Those taste bland (though McDonald's isn't that bad, I like their fries), not actively repulsing.

I generally dislike McDonald's and will only eat there as an absolute last resort. But I pretty much wish all the "fast casual" burger places like Shake Shack because, while their burgers are universally way better than McDonald's, their fries are almost all decidedly not.

The problem with tea in the US is less the brands available and more that on ordering you are often brought a cup of rapidly cooling hot water with a tea bag by the side. While fine for herbal or green tea it's terrible for standard black tea which tastes so much better when you pour the boiling water directly onto the tea bag.

Check out Indian and Iranian styles of making tea.

First, the traditional method doesn't use tea bags. You boil the water, add the tea leaves or tea dust, at start or end, as you prefer. Then strain, and add milk and sugar.

Iranian style tea (at least in India, as found in the few remaining Irani restaurants) is boiled for longer, and has a stronger and very distinctive taste.

In the Indian style, powdered spices like cardamom and cloves are often added. So is ginger.

This is usually called masala chai, and, for foreigners, it is not called chai tea. That would be like saying tea tea, because chai mean tea in Hindi. It is pronounced like hai.

Folgers coffee?