Perhaps this surprisingly high rating (for a very, very cheap tea) arises from the psychology of low expectations. I had seen a 100-count box of Clover Valley for sale at Dollar General for less than $2.50 (including tax)—slightly more than two cents per bag. Not wanting to buy a hundred bags, in case this tea sucked, I kept passing on it. Then earlier this year, at a grimy old 1930s New Mexico motel, they had it in the ten-square-foot morning breakfast area—you know, the setups with a tiny chair and no table in front of the check-in counter, where "breakfast" consists of a few prepackaged Wal-Mart cinnamon rolls, fake orange juice, anonymous coffee from who-knows-where, and this.

The water in that town tasted like crude oil, so in order to make a fair rating in palatable water, I took a bag home, and this website was the only reason. Thanks, RateTea, for this turned out surprisingly good! The contents of the bag were recognizable as tea leaves, for starters. The in-bag dry tea and in-cup brew had weak aroma, but surprisingly dark, dense color and a fairly strong and evenhanded tea taste—nothing way out of the ordinary, but akin to a stronger version of Lipton. There was no excessive bitterness or funky aftertaste either. One note of caution: if you like to squeeze the wet bag over your cup: don't. Even a gentle squeeze split it open in multiple places. At least the cost-cutting seems to have been applied to the bag and not the tea quality itself. Have a strainer handy in case the bag ruptures while you pour!

If you operate a concession and want to offer tea that guests might tolerate or even like, while spending next to nothing, you certainly can do worse. Now let's talk about those chain-store cinnamon rolls, off-brand Tang, and rickety, half-butt-sized chairs...

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