Though coffee shops now appear on every street, tea remains massively popular in the UK – and, of course, sells strongly in coffee shops themselves. For many customers, tea is the hot drink of choice, and hospitality venues should ensure that they can satisfy that demand.
Britain is still a nation of tea-lovers, despite the encroachment of coffee into our national culture, according to new research released by Travelodge. Over half of the nation (53%) rely on a traditional cup of tea (at around 7am, on average) to kick start their working day, whilst only 35% of Britons choose coffee.
The tea study conducted by Travelodge surveyed 5,000 British adults to help discover the nation’s hot beverage drinking habits. Key research findings revealed that despite Britain’s image of being a cosmopolitan, European country with a coffee bar on every corner, we still savour the old-fashioned comfort of a good brew, as 78 million mugs of tea are drank everyday across the UK.
The research also highlighted that tea’s popularity in the UK cuts across all generations and it is not just a favourite hot beverage enjoyed by the older generations. 51% of 18 -24 year old Britons stated they start their day with a mug of tea. A third of this age group said tea helps them to unwind, and nearly half said they find drinking tea comforting.
End of the teapot!
The survey also revealed the death of the traditional cup and saucer as 46% of tea drinkers reported their tea tastes better when drunk from a mug as it stays warmer for longer and you also ‘get a good measure’.
The study also revealed that the beloved teapot could also become obsolete as just 16% of Britons use a teapot to make their favourite hot beverage. Eight out of ten Britons reported they don’t have the time, or patience, to make tea in a teapot.
A ‘builders brew’ is the nation’s preferred way to drink tea, however 51% of British tea drinkers take their tea without sugar. Just 15% of adults enjoy a milky tea. The 18-24 age group prefer a medium brew with lots of milk and sugar.
The study also revealed after a long day, 63% of Britons turn to a good cuppa to help them unwind. Forty three per cent of adults stated they find a good brew comforting and it feels like a good hug in a mug.
Tea break still thrives
The report also investigated the nation’s tea drinking habits at the workplace and key findings revealed the traditional tea-break is still alive and well across British companies with the most popular times being 10am and 3pm. 30% of British workers hate having to do the tea run at their place of work and one in ten will deliberately make a poor cup of tea so that they don’t have to do it again. To encourage team bonding during the daily tea break a quarter of workers bring in biscuits, cakes and chocolates to share amongst colleagues.
12 million cups of tea drunk in Travelodge rooms
Simon Beattie, Head of Food and Beverage for Travelodge said:
“On average, over 12 million cups of tea are drunk in our rooms and Bar Cafes each year. In the last year we have seen a significant increase in requests for additional teabags from our customers.
“We know the first thing customers do when they check into their room is make a cup of tea. To address this growing demand for a good cuppa we have extended the range of teas we offer in our Bar Café’s so that we can accommodate all tastes. In addition we only serve tea in mugs across all of our hotels.”
Worldwide tea renaissance
Shayne House, Co-Founder and Director of the Tea Appreciation Society, said:
“I’m not surprised at the popularity of tea, especially among the younger generation. Those of us that are familiar with the liquid jade are well aware that there is a tea renaissance the world over. Hip and fashionable, and underlined by a move towards a healthier lifestyle, tea has replaced coffee as the drink of choice for young urbanites everywhere.”