Whether you want a serving cart for your restaurant, catering business or office, take a close look at tea carts pricing and costs. There is a wide variety of tea carts for sale, at a wide variety of prices. If you're running a tea house or upscale restaurant, you may want an elaborate or aesthetically beautiful tea cart. For others, a sturdy but plain tea cart is in order. You may choose from stainless steel, plastic, wood, resin or nearly any other material suitable to furniture.

While you're shopping for serving carts, keep in mind what you'll put on the cart (a tea cart can serve much more than tea!), how much time you want to spend cleaning the cart and how long you want the cart to last. Then, break down tea carts into three broad categories:

1. Standard stainless steel tea serving cart products, perfect for office or restaurant use

2. Practical plastic mobile tea carts, great for offices

3. More elaborate serving carts, ideal for tea houses, catering and upscale restaurants

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Select a stainless steel tea cart

Stainless steel tea carts are hygienic (because they are so easy to clean), require minimal care, have the potential to last 100 years or so if properly cared for and are recyclable. Three shelf stainless steel carts are the easiest to find and run about $180 to $200. Two shelf stainless steel carts generally cost between $150 and $200.

I recommend: Ace Mart Restaurant Supply stocks three-shelf stainless steel serving carts at wholesale prices. Superior Products offers mesh, two-shelf stainless steel carts.

Purchase plastic tea carts

Plastic tea carts may not be as aesthetically pleasing to some, but they are easy to clean if they have smooth surfaces, and they last for many years if properly cared for. A typical three-shelf plastic cart costs about $80 to $200, depending upon size and quality. You may also find a folding tea cart of plastic, which makes it easy to store. These cost between $70 and $150, depending on size.

I recommend: BigTray sells a wide variety of serving carts, including medium and large plastic tea carts. UltimatePatio.com sells small plastic serving carts.

Try a specialty tea serving cart

When you want something a little more pleasing to the eye, there are tea carts of nearly every imaginable material and style available. A metal tea cart in a modern, circular shape costs $650 and up. An oak tea cart or cart of other wood runs about $130 to $250. A metal cart with scroll work is about $75 to $100.

I recommend: All Kitchen Carts offers a wide variety of stylish tea carts, including a contemporary, circular metal cart. Comfort House offers several wooden patio tea carts, including one of eucalyptus. Dakmart sells a scroll work, metal tea cart.

The stainless steel tea cart has long been the workhorse of the food service industry. It functions as a tea serving cart that can be taken out into the dining areas and used to transport food, dishes and glasses in the kitchen.

When searching for tea carts for sale, you will notice that there is an amazing selection. Tea cart manufacturers have created a folding tea cart for when you have a space storage problem. The cart folds up easily when not in use.

1. Choose a tea serving cart that has a locking mechanism.

2. Look for serving carts that have adjustable shelving for added flexibility.

3. Pick serving carts with deep storage underneath that are useful for transporting liquids.

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Look to industrial food service suppliers for serving carts

Industrial food service suppliers are the place to look when you need a metal tea cart. The serving carts are built to withstand heavy use so the prices might seem higher, but the quality will ensure that they last longer. Make sure you shop around for the best price as costs will vary from supplier to supplier.

I recommend: For competitive prices, look at Ace Mart and Superior Products. Big Tray gives you free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

Choose serving carts to match the dining room decor

Don't feel as if you are limited to buying stainless steel tea carts. Choose a cart that matches the style of your restaurant. Imagine how wonderful pastries and cakes will look when wheeled out on mahogany tea carts or antique tea carts.

I recommend: All American Pool & Patio sells tea carts with delicate scroll designs. All Kitchen Carts and HomePortfolio, Inc. sell a selection of modern, contemporary and rustic serving carts.

Consider buying your tea carts at auction

Buying serving equipment at auction is one way to get the serving carts you need at a fraction of the cost. May times the items up for auction are brand new and are being sold because the owner has to liquidate assets. Used restaurant equipment is a good deal especially when it comes to getting a stainless steel tea cart because they are built to last.

I recommend: Vision Equipment and Auction Company specializes in auction and liquidation services for the supermarket, restaurant, and food service industries. Auction.zip allows you to search for auctions in your area and you can narrow the search by keywords. The IRS also regularly hold auctions, however not all the products are food service related. You can sign up to be put on the auction mailing list so that you will be notified when the next auction is to be held.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you decide you buy serving carts at auction, remember that items are sold 'as is,' and there are no refunds.
• •  Buy a serving cart that will have multiple uses. A metal tea cart can be used to haul dishes in the kitchen.

