Sweet tea is a drink synonymous with Southern culture. Few folks down here can say they’ve never had a cup.
Recently, I visited Denver, Colorado, and experienced culture shock. When asking for a sweet iced tea at a local restaurant, they explained that they do not, and have never, sold any.
Growing up in the South, asking for a sweet tea is like asking for a glass of water; there’s no doubt they’d serve it. That’s why I was taken aback upon hearing their response. This had me wondering: how and why is sweet tea so prevalent in the South but not the rest of the United States?
Tea was introduced to the US in the late 1700s by French explorer Andre Michaux, according to What’s Cooking America. He planted tea near Charleston, South Carolina, which would become the first place where it was grown and commercially produced. Cold tea, made from green tea, began to be served in the early 19th century and was called “punch.”
In 1879, the first sweet iced tea recipe appeared in Marion Cabell Tyree’s Housekeeping in Old Virginia, a community cookbook. As reported by Gatlinburg Go, by the late 1800s, sweet tea began appearing at fairs outside the South, such as in Chicago and St. Louis.
By 1900, sweet tea recipes became commonplace, substituting green tea for black tea. More popularity would arise during the American Prohibition, when people needed drinks without alcohol. This era would define sweet tea as a Southern staple. By this time, it’d be in most Southern cookbooks as well. The drink’s influence would spread across Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, establishing its legacy as an iconic southern beverage. Sweet tea began showing up in fast-food restaurants.
An interview with Milo’s Tea CEO Patricia Wallwork by Imbibe highlights that the founder began selling pre-sweetened tea shortly after WWII in 1946. McDonald’s rolled out sweet tea to its nationwide menu in 2008, according to Mashed, setting a precedent for fast-food sales.
While sweet tea may be regarded as a traditional beverage, its main form of regular iced tea has not waned in recent years.
Innova Market Insights reports that sales of iced tea have grown 3% in volume and 5% in value from 2020 to 2025. 23% of these iced tea sales were low- or no-sugar options. The Food Institute also shows how iced tea has become a healthier alternative to sugary sodas. But where does sweet tea fit in this trend?
Sweet tea is in a difficult spot in a world that markets healthy choices, like reducing sugar intake. While it may be a classic staple, sweet tea is high in sugar and not a healthy drink in large quantities.
But younger generations, like teens, have the say on whether sweet tea will stand the test of time. When asked how they felt about sweet tea, Zaria Browning, a junior at Stockbridge High School, states, “Sweet tea is my favorite drink, but they don’t do it right in Northern states.”
Another Stockbridge High School junior, Aleaniea Wells, states, “I absolutely love sweet tea. It’s my favorite drink.” They both say they drink more than their parents.
Wells also states, “Yes, I do think that [sweet tea will remain a Southern staple] and should be because it’s too good not to be.”
Even as healthier options are increasingly chosen, sweet tea is here to stay and will remain a Southern classic. When I asked Browning whether sweet tea would continue to be a Southern staple, she declared, “Hell yeah.”
