A Candid Review of Tea Around Town Atlanta
Curious about the buzz surrounding Tea Around Town Atlanta? Before you book your tickets, here’s an honest recap of my experience with this much-talked-about excursion.
The Concept
Tea Around Town markets itself as a unique mobile tea party experience. It operates in 5 cities: New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Houston, and the city where I bought a ticket – Atlanta. It’s a tea-themed bus, decked out with flowers in various shades of pink, that cruises through the city while serving high-end tea and treats. Sounds cute, right? Who wouldn’t want to sip tea (pinkies up) and nibble on sweets while looking cute on a tea party bus?
The Promise
According to one online description, the experience includes “high-end tea with freshly-baked snacks, courteous waitstaff, a comfy onboard bathroom, and live entertainment.” The Luxe package, which my friends and I opted for, promised a 90-minute ride with a menu featuring lobster rolls, caviar, and an elegant smoked salmon dish. It all seemed perfect for a girls’ day out—until it wasn’t.
The Anticipation
My girlfriends and I were genuinely excited. We’d seen some photos and videos online, and I even bought a vintage dress, fascinator, and gloves for the occasion. We arrived 15 minutes early, as instructed, with tickets ready to scan. The bus arrived on time and a host of ladies dressed to the nines waited on the sidewalk, ready for the experience. Spirits were high; expectations were higher.
The Reality
1. The Seating: Despite booking a table for four and confirming ahead of time that we’d sit together, we were split into two separate tables. The bus, while cute, was tight and a little stuffy—charmingly decorated but definitely lacking elbow room. (It is not plus-size-friendly). Us Luxe girlies were at the top of the bus, while the Petite (roughly $85) ticket holders were downstairs.
2. The Food: For $139 per person, the “luxe” experience left much to be desired. Instead of the promised “succulent” lobster rolls and “prestigious” caviar, we were met with a small, three-tiered tray of dried-out sandwiches, hard muffins, and less-than-tasty pastries. I wasn’t expecting gourmet, but stale bread? Hmph.
3. The Tea: There were five teas offered. Two of the five were basic grocery-store staples: Earl Grey and Mint. The others were some type of Apple Cinnamon, Gingerbread-something, and another I can’t remember. Not only were the options unimaginative, but the portions were shockingly small. Servers poured a splash into each cup, reminding us it was “just a tasting.” When some asked for refills, they were told they needed to “ensure there’s enough for everyone.” Rationing tea at a tea party? Foolishness. (But you do get to keep the plastic cup and Happy Meal-type box with the Tea Around Town logo 🙄).
4. The Entertainment: There were two servers on board and a singing hostess who narrated the journey and sang a few songs along the way. They were very young, polite, and probably severely underpaid – but you could tell they were doing what they could. While the host’s singing was pleasant, it just wasn’t enough to redeem the overall lackluster experience.
5. The Route: We drove past homeless encampments and nothing particularly scenic. The host pointed out a few points of interest, most notably Ebenezer Baptist church where Martin Luther King, Jr. was ordained. If you’re hoping to learn something new or fun about the city of Atlanta…keep hope alive, but you won’t learn it here. Though a 90-minute experience was advertised (75 on the bus, 15 mins loading/unloading), our actual ride was slightly shorter and clocked in at just under 70 minutes.
The Verdict
Tea Around Town Atlanta is a wonderful idea that is poorly executed. Corners were cut in every way. For $139 per person, I expected a level of quality and attention to detail that simply wasn’t there. It’s more of an overpriced photo op than a thoughtfully curated outing. Nonetheless, my friends and I managed to have a good time—even if that mostly consisted of us laughing about how we got “got.” In hindsight, I would say this excursion isn’t worth more than about $50 – nearly a third less than what was charged.
Would I Recommend It?: If your priority is the aesthetics – cute pics for Instagram, you might find a way to justify a ticket if you select the Petite option. But if you’re hoping for a true high-end tea experience or a meaningful exploration of Atlanta, this ain’t it.
Final Thoughts: I’m a brightside kinda gal and I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt. (I have heard that the experience is way better in other cities – New York and D.C. especially). Maybe we caught them on a bad day. Maybe they’ll improve the food and tea offerings in the future. But for now, my singular experience leads me to advise proceeding with caution. As the kids say: “It was mid.”
Have you tried Tea Around Town Atlanta? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your experiences in the comments below.
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