Tea carts, sometimes called tea trolleys or serving carts, have many uses in the food service business. They are ideal not just for serving tea, but also for serving coffee, pastries, snacks and small meals. They are perfect for lush tea rooms or casual garden rooms, and everything in between. They make serving your customers in an efficient manner easier, since you can keep common items, like sweeteners and tea bags, on a lower shelf. As you shop for tea carts for your business, however, it's possible you'll run across some terms you're not familiar with. Review these key terms to ensure you know what you are getting out of your tea cart purchase.

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Stainless steel tea carts

Stainless steel tea carts, made from steel containing chromium, are sturdy and resistant to corrosion. Stainless steel is also one of the most hygienic surfaces, because it's easy to clean.

I recommend: KitchenSource.com shows pictures of and describes a traditional stainless steel tea cart. Click on the link to read about stainless steel's durability and popularity in commercial kitchens.

Aluminum tea cart

Aluminum tea carts, made from a silvery metal, are less expensive than stainless steel, but not as durable. They are more prone to scratches.

I recommend: Pure Contemporary describes a powder-coated aluminum tea cart.

Outdoor tea carts

Outdoor tea or serving carts, sometimes called patio carts, can withstand mild weather. Although often made of resin or wood, these carts can come in a variety of materials.

I recommend: Today's Pool and Patio offers pictures of outdoor tea carts.

Hospitality tea cart

Hospitality tea carts are for commercial use. Unlike an ordinary tea cart, hospitality carts can have power, so you can plug in hot water servers and coffee pots. They also frequently have built-in coolers.

I recommend: You can learn more about this style of tea cart by visiting School Outfitters, which describes a hospitality tea cart.

Leaves

A tea cart with leaves, sometimes called wings, is one that has at least one, and up to four, half circles on its sides that flip up to make the cart's surface larger when desired.

I recommend: Visit StudentMarket.com, which describes a traditional wood tea cart with leaves.

Teak

Teak is one of the most popular materials for making casual, outdoor tea carts. Teak is a hardwood with great durability.

I recommend: Visit PatioFurnatureUSA.com to see pictures and a description of a classic teak tea cart.

Tea carts serve many functions in the foodservice business. An industrial-grade tea serving cart provides your cooks and utility staff with a dependable means of storing and transporting foods, beverages and other necessities. Also functional but with eye-catching appeal are pleasant-looking antique tea carts made of wicker, teak or glass that you can use for special occasions, such as in-home catering or showy outdoors events.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of online sources where you can find a variety of tea carts types and styles. Consider these options:

1. Choose high performing stainless steel tea carts when your kitchen staff need to transport food.

2. Cater with style when you choose delicately designed serving carts.

3. Depend on heavy duty patio carts when you're entertaining outside.

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Find a stainless steel tea cart ideal for kitchen and catering use

Stainless steel tea carts are durable and easy to clean. While some may be attractive enough to use for serving food and beverages, most were designed as either a folding tea cart or a piece of rugged industrial-grade equipment that high-production restaurant kitchens depend on.

I recommend: On the high end, you'll find an attractive Silver Collection Tea Cart made of teak from Design Within Reach, which won an award from the American Society of Furniture Designers. Less attractive but just as functional are the stainless steel carts from Ace Mart, which can manage 300 to 400-lb. loads. Superior Products' ruggedly designed tea carts come with either two or three shelves, chrome posts and the capacity to hold 500 lbs. Perfect for holding catering trays are stainless steel tea carts from Big Tray, which can hold five full metal restaurant trays and feature canisters with brakes.

Entertain with attractively designed serving carts

If you're catering for small groups in private homes, you'll want to use tea carts types and styles with more delicate designs that help to create a more intimate mood.

I recommend: Perfect for entertaining is the wicker-wrapped aluminum frame tea cart with removal serving tray from Charleston Gardens. Get a Tiffany Teacart in lacquered white with pull out trays from The Find. Make an impression with the heavy duty Espresso Collection tea cart from Nextag, or with the three-tiered glass serving tea cart from Kitchencarts.

Depend on multi-functional patio tea carts for catering outdoors

When you want to make sure your outdoors catering runs smoothly and on time, depend on patio tea carts and even antique tea carts that conveniently hold food, beverages and other supplies close to where your customers are dining.

I recommend: Tea carts for sale at the Kitchen Source include a functional patio tea cart that comes in your choice of silver or bronze. Depend on the all-weather wicker Smith Hawken Tea Cart from Home and Garden that has two easy-to-clean shelves and two large wheels in the front that take the burden out of transporting food.