A new traveling tea experience marketed as a must-do for locals and tourists is drawing a wave of backlash after its recent San Antonio launch. New York-based experience Tea Around Town is billed as a whimsical, double-decker bus experience that transforms city sightseeing into a rolling afternoon t ea, but some say the experience still has a few bumps in the road. The negative reviews come just days after San Antonio influencers decried the Bad Bunny-inspired La Casita pop-up at The Rim as poorly executed during Super Bowl weekend. Much like the La Casita controversy, the criticism surrounding Tea Around Town has centered on what reviewers described as a gap between the polished social media marketing and the actual customer experience.Local creator Gabby Gonzalez, known as Siempre San Antonio online, shared a candid review of the experience on Instagram. Although she credited the pre-event entertainment and the staff for being "incredible" and hustling to make things happen, Gonzalez noted problems like a two-hour start delay and an uncomfortably hot bus.“What could have been a lovely experience turned into a not-so-good one, but we made the most of it.” Gonzalez wrote. “To see videos highlighting this wonderful experience, while knowing that it wasn’t quite that, does say something, but that’s all I have to say on it.”Gonzalez's experience was echoed by multiple other content creators who were asked to give the concept a road test. Several creators said scheduled times were pushed back one to two hours or canceled. Other TikToks show not-so-scenic routes passing by highway billboards and a juvenile probation center.Reviews in other cities describe similar issues. An online Tripadvisor review for the New York tour cited a 50 percent upcharge for rebooking a bus, while a Dallas user pointed to “mediocre food” and very small tasting portions of tea. Reviews on the Washington D.C. Yelp page are near carbon copies of the reported San Antonio experience, with users decrying a hot atmosphere and delays.Despite the criticisms, the experience is booking up for February, and some reviewers are reporting positive experiences. CultureMap San Antonio reached out to Tea Around Town for comment and did not hear back at the time of publication.But the company did leave a comment on creator Liz Damyl's TikTok account of the delays, writing, "Thank you for your honest feedback! Unfortunately, we encountered significant mechanical issues that impacted our operations over the weekend. We're disappointed to say that the issues did cause other trips to be canceled. We want you to know this experience is not the standard we aim to provide, nor the representation of Tea Around Town that we are proud of." ...read more read less