Christina Warner
Nyssa Coffman
The McDonaldization of Society
Specialty Tea Stores and Houses
1. We chose to visit two tea shops given both our love for tea and our love for everything British. Tea
shops generally aren’t thought of as McDonaldized, but it is for this reason that they provide an excellent
example of how formal rationality can creep in anywhere. We started with The English Rose, a small tea
house in downtown Chattanooga established by a local British woman who wanted to bring a small part
of England to Tennessee. We believed it exemplified a more traditional establishment given that it was a
local specialty store, run and operated by locals (several of whom had emigrated from Great Britain and
brought English tradition with them). The second business we visited was Teavana at Hamilton Place. We
chose to contrast it with The English Rose given that Teavana is a chain store recently bought out by
Starbucks and sells an extensive collection of loose leaf tea as well as cups of tea at their in-store tea bar.
2. Teavana was situated outside of one of the food courts in Hamilton Place. The entrance was
staffed by a young employee offering samples of tea to passersby and trying to draw as many people into
the store as they could. Before we even set foot in the store the woman working the samples had small
cups of tea in our hands and was dizzily explaining the blends we were sampling. Efficiency, or moving
things as quickly and with as little effort from Point A to Point B as possible, was the name of the game at
Teavana. We were immediately shuffled from sampling teas to a salesman who took us through the store
showing us different tea pots, specials, and blends of tea that they were showcasing that month.
Everything moved very rapidly and at one point our salesman was talking so quickly we could barely
keep up with the information he was trying to give us. At every turn we were being pitched some product
or another in an attempt to get us to buy as much as they could get away with before we realized what was
going on. How they laid out the tour was also extremely efficient. We worked our way around from the
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door, through the shop, and to the counter behind which their bulk teas were stored. It took us less than 10
minutes from the time that we entered the store to the time that we left with purchased tea in hand.
Teavana was one of the most controlled shopping environments that either of us had ever been in.
Control, the desire to control through both human and nonhuman technology the activities of employees
and customers, was the strongest by far of all the features of McDonaldization that we saw. Both the roles
of the customer and the employee were heavily controlled through human interaction (human
technology). The employees had clearly memorized a script about every single item and tea in the store,
and were only too pleased to rattle off all their memorized trivia to us in order to hold us verbally captive.
We were passed from employee to employee, and every time we were passed, it was verbally by the
previous employee. With the speed and command that the employees had over us, it was very hard to
break from the controlled role and route we had been assigned. We were in a tea emporium with teas from
all over the world, which held fascinating histories and preparation processes. We weren’t even allowed a
moment to fully look and ask questions about things, simply pitched memorized lines crafted to compel
us to buy, buy, buy. Besides a nice cash register and a credit card scanner, there seemed to be little nonhuman technology.
Predictability was another feature of McDonaldization that we saw. This feature, which emphasizes
uniformity and homogeneity in an attempt to make sure everyone will know what to expect, was also
present. Most Teavana stores have a similar layout and handle business in a similar style. The teas they
sell, though exotic and unique, will be the same in a Teavana in Atlanta as a Teavana in Ontario, Canada
(making exceptions for availability and season within international tea growing and markets). If one tea
debuts in the Ontario branch, the same tea debuts in the Atlanta branch. Teas being sold in the store,
teapots being sold, teas on tap, and tea accessories will be the same in every branch and customers expect
that. The only thing that varies from predictability is what each branch decides to offer as samples.
Calculability, another feature of McDonaldization, was also present at Teavana. This feature
emphasizes quantity over quality and has a tendency to boil everything (even people) down to numerical
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values. The teas were all sold by the 2oz., and unit prices didn’t differ from chain to chain. On top of this,
unit prices were also very specific (prices like $6.68, $12.43, $31.72, etc…). Deals were also available, if
we were to buy $75 of products, we would get a free tea tin or tea cup. One of the things that vastly
differed from McDonaldization was that quality seemed more emphasized than quantity. Though teas
were grown en masse at large scale tea plantations across the globe, the quality of the tea was still very
good. Quantity, however (mass shipments, most tea for lowest prices) was still emphasized as part of the
business.
