Is Coffee Culture in the UK Stealing the Spotlight from Tea
For centuries, the words “Put the kettle on” have meant more than just a drink in Great Britain. They’ve meant comfort, conversation, and a warm break from the famously unpredictable British weather.
But lately, the sound of clinking teacups is competing with the hiss of espresso machines.
Our survey across the UK reveals a slow but steady shift in national drinking habits. While British tea culture remains deeply rooted, a new rhythm is brewing; one that smells like roasted beans and sounds like milk frothers at full speed.
Check out what Brits have got to say about the coffee culture in the UK where coffee has overtaken tea as the nation’s most preferred hot beverage.
What Britain’s Drinking
Ask any Brit what they start their day with, and the nation is now split almost perfectly down the middle. Around four in ten people admit they “can’t function without coffee”, while a similar number still stick to their “tea, of course!” ritual.
And when it comes to cafés, coffee culture in the UK has clearly taken the lead. Nearly 6 in 10 people order a latte or cappuccino when out, while tea drinkers now represent just a quarter of café orders. It’s as if tea has been demoted to the home mug while coffee has claimed the public stage.
Still, this isn’t war. It’s coexistence. The modern Brit might start the day with coffee and wind it down with tea. It’s a proof that loyalty has turned into mood-based multitasking.
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Why Coffee’s Winning Hearts and High Streets
Ask any Brit what they start their day with, and the nation is now split almost perfectly down the middle. Around four in ten people admit they “can’t function without coffee”, while a similar number still stick to their “tea, of course!” ritual.
And when it comes to cafés, coffee culture in the UK has clearly taken the lead. Nearly 6 in 10 people order a latte or cappuccino when out, while tea drinkers now represent just a quarter of café orders. It’s as if tea has been demoted to the home mug while coffee has claimed the public stage.
Still, this isn’t war. It’s coexistence. The modern Brit might start the day with coffee and wind it down with tea. It’s a proof that loyalty has turned into mood-based multitasking.
Why Coffee’s Winning Hearts and High Streets
Sure, taste is king, an overwhelming majority of people said their drink choice depends mostly on flavor, not fads or fitness. But there’s more bubbling under the surface.
Walk through any British high street and the transformation is impossible to miss. There’s Starbucks, Costa, Pret, and a parade of artisanal independents where beans are hand-ground, and baristas know your name.
About 80% of respondents feel that the rise of coffee shops in the UK has changed the nation’s social habits by bringing people out of kitchens and into cafés.
Coffee has become shorthand for connection. Meetings, first dates, study sessions, even therapy chats, they all now begin with “fancy a coffee?”
Tea, meanwhile, is slowly retreating into the comfort zone. It’s still the language of home and heart, but coffee is the dialect of hustle and hangouts.
From Jan–Mar 2023 in the UK, supermarkets sold 533 million packs of coffee and 287 million packs of tea
UK consumers are estimated to drink around 95 million cups of coffee a day.
The Youth Wave
Younger generations are clearly fueling this shift. Ask anyone under 35, and “coffee culture” doesn’t sound sophisticated. For them it is just normal life.
From cold brews to frappes, from reusable cups to latte art, coffee has become part of youth expression. Around 7 in 10 younger respondents said they prefer either coffee or chilled coffee-based drinks.
Social media deserves a good chunk of the credit (or blame). Instagrammable lattes, TikTok coffee hacks, and café-aesthetic corners have turned caffeine into a lifestyle.
Older Brits, though, still see tea as tradition. For them, tea is the quiet comfort that connects them to the past.
So yes, there’s a generational divide but it’s also what makes modern British drink habits so fascinating. The tea generation built the ritual; the coffee generation rebranded it.
When Global Brands Took Over the Kettle
Nearly half of the respondents believe that foreign coffee chains have been the biggest driver of the UK’s coffee boom. The iconic British high street that was once home to small local tea rooms, now glows with global coffee logos.
Yet, despite this takeover, most people aren’t angry. They’re neutral. Many appreciate the wider choices, even if they occasionally miss the charm of a local tea shop where someone knew exactly how long you liked your brew steeped.
Interestingly, when asked which drink best represents British culture today, tea still topped the list, but coffee came in a close second.
British tea brands, however, have work to do. While some are trying to modernize with new flavors and eco-friendly packaging, about a third of people feel they’re “trying, but slowly.” If tea wants to stay in the race, it might need to borrow a page from coffee’s playbook.
Tea at Home, Coffee Outside
Most people agreed that coffee culture in the UK is now dominant outside, but inside, tea still reigns supreme.
Or, as one respondent perfectly put it: “Tea’s for my soul. Coffee’s for my schedule.”
More than half described the nation’s new drink identity as “Tea at home, coffee outside”.
Why Coffee Is Overtaking Tea
About a third say it’s because of café culture; others cite coffee’s modern image or the sheer convenience of grabbing a cup on the go.
Tea, after all, still demands a bit of ceremony. It demands a kettle, cup, maybe a biscuit break. Coffee fits the UK’s faster lifestyle like a lid on a takeaway cup.
And variety matters too. With endless flavors, roasts, and milk alternatives, coffee offers experimentation that traditional tea rarely does. You can’t exactly walk into a shop and order a “half-skim oat-milk English Breakfast with caramel drizzle.”
What Britain’s Brews Say About Britain Itself
Coffee culture in the UK may be the rising star, but tea still plays the lead in the national story. One gives energy, the other gives ease and together, they keep Britain both awake and grounded.
When asked to choose one forever, the nation stayed politely divided — 40% said tea, 36% said coffee, and the rest sensibly said both. Because why choose when you can have a cuppa and a cappuccino?
Modern British drink habits now reflect the country itself — traditional yet evolving, local yet global, calm yet caffeinated.
In the end, maybe the question isn’t “Tea or coffee?”
Maybe it’s “Which one are you having first?”
