples opinions on this. If you would:

1) Do you prefer coffee or tea?
2) Is it rude to order a cup of tea in a coffee shop?

Cheers for your help!

Well I'm a coffee beast, BUT I do love tea as well, it just tends to lose out during the working day in favour of sustenance.
Oh, and what a nonsense. Starbucks do a fab Earl Grey.

I prefer Tea, although I do like Coffee, especially Cappuccino, but that's nonsense about having Tea in a Coffee Shop, most Coffee shop's do tend to provide loads of different types of Tea, so people must be buying the stuff.

I've only had Starbucks Tea once and it was quite nice, but I only tend to go into Starbucks for Coffee, I prefer making my own Tea.

I have three or four coffees during the day at work (sometimes the nespresso machine, sometimes instant), but none in the house. No tea at home either.

Diet coke.

At the price Starbucks charge the embarrassment should be theirs. Coffee culture is outrageous - as in, if you don't know the lingo you're frowned upon. Its a total nonsense.

From bean to cup it costs them about 6p - so tell them you want a tea and you want it served in a Fabergé Egg.

Don't like tea. Last time I had a cup of tea must have been well over forty years ago. Was put off by hour-old, stewed tea being brought round at work and have never been able to stomach the stuff since.

Put me down for coffee (boring, instant for preference) from waking up till 20:00, then a glass of red (or three) from 20:00 till going to bed.

As for asking for tea in a coffee shop, it's exactly like asking for a beer in a wine bar. If they sell it, ask for it; if they don't, then don't.

Nick Harvey wrote:Don't like tea. Last time I had a cup of tea must have been well over forty years ago. Was put off by hour-old, stewed tea being brought round at work and have never been able to stomach the stuff since.

The smell gets to me too.

I tried Earl Grey (what with it being Captain Pickard's favourite) but the bergamot scent got right up my hooter.

So that was the end of that.

I don't count Earl Grey as tea, its some odd drink that masquerades as tea. However as its Pickard's favourite it is in the house to be offered just in case Patrick Stewart ever does visit. It could happen.

Generally I am a massive tea drinker, as in eight cups a day minimum, however I tend to go for coffees (normally a latte as its less coffeeish than a cappuccino) in shops based on the following reasoning.

it's more effort for them
it's a treat
very few shops are capable of making a good cup of tea. So many times I watch them as they use the hot water from the coffee machine at 95 rather than 100 degrees and then put the tea bag in mid way as it fills. Other places give you the bloody teabag on the side which is useless as the water temperature is by this point plummeting therefore stopping it brew properly. It's just hideous.

If I know a place makes decent tea (and oddly, one of the few places happens to be mcdonalds) then I'll have it. Starbucks tea however it appalling, costa at least use Twinnings everyday, starbucks use this Tazo muck.

yuk yuk yuk.

1) Do you prefer coffee or tea?

tea. i can't stomach coffee. no matter how much sugar, milk, cream, chocolate, whatever you put in it it tastes horrible to me. there is also a nasty side effect that those who to drink a lot of coffee tend to have breath that smells like dog shit.

2) Is it rude to order a cup of tea in a coffee shop?

no. i'm the customer. if they don't sell what i want then i'll go elsewhere. i've never, ever been in a coffee shop that only sells coffee. i haven't got time to fuck about and put up with something i don't really like because 'that's all they sell' sod that. i'll go somewhere that does.

Yes I can't see it being rude to order tea in a place that sells it, unless....

Giz a fuckin cuppa tea ya twat

That'd probably do it.

When I used to make tea for The Northern Transmission Centre I would make sure the tea was "from around the region."

Two bags from Harrogate and one bag from Newcastle was the ideal blend and accurately represented how we crushed Mike Neville's poxy station into the ground.

Been thinking more about the second question and I might expand on it further in the next Comment.

There are lots of places where the menu isn't as quite as specific as the words over the door. Apart from coffee houses selling tea and wine bars selling beer, there's the old favourite from my younger days, the steak house where I used to go to eat fish. I'm sure I'll think of some more, but suggestions on the back of the usual ten pound note!