3. The English Rose was much more laid back than Teavana. When we first entered, there was classical
music playing softly in the background. The shop was small, and the shelves packed to bursting with tea,
pots, cups, and English goods. Despite being pressed for space, tables were still clustered around
welcomingly with elegant lace and muted cotton tablecloths. Upon catching the waitress’ attention, we
were seated and served afternoon tea within five minutes. Efficiency was important in the tea house. The
tables were laid out with easy access in mind and the waitresses tag-teamed to get orders in and out of the
kitchen quickly. However, running their business efficiently didn’t interfere with the homely and
welcoming atmosphere. Our waitress was willing to stay and talk about pastries and tea varieties. The
table behind us talked with their waitress for a good ten minutes about life and music. Many customers
seemed to know the staff and stories of personal life were shared. Another group a few tables over were
celebrating a birthday and their waitress lingered to talk with them as well.
The atmosphere, beyond the standard procedures of a restaurant (choose tea, order, be served, pay bill),
wasn’t very controlled. Customers came and went at their leisure and the staff was very willing to leave
us to dwindle the afternoon away laughing and talking over tea. We were never hurried and our teapot
was refilled twice before we finally left. One aspect of control present was the owner’s desire to keep
things as British as possible. To this extent, the staff’s interaction with us was controlled by British
etiquette and standards of conduct. The menu and items offered in the store were also controlled by
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British tradition (British tea pots, grocery goods, cookbooks and recipes, teas, select aprons and apparel,
etc…). There was also very little control through nonhuman technology. There was an outdated cash
register that accepted a limited amount of credit carriers and wouldn’t allow us to make credit purchases
below five dollars. Beyond that, nonhuman technology didn’t feature. Our bill was even handwritten.
When we were done, we were not pushed into buying the loose leaf tea we were ogling and given ample
time to browse and discuss tea with the staff.
Predictability was also significantly less than the McDonaldized institution. As with any tea house,
The English Rose, had the expected blends of herbal, breakfast, white, and black teas. However, outside
of their maintained house teas, they also had a menu of changing specialty teas (floral teas, fruit teas,
etc…) that weren’t listed on the menu. Their select food menu mainly stayed the same throughout the
year, but seasonal changes were common. Pastries and tea snacks were made on site from authentic
British recipes and local ingredients. These varied daily and with what was seasonally available.
Calculability also featured to a certain extent. Loose leaf tea purchased dry were sold by the ounce and
pound. Other grocery quantities were sold by unit prices. Tea purchased and made in house, however,
could be refilled several times. Quality and tradition were valued well above quantity. The scones and
biscuits (British cookies) we received were quite small compared to what a bakery might sell, but they
were very good. The preserves, lemon curd, and clotted cream that came with the tea were also small but
very well done.
4. There were several disadvantages with the McDonaldized approach of Teavana. One of the more
noticeable was the overbearing and controlled environment. We were rushed and pushed to buy things to
such an extent that it felt like a chore to walk into a tea shop! This was the type of atmosphere that we
steeled ourselves to enter, purchase what we wanted, and left as quickly as we could. The layout and
emphasis on efficiency also meant that we didn’t get to stay long and look at all of the eye candy and teas
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available. We also felt like we were a mere number in the sales quota of the employees rather than people
or customers.
One of the main advantages to Teavana is that the chain store could purchase exotic and rare teas in
bulk and sell them to people who otherwise could never have access to such rich varieties. The amount of
tea also meant there was a very good selection from across the world. In the span of ten minutes, we had
tried teas from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Unlike The English Rose which mainly
had European varieties, Teavana allowed us to try and purchase tea blends from different continents. One
of the teas even opened into a flower in our cups.
Unlike at Teavana, we felt relaxed and at ease in The English Rose (exactly what tea is supposed to do
for you). Since the emphasis here was on quality and tradition, everything was very good. Another
advantage of a more traditional approach was an unhurried and genuinely friendly environment which
made us inclined to stay longer and thoroughly enjoy ourselves (and gawk at wares being sold,
subsequently leading to us purchasing several more things than we intended). Here we felt welcome and
part of the community, instead of stuck in another faceless corporation.
A large disadvantage was that the independent nature of the business, as well as their emphasis on
tradition and quality, drove prices up. We paid a good bit for what we got, and though we enjoyed it, this
was a splurge we couldn’t afford very often. Also, their limited customer base and niche specialty meant
that most of the teas they carried were European. There were precious few tea selections in more
traditional blends from other continents and cultures.
