Why do Turkish shops and offices have tea delivered on a tray instead of buying it themselves?
In neighborhood shops and offices in Türkiye, people often call a nearby tea shop instead of going out to buy tea themselves.
Then a çaycı, a person whose job is to deliver tea, arrives carrying a round metal tray loaded with several small waist-shaped glasses. The tray moves many times a day between a small shop counter, a barber shop mirror, office desks covered with paperwork, neighborhood market stalls selling fruit and vegetables, and the counters of small local stores.
Türkiye is often cited as the world's highest tea-consuming country per person, and it is common to offer tea to guests even before serving water. That is why this tray is not just something used during a break, but a practical everyday tool that keeps hospitality and conversation moving between working shops.