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Original poster

What do you think about this afternoon tea?

135 replies

SebastianTheCrab · 26/10/2020 07:06

Very much a first world problem but curious as to opinions.

If you booked a Halloween-themed afternoon tea (yes they exist; yes my DC was excited) and this was the advertised picture on their website vs the actual offering - would you feel a bit put out?

We had a good time, the food was fine (although they did initially bring us off milk for the teas) and it wasn't as expensive as some afternoon teas, especially themed ones.

But... it looks a bit rubbish compared to the pic doesn't it?

What do you think about this afternoon tea?

OP posts:

PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe · 26/10/2020 08:33

It's not 'a strange quibble': what you showed and described as being 'afternoon tea' would have been inadequate, if it were. But it wasn't. It was one bloody tier of an afternoon tea. It would have been fairer to show the whole damn thing, and give the price, btw, to which the response might have been 'cakes look a bit "meh" but overall it's ok.'
I wouldn't expect a toddler's enjoyment of something to stand or fall by whether or not they knew what the cakes were supposed to be, either.
AND I now have sodding Biscuiteers ads appearing in my newsfeed. Quite the thing if I ever have forty quid to spend on congratulating some chums on their new home - three door-shaped biscuits. Now that is iniquitous.

FatCatThinCat · 26/10/2020 08:34

As a retired baker, I think what you got is better than what was advertised, although it's not presented well.

Dagnabit · 26/10/2020 08:35

Did you order it off Wish?

Trainchoose · 26/10/2020 08:35

I don't know why everyone is getting so worked up about the afternoon tea element, OP was asking about the cakes- whether standalone or part of the afternoon tea it doesn't really matter. It's not like they are asking everyone to boycott the place . Or if they magically would look better if pictured with the rest of the stuff.

burnoutbabe · 26/10/2020 08:37

I'd be hacked off? I'd have expected 2 nice cupcakes and 2 iced biscuits

Generally the menu also says exactly what is in the afternoon teas as well. (I have had to chase up my missing egg sandwich more than once) What did that say?

Floralnomad · 26/10/2020 08:42

I’d have been happy with what you got but then I don’t like cupcakes and for £20 it seems extremely reasonable . If the adult tea you bought was also good value then I don’t think I’d be moaning . £45 for afternoon tea for 3 and a happy child = a good afternoon in my book .

FreekStar · 26/10/2020 08:44

I couldn't get to bothered about this to be honest. The first picture is just biscuits and cupcakes- they may look a bit more professional but at the end of the day you're going to eat it- not frame it! As long as the cakes tasted good I'd be pretty happy.

Dozer · 26/10/2020 08:49

A 3 year old is unlikely to appreciate high end decorating anyway!

Poppingnostopping · 26/10/2020 08:50

Between the lack of presentation, and the way you photographed them, they don't have the wow factor, which is a shame because if you look at them, they look handmade and quite nice. I don't like the green drink, and I don't like green/black icing so Halloween tea wouldn't be for me.

I don't think that, plus scones and jam, plus sandwiches plus tea is bad value though, they aren't cheap biscuits.

Perhaps they were displayed differently on the top tier? If not, I'd expect that to be better (black doiley/tissue paper, cobwebs perhaps).

knittingaddict · 26/10/2020 08:52

The advertised food would suit us if it was just for the grandchildren. They like what they like and cupcakes and decorated biscuits would have gone down well. I wouldn't want to pay much for it though and would have had some issues with it being described as afternoon tea.

The food you actually got looks much more up my street, as an adult. Much as I like sweet stuff I would have wanted a sandwich or mini quiche or something savory. My grandchildren probably wouldn't have eaten any of it, so yes, it is false advertising.

Poppingnostopping · 26/10/2020 08:54

knittingaddict The OP says there were two other layers, sandwiches, and scones, cream and jam. So, there was savoury food, it's a classic tea.

knittingaddict · 26/10/2020 08:57

I don't think I made the point I wanted to in my post.

What I should have said is that if I'm only thinking of myself then what you got looks much better than what was advertised. It would have been a waste of money if I had wanted to treat my grandchildren.

Looks like you got a lemon tart there. Love those.

Ferrari458 · 26/10/2020 09:03

The iced biscuits and cupcake version looks like the kids' tea, the one you got looks much nicer and more aimed at adults.

knittingaddict · 26/10/2020 09:03

@Poppingnostopping

knittingaddict The OP says there were two other layers, sandwiches, and scones, cream and jam. So, there was savoury food, it's a classic tea.