5. There were several places where the irrationality of rationality was very evident. Three of these were a
fake friendliness, pushy atmosphere, and a hurried environment. The employees at Teavana immediately
tried to draw us in with their memorized script and plastered smiles. We were shuffled from salesperson
to salesperson with a practiced ease that left us feeling as if we were objects being manipulated and
prodded by those running the store. At many points we felt as if we were just another number in the sales
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quota of the employees. None of our interactions with the staff felt real and we subsequently pulled away
from them instead of being drawn in as they had hoped.
Another way we saw the irrationality of rationality within Teavana was their fast paced environment
that had us moving through the store rapidly as samples were shoved into our hands. We never had time
to ask questions about products or tea blends and weren’t allowed to really look at anything besides the
tea being shoved in our faces. This seemed to backfire on Teavana. Had we been allowed to browse a
little, we may have asked about some of their more expensive teas, or some of the beautiful teapots in the
window displays that were breezed past. With The English Rose, we ended up purchasing more than we
had intended to because we were allowed to look at everything and ask lots of questions.
6. Formal rationality could be seen creeping in at The English Rose is several ways. First was nonhuman
technology. Their credit card reader was a newer addition. It wouldn’t accept American Express or
charges under five dollars, though. Efficiency was also present. Just like at Teavana, the staff at The
English Rose were very good at getting our orders and serving us quickly. However, the inclusion of
these McDonaldized features did not harm the quaint and welcoming atmosphere.
7. Nyssa’s Opinion: I left The English Rose feeling calm and refreshed, like I had just experienced the
end of a perfect day. I have been to a tea house before, and I absolutely loved it then too. I left thinking
about all of the different times and excuses under which I would be able to come back (morning pot of
tea? maybe with a scone? I could bring a book!)
I left Teavana, however, wishing I had never entered in the first place. It was incredibly stressful,
and not at all what learning about/buying tea should be like. I wasn’t even halfway through the store
before I vowed I would never return. I am a person who likes to please people, but tea is just for me, you
know? I get to pick which ones are my favorite, and how I like to take it, and the salespeople at Teavana
tried to force me into liking teas I never even would have tried under any other circumstances. I will not
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be frequenting their shop again. At least not without someone who can stand up to people and ask their
own questions.
Christina’s Opinion: I would be more likely to frequent The English Rose. For me, that is everything I
think of when I think tea. The atmosphere reflects Victorian themes and has aspects of a high tea, even if
we were only there for afternoon tea. The house tea that we were served (an English breakfast blend) was
very good, as were the fresh pastries with clotted cream and preserves. The English Rose was a hands
down choice because of its emphasis on tradition rather than efficiency and squeezing as much money out
of me as they could. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere allowed me to enjoy my tea and browse the
shop in wonder as I looked at the many things not widely marketed in America. Here I felt like someone
who could be part of the tradition while I was there.
Teavana should have been a nice place. An emporium full of teas spanning the globe. But I never got to
look and wonder at the different varieties, instead I was impersonally shuffled through and ended up
purchasing something as small as I could get away to get the employees off of my back for a few minutes.
The product was amazing, but the business destroyed a lot of what tea is for me. Unless I knew a variety I
really wanted, or had a gift card, I wouldn’t go to Teavana if I could help it because of its McDonaldized
environment.
8. Teavana is an amazing tea store with a lot of speciality teas one can’t get in very many other places.
However, their emphasis on control and efficiency severely hampered our enjoyment of what should have
been an enchanting place. Just like Weber was concerned with, the McDonaldized atmosphere at Teavana
served mainly to disenchant us and made us feel as if we were in a zoo of consumerism and materialism.
That said, without their corporation, we wouldn’t have enjoyed such a wide, varied, and exotic choice in
tea.
Christina Warner
Nyssa Coffman
Still, The English Rose’s atmosphere and friendly service was very hard to beat. From the moment we
stepped into that shop, we were filled with wonder. From enjoying hearing the stories of staff and patrons,
gawking at how the beautiful settings varied with each table, listening to the classical music in the
background, to enjoying something that we don’t get very often in our country, we were reminded of
tradition and the specialty of the tea house. However, it’s non-McDonaldized values mean that we have to
pay a higher price and get a little bit less for what we paid for than at McDonaldized tea shops. If we were
given the choice between Teavana and The English Rose, we both would chose the British tea house
hands down. In the end, our sense of wonder and enjoyment won out over the massive collection of global
tea at the impersonal and draining tea emporium.
Christina Warner and Nyssa Coffman both visited The English Rose and Teavana, and contributed
equally to this assignment.
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Attached: Menu from The English Rose and a catalogue from Teavana