Afternoon tea difficulty

AIBU to not leave them a tip, grumble on Trip Advisor and complain to them? We want it to go ahead
That is just bat shit if this isnt a wind up.
The place isnt quite suitable for your group but you still want to go even though its not going to cater to all of your needs. You know this but will still go and then moan.( and leave a tip!)

Not every place is for everyone. If it doesnt fit the bill for you move on.
No need for drama moaning, bad reviews etc.

If I read a review that they wouldnt swop a cheese for you I'd think so bloody what!

Great, more people thinking it’s funny or clever to lie about allergies.

All those who have said to tell the hotel the friend has an allergy / phobia - please don’t do this either. Restaurants / hotels aren’t obliged to cater for allergies - a (nice) place near me won’t. Now that the OP has already asked about changing the sandwiches, they may refuse the booking if she now says it is because of an allergy.

Anyway it’s not the point but how could anyone ‘hate’ cucumber? There is no taste off it, it’s like water? Some really fussy people here!!

Me, my brother and sister are not fussy eaters. I eat virtually all vegetables and fruits but cant stand cucumber. I drink water throughout the day and while I wouldn't call it my favourite drink, quite enjoy it but none of us like cucumber.

Every now and again I'll try but at the age of 60 Im never going to love it. I do t like things like cucumber eyelashes or cucumber' cooling ' skin care products.

Just because you dont like a certain fruit or veg it doesnt make you fussy!

Well, your friend has an ‘allergy’, they will change it for that.

AIBU to not leave them a tip, grumble on Trip Advisor and complain to them? We want it to go ahead.

Please don't do this. Rightly or wrongly, the hotel isn't going to substitute a different type of sandwich. Don't go there, knowing that they aren't going to suit you and then make life difficult for the wait staff.

A few people have said that this is poor of the hotel and "what happens to the customer is always right". If this is a set price afternoon tea then the hotel gets multiple bookings for it and orders the number that they have booked - the staff then arrange it on the plates before serving. It isn't made by artisan bakers in a section of the kitchen; if it were it would either be wildly expensive or very unprofitable.

The hotel is being completely unreasonable.
It would be nothing to them to make up a few cheese sandwiches.
A product that is readily available in their fridge.
Why not ask to speak to the manager?

Any half decent hotel would make up a bespoke sandwich, especially if only a cheese one. She’s not asking for caviar. Perhaps fewer hospitality places would be in financial trouble if they were a bit more accommodating with reasonable requests.

The hotel seem to be saying the afternoon tea menu is set and they wont deviate unless intolerant/allergic? .
You have a few choices here:
Say your friend has allergies but knows she is not allergic to plain cheese as in the childrens menu.
Clarify you arent looking for a price reduction.
Is the vegetarian option liited to cream cheese/cucumber?
If no accommodation : either cancel and book somewhere more accommodating to vegetarians.
Or your friend eats the sweet options only.(which she may not wish to do)
I dont think think a packed lunch to a hotel restaurant will end well as most would insist you dont consume your own food on the premises.

I’m not a picky eater at all - when somebody on the thread joked earlier about sea urchin and porcini sandwiches I thought they sounded great. But I hate cucumber - something to do with how nothingy it is but there is still a taste (which is ridiculous as I’ve literally happily eaten jellyfish!).

Go elsewhere.

I still don’t understand why, out of all the afternoon tea places, you’ve chosen the one with no vegetarian menu despite having a vegetarian in the group? I think that’s what’s baffling people OP.

Yes, exactly - why there when there's so many places that would have catered for everyone?

I still don’t understand why, out of all the afternoon tea places, you’ve chosen the one with no vegetarian menu despite having a vegetarian in the group? I think that’s what’s baffling people OP.

This entire stress could be so easily avoided given that, from a quick google of hotels near me that do afternoon tea, you seem to have to go out of your way to find one with no vegetarian menu.

Cucumber is honestly the one vegetable I can't eat - there are others I dislike (sprouts!) but would manage to force down in polite company. Cucumber has something in it that has me doing painful cucumber flavoured burps for about 48 hours. (My mother would say "it repeats on me".) I'm the person inspecting ingredients lists by the meal deal fridges...

I think op is the cheese sandwich lady herself! ?

🎯

Any half decent restaurant will make small changes to the menu for you. Can I have this but without x, y, z. Unless you are somewhere like Wetherspoons it shouldn't be a problem for them.

There is a bit of a difference from asking for a sandwich without cucumber to wanting a different cheese altogether.

You should cancel OP and go elsewhere. It's a bit unfair if your friend is going to pay the same amount as everyone else but not getting the same quality of food.

These days they really should be catering for vegetarians, it's vastly improved in the 30 odd years since I was first vegetarian and it's very poor of a hotel to not offer a proper option for your friend.

Can they not add avocados ? Mumsnet loves a good avocado thread 😆

That’s poor service on the part of the hotel, afternoon tea is premium price you’d expect some flexibility. I wonder if they are buying it all in rather than making fresh?

My DIL took me to Reuben’s in London for afternoon tea for a significant birthday. She is a picky eater and went through with the hotel what worked for her ahead of time. Reuben’s were fabulous, she had food she was happy with and I ate everything 🤤

Why did you book somewhere with only one vegetarian sandwich option for a group with a vegetarian?
You should have checked the menu beforehand and chosen somewhere else.
Plenty of places do great afternoon teas with vegetarian and veggie menus.

No way are they making the kids cheese sarnies from scratch, they'll be pre-made somewhere.

So it's probably partly that, and partly that all afternoon tea sandwiches are pretty much the same and if they start pandering to random requests it'll no longer be viable for them.

I don't eat fish or meat, I have been to loads of afternoon teas where I just don't eat most of the sandwiches. Your friend will be fine, OP.

Any half decent restaurant will make small changes to the menu for you. Can I have this but without x, y, z. Unless you are somewhere like Wetherspoons it shouldn't be a problem for them.