Oops, as I was typing I was thinking "should I have read all the op's posts". Obviously the answer is yes, I should.

In that case it sounds like a lovely afternoon tea, better value than what was advertised, but not what was expected.

yetanothernamitynamechange · 26/10/2020 09:03

The first photo is beter presented, with more halloween detail. The second photo though looks more varied and tastier. I actually think they could have presented it a tiny bit better, and then it would have made a much better publicity shot than the photo they actually used.

I can understand why you wouldnt have wanted to say anything at the time. I would have done the same - if everyone is having a nice time you dont want to sour that by complaining...

looseddaughter · 26/10/2020 09:05

The first picture looks like the stuff Greggs sell at Halloween and all very much child-themed. The reality looks like adult cakes with an attempt to add a Halloween slant to them. The jelly spider is there to appease the children as they are aware the Halloween decorations on the cakes are a bit...subtle? abstract? Seems to me it's not a place that specialises in this type of novelty/child-aimed baking and they've tried to cash in on Halloween when it's not their usual type of thing.

However, if it tasted good and the child was happy it wouldn't bother me at all and I certainly wouldn't complain/post nasty reviews if I hadn't raised the issue on the day and given them a chance to resolve it. (Not saying OP will do that but others have said they would).

banivani · 26/10/2020 09:07

I find it completely irrelevant what OTHER things you had to eat. The question is the comparison between what is advertised and what is offered. I'd be un-enthused if I'd expected cakes and biscuits decorated to a high standard (that they should taste good goes without saying) and received something that looks like what I could easily do myself at home or get at church coffee after Mass. It's also irrelevant that it's cheaper than what other places charge - they're advertising something they clearly are not selling.

YANBU.

knittingaddict · 26/10/2020 09:07

Also wish the op had posted a photo of everything included nor at least said that there were extras not pictured. It's misleading the way they have done it.

This is the second thread this week with unhelpful photos. The last one I spotted. This one I didn't.

knittingaddict · 26/10/2020 09:11

@banivani

YANBU.

You think the advertised food look "decorated to a high standard" and the food received looks "like what I could easily do myself at home or get at church coffee after Mass." Surely it's the other way round?

merrymouse · 26/10/2020 09:14

Yes. The cakes are completely different.

The advertised picture is of cakes you might expect on Bake Off Patisserie week.

The actual cakes are the kind of thing you would make on a rainy afternoon with your children using ingredients from your cupboard.

The biscuits are fine, but they aren't cake, and apart from the icing they look a bit boring.

Ickabog · 26/10/2020 09:15

I find it completely irrelevant what OTHER things you had to eat. The question is the comparison between what is advertised and what is offered.

Exactly. Op ordered the treat expecting the biscuits and cakes shown in the first picture. She wanted to know if people would be dissappointed to recieve the ones she did. Which in my opinion are very different and not at all a similar standard to what was advertised. It doesn't matter if there were other things such as sandwiches / scones, this is purely focussing on the difference in Halloween treats.

merrymouse · 26/10/2020 09:16

Sorry, I'm confused, I have the pictures the wrong way round.

The cakes you got were higher quality than than the advertised cakes, which were a mixture of cake you could make yourself and biscuits you could buy at most supermarket bakery counters.

Walkaround · 26/10/2020 09:18

@SebastianTheCrab - tbh, I don’t see your problem, as the advertising photo looks like cheap supermarket biscuits and fairy cakes with cheap supermarket Halloween decorations on top to me. So, what you got was the same sort of thing, just not identical. I also agree with those who think it’s unfair of you not to show the whole afternoon tea: seems you were asked to pay less for having the Halloween cakes, etc, on top than for the adult version, and the child who got the Halloween version was happy with it. Generally, though, forgetting one of the afternoon teas and being a rather quiet, flat atmosphere is going to incline anyone to view the experience a bit negatively, regardless of the quality of the Halloween cakes (maybe they couldn’t afford to take the cake and pastry chef off furlough!).

Ferrari458 · 26/10/2020 09:21

I think a lot of people are getting the photos the wrong way round, I did. I didn't think for a minute that someone would be upset about getting a pretty nice plate of cakes instead of the rubbish cheap looking iced biscuits in the promo picture.

Jeremyironseverything · 26/10/2020 09:23

I think you've probably misrepresented it by not photographing the cake stand as it came out.

It would be fine if the advertising photo wasn't so misleading.

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