Afternoon tea difficulty

Oh just realised you've been already.

I think they're being very unreasonable because you know cheese sandwiches are on the normal menu. It's very poor customer service not to accommodate this request. Is they're time to cancel and book somewhere else? Loads of places do afternoon teas.

Glad you had a good time. I was wondering if they maybe buy in the stuff for afternoon tea rather than make it themselves - i usually find this is the problem when a venue won't budge.

We didn't tip.

No surprise there then.

Was the waitressing service bad? As that is why you don’t leave a tip, It’s not their fault your friend doesn’t like egg.

@TheAverageJoanne This was nothing to do with Groupon or Wowcher either. I've no idea where that's come from, someone must have dreamed it.

I didn't dream it, it was just the only possible explanation I could think of for why on earth anyone in their right mind would book a place that refused to accommodate the dietary needs of everyone, or wouldn't immediately cancel the booking and rebook somewhere else once this became clear. The idea,that you would knowingly go to a place that you know will refuse to be flexible and plan in advance to leave a poor review having chosen to give the business money for a service that you know in advance is going to be unsatisfactory makes no sense in my mind. I suggested that a Wowcher/Groupon offer might be a rational explanation as to why you'd still go ahead, as that would mean that an alternative venue charging full price would be significantly more expensive. If that's not the reason I guess I just have to accept that rationality is overated for some people.

So you booked it without even asking if they could accommodate your party?

That was dumb

And they clearly could offer alternative. She didn't like them. That was all

You can't say veggie and then say "only cheese". That's different things

This was nothing to do with Groupon or Wowcher either. I've no idea where that's come from, someone must have dreamed it

I see you say its not a Groupon, but I have to say I've had some really good afternoon teas in nice hotels and restaurants using Groupon.

I havent done one for a while so I'll go and see if there's any good offers on.
The last one me and dh did was a gin snd afternoon tea which was rather good.

Im a veggie and never had any issues.

Anyway we've been and come back now. It was ok, though I had to ask for a replacement cup as mine was chipped and hadn't been washed properly.
Prestige hotel you say?

Yes I agree with that aspect too.

I am surprised there wasn't a full vegetarian tea option to be honest, and maybe people are wondering if they tried to order the non-vegetarian tea and then tweak to make it a kind of hybrid to share costs.

I hope "cheesegate" didn't affect your enjoyment of your afternoon tea, they aren't cheap, and are supposed to feel relaxed and a treat, in luxurious surroundings with an air of decadence. I hope the hotel and its staff added to the occasion and you were all happy 😁

Firstly it was booked and paid for, then I rang and asked about the menu

Booking and paying for somewhere you haven't seen the menu for is just alien to me though, how do you know there's anything you're going to like or can eat?!
(Actually that's why you had such a dilemma in the first place I suppose lol)

I would find an alternative hotel that would be more accommodating. I don't think you can be told upfront they won't change the menu, book it with that knowledge then complain over trip advisor. Find somewhere else give them your custom.

it's a chance to have what the hotel offers at the price they offered

@Calliopespa

The vast majority of hotels (especially expensive, prestige ones) cater for vegetarians and vegans.

So I think another reason OP is getting pushback is because people can hardly believe that this hotel doesn’t.

Those who accept OP must be correct still wonder why she chose one of the very few exceptions in the hotel world when she had a vegetarian in her party.

Anyway, hope OP enjoys her day. I’m sure she could do with several cups of tea after this thread!!

That's exactly how I remember that Fawlty Towers episode too.

I think, op, there are two reasons for the "vitriol." One is that people tend to be kinder when there is a genuinely distressing issue at stake. This is, at the end of the day, about a few finger sandwiches, so people let rip with their honest views a little more.

The other is, I think, that many people are getting quite tired of the faddiness around eating these days. When I was growing up, it was polite to take what was offered, and if you couldn't manage it, it was something you kind of dealt with quietly. These days some people seem to feel they somehow aren't making themselves look important enough if they don't have a list of food requirements going ahead of them.

I realise it has come from a move to better provision for genuine allergies and intolerances - which is a good thing, without doubt. But there are people who piggy-back on that to just generally make dining with them a bit of an eye roll experience. You might say they "like to dine out on it." To be honest, only being able to eat plain cheese sandwiches as an adult comes across as falling a bit into that category.

And ok, if that's how she is, that's how she is. But then you are trying to take it a step further and criticise the hotel.

Some people have a view that "I'm PAYING!!!" means they can act like they have become queen for a day. In fact, these businesses operate - often with set menus - on the basis of scores of customers paying week in, week out. It isn't some grand financial gesture that requires subservience; it's a chance to have what the hotel offers at the price they offered.

You know that this expensive tea will be put together by min wage 17 year old school girls don't you?

They were not "supposed" to be the joke though, as pps said.

Business says one thing, changes there mind later hoping to get the money from someone who has already made plans;

"oh no the poor business, how dare you let people know this happened" . . . . . .