drinking teas while dining out...

[Sydney]

imo, it's rude and/or snobby to bring your own tea when dining out. drink what's there.

I have only tried this in places where I'm an appreciated regular customer, and have never gotten a sense that they felt I was being rude, but here's my approach.

"I have some special tea I often enjoy with meals and was just wondering: If I brought some here, could you bring me some hot water for it?"

The response has not only been favorable, but outright curiosity when I do bring the tea.

[Chip]

imo, it's rude and/or snobby to bring your own tea when dining out. drink what's there.

When dining out, I want to enjoy myself. If they have a good tea that appeals to me, I will order it. If they offer a selection that still does not appeal to me, I will generally do without since they are making an effort and it would be rude to use my own. If however they offer only Lipton or similar, I will persue plan B only if it seems appropriate.

I have already bought the tea, and used my own anyway.

A good server will be eager to excuse a minor odd request if done politely. The restuarant loses a dollar, but gains a happy paying repeat customer. The server gains a better tip. Seems everyone wins.

[heavydoom]

i hear you guys. thing is , you go out to eat food, really, and not to drink tea specifically. i rather just drink a glass of good old sewage tap water with lots of good mineral goodness, okay, some chlorine as well.

[Sydney]

i hear you guys. thing is , you go out to eat food, really, and not to drink tea specifically. i rather just drink a glass of good old sewage tap water with lots of good mineral goodness, okay, some chlorine as well.

Well, now that sorta depends. I'm a pretty decent cook, so if it's food I want, I get see to that.

When I go out, it's for any (combination) of a number of reasons. And I'm fortunate to have a number of restaurants run by families at which I'm a regular customer. When we talk about our respective health and families, it's actual conversation.

At these places, it's kinda like being at a friend's house. A friend who charges me money for use of a table.

[Victoria]

imo, it's rude and/or snobby to bring your own tea when dining out. drink what's there.

You really think it is rude to bring your own to I-Hop instead of drinking their Lipton's bagged? Honestly, I don't think they care.

It may be perceived as rude/snobby in an Asian restaurant, and that I do not do. I like to see how their house tea is. But places that only serve Lipton or CS bags, I don't see it as rude whatsoever.

[Cofftea]

imo, it's rude and/or snobby to bring your own tea when dining out. drink what's there.

I live in the American midwest. There are very few restaurants here which serve hot tea. You are lucky if you get tepid water and a limp bag of stale Lipton.

I'm from WI, moving to WA in June

[Cofftea]

... waiter and owner always taste it and compare to the house tea.

that's AWESOME!

[gingkoseto]

It may be perceived as rude/snobby in an Asian restaurant, and that I do not do. I like to see how their house tea is. But places that only serve Lipton or CS bags, I don't see it as rude whatsoever.

I guess, not in most Chinese restaurants. Usually the most popular Chinese restaurants are not the most expensive, upscale ones and most of them concentrate on dishes and pay little attention to tea. In the Chinese restaurants I used to work for, tea was always cheapest tea in market, and nobody would see it as disrespect if customers don't want that cheap tea.

Some upscale restaurants, though, may have the straight rule that no outside food or drink is allowed. Once I was in a "middle class" restaurant in China. Almost any of their house tea costs more than a regular entry, and they don't allow any outside beverage. But then in another restaurant, you can give the waiter money and tell him to go across the street and buy some fruits for you in the corner store, no tips required

[Cinnabar Red]

imo, it's rude and/or snobby to bring your own tea when dining out. drink what's there.

I've had a couple of chinese restaurant tea experiences which left me wishing I had a flask of tea along ( or maybe smelling salts ) . One smelled like detergent, and the other like cod liver oil.

It could be rude or not. It depends how you approach and arrange the situation.

[Janine]

If you know people and are friendly, it's different. Someone I know who used to manage an Imperial Tea Court store would always bring and brew tea in certain Chinese restaurants. The funny (and cute) part was the staff fighting over who would drink the rest of our tea when we left

I go to a couple of upscale Chinese restaurants that pride themselves on good tea, and gong fu style service with dim sum. Those are quite decent teas and nice to try. Some I have even bought for my home use.

[Riene]

I think the restaurant itself if the defining factor here. I'd never get a teabag from my own purse while at an upscale restaurant--but then again I'd expect an upscale place to be able to serve a decent tea. I'd not use my own teabags at an Asian or Indian food restaurant, because I'd assume they'd have the proper tea to go with the meal. However, at any buffet or diner, where I know for a fact they have only generic black tea, I'd certainly use my own.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

However, at any buffet or diner, where I know for a fact they have only generic black tea, I'd certainly use my own.

We have a local diner that my parents frequent regularly enough that all the wait staff knows them by name and they know everyone who works there. If I go there with my parents and show up with my favorite travel mug filled with tea, I get joked with and picked on for it, but it is all in good fun. One time when I brought some loose tea and fill-your-own teabag with me, I had a nice conversation with one of the waitresses about loose tea.

It does all depend on the restaurant though.