A decade and a half or so ago this debate would have been no contest in the world of fine teas. Loose tea was the only way to get the best quality. How times have changed. With the advent of the pyramid style teabag, which offers glorious room for leaves to unfurl, the choice has become about convenience and no longer about quality.

Premium teas are now available in the convenient form that offers pre-measured accuracy for busy tearooms, cafes and restaurants with minimal waste. With servers not having to spoon or scoop leaves of various volumes you save time and ensure consistency in each serving.

Certainly some old school tearoom frequenters may scoff at the notion of anything outside of loose leaf, but if the quality is the exact same as your vendor’s loose-leaf offering, the reward of speed and consistency will well outweigh the risk of a raised eyebrow.

Generally, the cost of pyramid teabags is slightly higher than using loose (more materials and labor in their production) but if they save in-house labor, time and preserve the sanctity of the end result in your business, they just might be the way to go. No shame and so much to gain!