To say something to the waitress about my tea not having boiling water poured on the teabag?

[MirandaGoshawk]

In a cafe mid-morning with a friend. I ordered tea and when she brought it over it was a mug of hot water with a wrapped teabag on the side. I was so surprised that I said "Oh no, that's not the way to make tea!" (I mean you get used to it like that abroad, but not in the UK!) The waitress was young and said, "Am I supposed to put the teabag in the cup and then pour on boiling water?" When I said yes, she said that she'd remember that next time I came in.

But my friend said it doesn't matter and I shouldn't have said anything - to mention it was rude. What do you think? My instinct is that they serve it like that so that you can see the teabag wrapped, so you know what you're getting.

You had to teach her how to make a cup of tea??

I thought that about a minute after the water had boiled was optimum? It was said in Radio 4 so it must be right. Either way, the water goes into the tea bag, not the tea bag dunked into the water, that's all wrong.

Into? Onto! Or even on to.

It won't be boiling by the time it gets to the table and if you pour it onto the bag and bring it straight over it won't be stewed either. Surely if you wanted a cup of hot water and a teabag on the side you'd ask for that?

And yes, this is why I never order tea in coffee shops, only proper cafes.

YANBU. Tea is made with boiling water. The fact that some misguided people prefer dishwater is beside the point - if you advertise that you sell tea then you should serve tea, not a DIY Dishwater kit.

yes, but you have to pour the hot water onto the tea bag.
it's just not right when you put the tea bag into the hot water.

I don't remember starting this thread or even going out today - surely there isn't 2 of us?

Depends on the individual preference, either way is fine. Yanbu to like your tea served that way, yabu to expect your tea services that way without stating your perferance!

I too prefer the tea bag on the side. Just don't get me started on people serving me milk with Earl Grey

Tea doesn't taste right if the water isn't poured over the bag the second the kettle has boiled, regardless of how weak/strong you like it.

Tea made with hot water from a coffee machine is devil's piss.

This is why I hardly ever pay good money for anyone else to make me a cup of tea. Tea is made in a pot with boiling water. The boiling water goes onto the teabags in the pot and is left to stand for several minutes so it can brew/infuse/mash (whatever your terminology is). Then you can pour your lovely strong tea into the mug/cup, where the milk is ready and waiting. More boiling water can be added to the pot at this stage so that another lovely hot cup of the right strength will be ready once the first mug has been glugged down.

It is possible to make a brownish drink with lukewarm water and a teabag, but it's not proper tea and it doesn't taste as good.

YWDNBU, OP.

This is wrong.

Now, I really really don't want to go there , but it's the way you get tea on the continent, and they are doing it all wrong.

Teabag, freshly boiling water on, it's the only way.

If I'm in a good expensive shop then I don't want a teabag I prefer this

was it earl grey with a twist of lemon?

but but but...earl grey already has lemony flavour.

What you said would be fine if it was in a friendly way, or if you were at least friendly afterwards.

YANBU. That is NOT tea, and if anyone puts the milk in first (or even before they take out the bag) then they are wrong

I only ever order coffee or herbal tea when out for this reason. Plus I resent paying over £1 for hot water and a teabag (especially when a larger tea is more expensive and you're just paying for extra water!).

Just order green tea. The way tea is served is the correct way to make green tea. Which you do not make with boiling water.

Jesus Christ.
It's broken Britain.

YANBU... this drives me insane.. I have even been known to ask before i order how they serve tea... am getting very old and fussy..

Well done, for speaking up, OP! One must not let standards slip.

My mum and I went to a lovely little cafe in Bristol recently and were served tea in a pot with an egg times and the instruction to remove the strainer with the loose tea leaves exactly after 3 min when the timer went.
It was very nice tea
Served in a cup and saucer too

Oysterbabe 😀

Milk before water is just a NO!!

I hate tea and even I know water has to be boiling when it meets tea bag. That is why you can't make a proper cuppa up a mountain, the water boils at a lower temp. Or something. [nods wisely].