Is Tea Popular in America? US Tea Consumption Data

How popular tea is in the US, its history from the Boston Tea Party to today, and why iced tea dominates American tea drinking.

Updated · 3 min read

Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world after water, and the United States is no exception — industry data suggests Americans drink tea in nearly 80% of households, with a strong preference for iced tea over hot.

The Beginnings of Tea in America

Dutch merchants brought tea to New Amsterdam (now New York) around 1650, and it grew popular through the English colonists who settled there. Boston became the center of American tea culture and, eventually, tea protest: in 1773, colonists dumped more than 300 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor in the famous Boston Tea Party, a protest against British taxes on tea and other goods.

According to industry trade group estimates, the US is one of the largest tea importers in the world, and roughly four out of five Americans drink tea, with usage highest among 18-to-35-year-olds. Fruit and herbal teas are the most popular category among US consumers, followed by black tea.

Trade association estimates put annual US tea consumption at more than 80 billion servings, or over 3.6 billion gallons, with black tea making up the large majority of that volume, followed by green tea and smaller amounts of oolong, white, and dark tea.

Why Iced Tea Is the American Tea Drink

By some estimates, around 85% of tea consumed in the US is served iced rather than hot — a preference with roots in a popular (if disputed) story about the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, where a tea merchant reportedly served his tea over ice on an unusually hot day and it became a hit.

Convenience plays a role too: most tea brewed in the US uses tea bags rather than loose leaf, and ready-made iced tea mixes are common, especially in the South, where hot climates drive higher iced tea consumption.

Fun Facts About Tea in America

  • A printed iced tea recipe dates back to at least 1870, showing the drink predates the popular World's Fair legend.
  • The Long Island Iced Tea, a cocktail invented in New York in 1961, combines iced tea with rum, vodka, gin, tequila, and triple sec — despite the name, it doesn't actually contain tea.
  • The Arnold Palmer, named for the golfer, mixes equal parts iced black tea and lemonade and remains a popular non-alcoholic drink at restaurants and golf courses across the country.

FAQ

What percentage of Americans drink tea?

Industry estimates suggest roughly 80% of American households consume tea in some form, with especially high rates among adults under 35.

Iced tea dominates, making up an estimated 85% of tea consumed in the United States.

What type of tea do Americans drink the most?

Black tea makes up the largest share of US tea consumption, followed by green tea.

The region's hot climate and long-standing tea culture, especially around sweet tea, have made iced tea a staple there for generations.

The Bottom Line

Tea has a long, colorful history in America, from the Boston Tea Party to today's iced-tea-dominated market, and it remains a staple in the vast majority of US households. If you want to dig into the iced side of that history, see our guides to iced tea benefits and how to make it and good reasons to drink iced tea, or compare black tea and green tea if you're deciding which to try.

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