Organisers serving familiar black tea
A 240-bag box gives volunteers a countable main supply for making cups individually. Choose the brand and brewing instructions your team can follow during the event.
Who is a 240-bag box for?
Community hosts planning repeated servings
Estimate tea by expected cups rather than attendees alone. Some guests may return for another cup, while others may choose coffee or a different tea.
Hosts offering a choice beyond regular tea
Keep decaf or a suitable caffeine-free drink separate from the main black-tea box, with labels that let guests identify each option.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the number of cups you expect to serve, then choose a familiar black tea whose preparation instructions fit your serving routine. Plan any alternative drinks separately.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Main tea | Check that the pack contains everyday black tea and the intended 240 bags. Choose a brand your regular guests recognise. | I want a familiar main tea, with other choices alongside it. In its 2025 Tea Census, the UK Tea & Infusions Association reported that 71% of surveyed UK adults mainly chose traditional black tea as their infusion; that is not a measure of coffee-morning attendance. |
| Serving count | A 240-bag box provides up to 240 one-bag servings. Estimate cups, including possible repeat drinks, rather than equating bags with guests. | There needs to be enough tea for people who come back for another cup, without assuming everyone will choose tea. |
| Brewing routine | Read the chosen pack’s instructions and allow time for brewing. ASDA lists 1–3 minutes for PG Tips Original 240; Tesco gives Tetley’s guidance as 2–3 minutes before milk; Bettys lists 4–5 minutes for Yorkshire Tea 240. | Volunteers need a clear routine they can use when several cups are being made at once. |
| Other drinks | Check whether a separately labelled decaf tea or caffeine-free drink is appropriate. Twinings notes that decaffeinated tea can retain traces of caffeine; check the label of any alternative. | I want guests who are avoiding regular black tea to be able to identify another choice without confusing the containers. |
What can go wrong at the tea table?
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Counting bags as guests
One bag usually makes one individually prepared cup, but a guest may have more than one drink. Others may choose coffee or an alternative tea.
Plan from expected cups, allow for repeat servings and count any separate drink options on their own.
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Putting regular and decaf tea together
Regular black tea contains caffeine, and Twinings notes that decaffeinated tea can still contain traces. An unlabelled shared container makes the options hard to distinguish.
Use separate, clearly labelled containers and check the alternative drink’s ingredients and caffeine labelling.
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Giving every brand the same brewing time
The stated instructions differ: ASDA lists 1–3 minutes for PG Tips Original 240, Tesco gives Tetley’s guidance as 2–3 minutes, and Bettys lists 4–5 minutes for Yorkshire Tea 240.
Display the instructions for the box being served so volunteers can follow the same routine.
Which brands are relevant?
These brand references cover different pack formats and drink choices; check the exact product when a 240-bag black-tea box is required.
Tetley
Tetley Original is listed in a 240-bag, 750g black-tea box.
- Tesco gives Tetley’s guidance as brewing for 2–3 minutes with fresh boiling water before adding milk.
- The regular black-tea box is not a decaf alternative.
PG Tips
PG Tips Original is listed by ASDA as a 240-portion black-tea pack.
- The listing describes biodegradable pyramid bags and gives a 1–3 minute brewing instruction.
- It is regular black tea, so offer another drink separately if guests want to avoid it.
Yorkshire Tea
Yorkshire Tea is listed in a 240-bag, 750g black-tea format.
- It provides a recognisable choice when regular guests ask for Yorkshire Tea.
- Bettys lists a 4–5 minute infusion time for the 240-bag product; allow for that at a busy serving table.
Twinings
Twinings decaffeinated tea is relevant as a separate option alongside a main black-tea box.
- Twinings lists an English Breakfast Decaffeinated 40-bag product.
- Twinings says decaffeinated tea can retain minor traces of caffeine; decaf does not mean caffeine-free.
Clipper
Clipper offers black tea in formats for a different pack-size requirement.
- Clipper lists a Fairtrade Everyday 440-bag catering product and an organic, Fairtrade Everyday 40-bag product.
- Neither of those formats is an exact 240-bag box.
Typhoo
Typhoo Premium Everyday is listed in a 240-bag, 750g black-tea box.
- Typhoo states 3.125g of tea per bag, while Tesco gives a 1–5 minute preparation range for its 240-bag listing.
- A broad brewing range makes it useful to agree on a serving routine for volunteers.
240-bag black tea on Joybuy
These 240-bag regular black-tea boxes are options for the main tea table at a coffee morning. Keep any decaf or other alternative drink separate.
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Tetley Original 240 Tea Bags, 750g
A countable box of regular black tea for individually prepared cups. Tesco gives Tetley’s guidance for this 240-bag product as brewing for 2–3 minutes before adding milk. Provide a separate alternative if guests do not want regular black tea.
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Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea 240 Tea Bags, 750g
A 240-bag regular black-tea box for a coffee morning where guests prefer Yorkshire Tea. Bettys lists a 4–5 minute infusion time for the 240-bag product, so allow for that when planning service. It is not a decaf option.
Frequently asked questions
Will a 240-bag box serve 240 guests?
Not necessarily. It provides up to 240 one-bag servings, but some guests may have another cup and others may choose a different drink. Estimate the cups you expect to make rather than matching the bag count to the guest list.
Should I provide decaf alongside regular black tea?
Provide a separate, labelled option if guests may want to avoid regular black tea. Twinings explains that decaffeinated tea can retain traces of caffeine, so check the exact product label if a guest needs a caffeine-free drink.
How can volunteers brew cups consistently?
Put the chosen box’s brewing instructions where cups are made. The stated times differ between products: ASDA lists 1–3 minutes for PG Tips Original 240, Tesco gives Tetley’s guidance as 2–3 minutes before milk, and Bettys lists 4–5 minutes for Yorkshire Tea 240.
Can used tea bags go in food waste?
Check the exact pack instructions and what your local council accepts. Morrisons describes the Yorkshire Tea 240 bags as plant-based and compostable, but that description alone does not establish which collection bin accepts them locally.
What should I check on the box before serving?
Check the physical pack for its ingredients, any relevant allergen information, bag count and brewing instructions. This also lets volunteers use the instructions for the tea actually supplied rather than those for another brand.