Can I get some ICE with my Tea?

Lately we have been talking a lot about empty advertising - ads that fill your hopes and dreams and then leave you empty once you take the risk and try it.

Restaurants could never lie more than they do about ICED Tea. I'm not sure if you're an ICED Tea drinker, however I am and I'm angry.

Let's first begin by referencing the always accurate, Wikipedia: "Iced tea is a form of cold tea. Often served over ice." (Observe the photo below. Pitcher of ICED Tea with a glass FULL of ice to the left....that looks good).

Now that we all agree on a true and clear definition of what ICED Tea is, let me begin my story.

It's a hot summer day, I know it's hot because I have spent most of my day either inside a building with air conditioning or driving in my car with the air cranked on high. However the sun looks hot.....I need a refreshment.

Sometimes a bottle of water won't do the trick. A soda leaves you wanting more, but a nice large glass of cold ICED Tea is completely satisfying.

As my craving for a refreshing glass of ICED Tea begins I start to walk through my potential options. Who has good ICED Tea that I can get quickly? Panera, Chick-Fil-A, Wendy's, McDonald's....

The closest and most convenient option is the drive thru at Chick-Fil-A.

I order, "Two large unsweetened ICED Teas with lemon please."

Upon driving up to pay, the Chick-Fil-A employee hands me the cup and with my first initial grab of the non-sweaty cup I realized something.....I was just handed a cup of tea. Not ICED Tea, but tea. I didn't order hot tea. I didn't order warm tea. I didn't order 'put one cube of ice in my tea' (like the photo below), I ordered ICED Tea. ICED Tea is what they offer on the menu.

Through my irritation and gritted teeth, I politely ask the employee for an extra cup of ice. We pull into a parking spot and proceed to desperately suck down the non ICED Tea to make room for more ice.

However, it never tastes the same. The ice needs to be completely to the top of the cup with the tea poured over it. I'm disappointed, angry and not feeling happy about my purchase.

Chick-Fil-A is not the only one with this ICED Tea flaw. Have you seen the McDonald's billboards? On one side is a cup of ICED Coffee and on the other is a cup of ICED Tea.....I have been to McDonald's a few times to get ICED Tea and found myself drinking lukewarm tea.

Empty Advertising at it's finest. So much anticipation is built once you get the idea of a nice full glass of ICED Tea, and so much is lost with flawed execution in the restaurant. How hard is it for restaurant employees to put one extra scoop of ice in the glass before putting the tea in? What do these people have against ice?

The problem is they are just uneducated about the workings and importance of ICE in ICED Tea. They aren't ICED Tea drinkers, and their manager hasn't told them about the importance of making the perfect glass of ICED tea.

What can we do about this?

1. Think twice about going to a fast food joint to get ICED Tea. Panera is good for one thing, if you can beat the crowds and that is a perfect glass of ICED Tea.

2. If you are going through the drive thru, try this tactic when ordering: Can I have an ICED Tea with extra ice?

3. Hope that the person pouring your ICED Tea, drinks ICED Tea.

Lastly, don't let the advertising and idea of a perfect glass of ICED Tea get you too excited, it's likely that you may be disappointed.