I love iced tea. I can drink it when it is 20 below. I can remember when Starbucks didn’t routinely make it in winter.

Times change.

My fanatic devotion has led me to rate the tea at the places I go to get it. Flavor, detail and cost all enter into the picture.

5. Starbucks: Almost $3. Not bad tea but filled with tons of ice unless you tell them not to. Annoying, so I try to never buy it at Starbucks anymore.

4. Panera’s: Right price at $2. Quit offering mango tea which was really good. In adding some sweetener, they don’t have little stir sticks, making me unwrap and waste a giant straw. Ugh.

3. Fiona’s: At $1.90 the price is right, and they do everything right, from the ice and tea pour to the fresh lemons and stevia, a nice touch. The spoon stir is a pleasure. Speaking of spoons……………..

2. Spoons at $1.30 they are the price champ and the mango tea is quite good. Love it.

1. Barnes and Noble: After all my previous bitches, this may seem surprising. It is a Starbucks outlet. It is almost $3. It can take a little patience to get it. But I don’t know if it is the water or some magic behind the counter, but the iced tea is absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of ice and the taste of the black tea is the most pleasing.