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🍵 How to Serve Free Tea

This document serves as a spiritual + technical overview for serving free tea to strangers in public spaces. Please review prior to your takeover!

Spiritually...

We are not just serving tea! We are engaging in authentic, non-judgemental conversations with our neighbors. We are here to listen, to learn, to serve and receive. Below are our three grounding principles and how we practice them.

Stillness

  • Keep distractions to a minimum (no phones, no books, no music, etc.)
  • Be curious about your environment — what type of people are in the park? What are they doing? How do they seem? Try not to zone out — zone in!

Trust

  • Practice non-judgement — accept people as they are, speak with sincerity
  • Let visitors engage on their own terms, don't try to rope people in!

Sustainability

  • The natural world is our friend, but that doesn't mean it's always friendly. Dress appropriately and be prepared for cold weather.
  • You will not be expected to serve tea in the pouring rain for three hours, but you should be ready if a brief April shower comes your way!
Tea Stand visitors are as tough as they come... and so are YOU!

Technically...

This is all pretty simple. I'll be handling the set up + break down, so you don't need to worry any of that. Below are some tips which you can reference during your takeover if need be (I'll also show you how to do all of this day-of).

Hot Water Workflow

  • Pour water from plastic jug into camping stove
  • Use camping stove (twist fuel lever, press igniter button) to heat water to 175F
  • Pour water from camping stove into thermos
  • Repeat as necessary

Pouring & Serving

  • Tea bag first, then water
  • Always stir, it helps with steeping!
  • Suggest visitor waits 5 minutes before drinking (to cool + steep)

Answering Questions

  • Please review our FAQ!
  • Don't worry if you don't have the answer to a question, you can let people know you're taking over the day and point them to the website
  • Best way to support is via our membership program! Link is found via the QR code on the coaster on the table.

Physically...

Things may get uncomfortable! Please share any access / ability concerns in advance. Here are some potential causes of discomfort and how to manage them.

Weather

  • Dress super, super warm. Subtract like 20° from the actual temperature and dress for that – sitting still gets quite chilly!
  • In case of rain: put the zines and punch cards in the black duffel bag (it's waterproof) and put the lid on the donation teapot. If it's raining too hard for you to tolerate, give me a call.
  • In case of high winds: use the rocks on the table to hold down any materials which are blowing away

Bathroom

  • If you need to use the bathroom, first try the public bathroom in the center of the park (it's fairly gross). If it's closed / too gross, please go here [TBD — will consult nearby bodega soon].
  • Ask a visitor / stranger to watch things over while you're gone. If you're worried, just give me a call and I'll bike over from my apartment (5 mins away).
  • The more tea you drink, the more you'll have to pee :)

Hunger

  • Bring a lil snack! Ideally something quick and clean, like a granola bar or a sandwich. If you're hungry and have no food, give me a call and I'll bring something over to you.
More proof of Tea Stand visitors being TOUGH in the rain.

A note on safety...

As a white man, I have not been the victim of any harassment or violence while serving tea at The Tea Stand. A few friends with different identities have also hosted Popups with no issues. However, I cannot guarantee this will be the case for you! Please place your safety above all else and let me know if there’s anything I can do to support you in this.

I have never had to mediate or de-escalate any conflicts between visitors of The Tea Stand, but this is always a possibility. Keep these de-escalation techniques in mind should you need them. I have also never been bothered by police and/or park staff, but have been advised to cover the donation teapot in their presence (offering free goods in public is purportedly protected by artistic license, thus any indications of money transfer should be kept hidden).

We cannot control who visits parks or how they behave. However, we can be a positive influence and a responsible neighbor by being a compassionate observer, a peaceful presence, and an active participant in our public spaces.

This document is a work in progress! If you have any suggestions, concerns, or questions, please reach out :)