People Who Drink Tea Instead Of Coffee Usually Share These 8 Quirky Personality Traits
Your warm cup of tea says way more than a coffee drinker could realize.
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock It’s easy to assume coffee and tea drinkers are divided by taste preferences alone, but there’s usually more personality steeped into the brew. While coffee is associated with speed, intensity, and go-go-go energy, tea invites something softer, slower, and a little quirkier. Research has found some surprising psychological and behavioral differences between the two camps.
Tea drinkers, on average, show patterns in temperament, habits, and social preferences that set them apart from their coffee-loving counterparts. No judgment, both drinks have their perks. But if you reach for a teacup instead of a mug of coffee, you might relate.
People who drink tea instead of coffee usually share these 8 quirky personality traits
1. They tend to be more introverted
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Tea people often enjoy their own company and know how to savor a quiet moment. Studies have shown that tea drinkers are more likely to identify as introverts than coffee drinkers. People who prefer tea also tend to score higher in traits such as calmness, sensitivity, and self-reflection.
Tea drinkers are more comfortable spending time alone or in quiet environments. That soothing ritual of brewing a cup and slow sipping fits perfectly with introspection. While coffee might hype you up, tea is about settling into your corner.
2. They lean toward being creatives and idealists
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With a whimsical streak and a big-picture mind, tea drinkers are disproportionately drawn to the arts, creative hobbies, and philosophical thinking. Tea drinking has been linked with higher levels of openness to experience, a trait associated with imagination, curiosity, and emotional depth. This doesn’t mean every tea lover is writing poetry under a willow tree, but there’s usually an appreciation for beauty, thoughtfulness, and non-linear thinking.
They are more likely to journal, sketch, or dive into offbeat topics for the love of learning. There's a dreamy, idealistic energy to many tea drinkers that sets them apart from more pragmatic personalities. They’re not afraid to live in the “what if” and explore the abstract. It’s a mindset that pairs well with a warm cup of something herbal.
3. They’re surprisingly ritualistic
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Don’t mess with a tea lover’s process. They’ve got it down to an art. While coffee drinkers often throw together a brew to survive the morning rush, tea drinkers are more likely to treat their drink as a daily ritual. Tea drinkers report stronger emotional ties to the act of preparing and consuming their beverage compared to coffee drinkers. They were more likely to describe the experience as calming, meditative, or meaningful.
That’s because tea lends itself to mindfulness. Whether it's selecting a flavor, steeping to the perfect strength, or pairing it with a good book or cozy blanket, tea drinkers create little routines that bring structure and comfort to their day. There’s a quiet kind of discipline to it that adds a little predictability in an unpredictable world.
4. They’re often more emotionally sensitive
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Tea drinkers often score higher on measures of empathy and emotional awareness. They feel things deeply, and they’re not afraid of vulnerability. Research has found that the aroma and ritual of tea were associated with a heightened ability to process and express emotions. Tea drinkers were also more likely to describe themselves as emotionally intuitive or highly sensitive.
This means they may be more attuned to the feelings of others, as well as their inner worlds. That emotional sensitivity can make them thoughtful friends, careful listeners, and compassionate problem-solvers. But it can also mean they need more downtime to recharge emotionally, something that goes hand in hand with a slow-sipping tea mindset.
5. They’re health-conscious, but not obsessive
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Tea drinkers care about wellness, but they’re not so preachy about it. Compared to coffee drinkers, tea lovers are more likely to pay attention to their physical and mental health, but in a balanced, less extreme way. Tea drinkers report healthier overall diets and more regular sleep patterns. They often choose tea for flavor, but more for calming or medicinal properties.
They’re usually not rigid about it. While coffee culture can lean into the high-performance mindset, tea drinkers often take a gentler approach. They listen to their bodies, believe in balance, and enjoy wellness without obsessing over every metric.
6. They tend to be detail-oriented
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They notice the little things, and they care about getting them just right. Tea drinkers often have a strong appreciation for subtlety and nuance, which may explain their attention to detail in other areas of life. Tea drinkers have been shown to prefer products and experiences that offer sensory richness and fine distinctions, like herbal notes or steeping times.
This attentiveness often extends to their work, relationships, and other routines. They are the ones who remember birthdays, fix small errors others overlook, or take extra care when crafting a gift or note. That love of the little things makes them quietly reliable, even if they’re not always loud about it.
7. They have a quiet sense of humor
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You won’t always catch it right away, but when you do, their jokes are golden-tipped. Tea drinkers are observers, and with that comes a uniquely sharp, subtle sense of humor. Tea drinkers score higher in dry wit and situational humor, while coffee drinkers lean more toward bold or physical comedy styles. Tea lovers may not be the loudest laughers, but they’re often dropping the cleverest lines.
Their humor tends to be understated, a quip delivered with an unemotional face, playful sarcasm, or a well-timed pun. It’s the kind of humor that rewards close attention, which fits perfectly with their thoughtful, slower-paced style. They might not demand attention, but they’ll reward it.
8. They’re low-key rebels
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They don’t follow the crowd and like it that way. Choosing tea in a world that runs on coffee is a quiet act of nonconformity. While coffee dominates workplace culture, social gatherings, and memes, tea drinkers go against the flow and like it that way. They’re not loud about it, but there’s a subtle streak of independence in their choices.
Their rebellious spirit shows up in other areas, too. They might be into offbeat hobbies, niche interests, or unconventional life paths. They’re not overly concerned with trends. Tea lovers don’t need to prove they’re different because they are. They’re perfectly happy sipping a matcha while the world runs on espresso.
Sloane Bradshaw is a writer and essayist who frequently contributes to YourTango.
