08/26/2026
For those wondering why a cup of Mr. Tea costs $8, here’s a little look at what actually goes into that cup.
Today alone, it cost me $168 to fill up my truck and buy the gas needed to keep my generators running for the next two weeks roughly 5–8 gigs.
Then there’s the tea itself. I source tea from different parts of the world, and the cost of importing it continues to rise with tariffs which are around 15%. Some of the places I order from include Argentina, China, and Sri Lanka.
Then comes payroll, which averages around 20% of what we bring in at each gig.
Then there’s equipment and maintenance. A kettle just went out on me $300. 😅 And when you run equipment constantly, something is always eventually going to need repaired or replaced.
But one of the biggest costs is something most people never see is the time.
If we’re running one of the tea carts for an 8 AM event, everyone is up and canning tea starting at 5 AM.
If you see the trailer at an event, chances are I was there two hours before you ever saw us open, cleaning, stocking, organizing, loading ice, prepping tea, checking equipment and making sure everything is ready to go.
And after the event we still have cleanup, unloading, restocking and getting everything ready to do it all over again.
Running a small business is hard. I’m not saying any of this for sympathy, I just want people to understand that when you buy an $8–$10 cup of tea, you’re not just paying for tea, ice and a cup.
You’re helping pay for the truck that got it there.
The generator keeps everything running.
The employee who served you.
The equipment that brewed it.
The hours of preparation you never saw.
And the small business behind all of it.
So next time you stop by Mr. Tea, just remember:
There’s a whole lot more in that cup than tea. 🤣
And as always, we appreciate every single person who chooses to spend their hard-earned money with us.
