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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Afternoon Tea is over hyped?

130 replies

brasty · 15/03/2017 23:44

I can enjoy an Afternoon Tea, but I think it is over hyped. It is after all sandwiches, cakes and scones.These can taste lovely, but is boring compared to a beautifully made meal.
AIBU?

OP posts:
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5
DonaldStott · 16/03/2017 07:53

They literally only served tea, coffee or tap water, none of which i like.

The sandwiches were tuna mayo (hate tuna)

(half white half brown, don't like brown bread either

Not a fan of scones with fruit, macarons, or vanilla slices

So one has to beg the question - why the fuck did you go for afternoon tea?

FinallyHere · 16/03/2017 07:53

Fortnum & Mason and the Dorchester always good, they feel comfortable with lovely service.

The Ritz was a just mass production event, turning out afternoon tea for tourists in shell suits.

MagentaRocks · 16/03/2017 07:54

I'm taking my niece to London next month and we are going to a charli and the chocolate factory tea party at th chesterfield in Mayfair. Really looking forward to it.

rookiemere · 16/03/2017 08:02

I'm not a great fan of afternoon tea - particularly now as I don't eat refined sugar products and can't eat too many white carbs !

I like the idea of it - but don't understand how you're meant to eat a meal in between lunch and dinner - I'm too greedy to skip a meal, but IMHO it spoils both your enjoyment of lunch - as you're trying to save your appetite, and dinner - as you aren't really hungry.

AliceByTheMoon · 16/03/2017 08:03

The best ever afternoon tea I ever had was years and years ago at Raffles in Singapore. My goodness. I do not recall much about the sandwiches, and I dislike cakes and sugary things, but they had mini filet mignons on mustard croutons.

It was madly expensive, but Dfather and I still talk about it.

chocatoo · 16/03/2017 08:07

I've had good and bad ones - a good one is a wonderful thing. Probably my favourite treat. I also love going out for breakfast (when there's no time pressure). Think I prefer afternoon tea and breakfast to dinner or lunch!

AliceByTheMoon · 16/03/2017 08:07

OOoh! Raffles still do Afternoon tea with hot items...

www.menumodo.com/app.php/viewer/index/12862/11249/only

chocatoo · 16/03/2017 08:14

FinallyHere Fortnums was one of my not so good experiences but the Ritz was great. I felt that Fortnums were very slow to refill cups whereas the Ritz were quick to refill and quick to refill our plates too. Quick in a nice way, not in a 'hurry up' way. (Both were special birthday treats). I left my shell suit at home that day..

elQuintoConyo · 16/03/2017 08:14

AlmostaJillSandwich your name is really ironic, given the experience you had Grin

elQuintoConyo · 16/03/2017 08:15

AlmostaJillSandwich your name is ironic, given the experience you had!

elQuintoConyo · 16/03/2017 08:15

Fuckaduck Angry

bruffin · 16/03/2017 08:16

Dd ( 19) wants to do the beauty and the beast one but its sold out until novemberShock
Been to the Savoy, Sanderson and Claridges and they were lovely. Also DH and DC and i went to afternoon tea at the Globe which included the tour for our silver wedding and it was a really lovely afternoon.

Odoreida · 16/03/2017 08:18

Afternoon tea is the worst. Means you can't enjoy lunch or supper properly and that makes me furious.

catlover1987 · 16/03/2017 08:21

I think it definitely depends where you go and how much you pay. I've had some lovely ones but a lot of places are trying to do a cheap imitation with shop bought cakes etc and it's just not the same.

tinypop4 · 16/03/2017 08:22

well, that depends on where you go! In general I agree with you, but if you live anywhere near Brighton you should visit Terre a Terre for their vegetarian afternoon tea. It is exceptional.

morningconstitutional2017 · 16/03/2017 08:24

A lot of things aren't what they're cracked up to be, are they? The very best afternoon tea I've experienced was in Dawlish (across from the duck pond) with dainty little sandwiches cut into quarters, scones with clotted cream and jam and a portion of cake which we took home in a box as we just couldn't manage it. Served on a 3-tier cake stand with a pot of tea. It was called 'high tea'.
I do love an afternoon tea but some are better than others. The worst was one in a 'vintage' tearoom with large scones which were much too big to pick up easily and they were too crumbly. One was a bit burned and the portion of cream was what we call mingy.

If I had the choice I think I'd go for fish and chips instead, but again that is variable too.

Topuptheglass · 16/03/2017 08:28

This is what I was served the last time I went for afternoon tea. £34.99 for tea which was really boiled water poured over a teabag & a thimbleful of lukewarm champagne.

To think Afternoon Tea is over hyped?
MackerelOfFact · 16/03/2017 08:29

I much prefer Fortnum's to the Ritz. (Now there's a sentence I don't type very often! Grin)

I wasn't that impressed by the Ritz, but if you're tickled by pomp and chintz I guess it's quite fun. Food and atmosphere at Fortnum's is much nicer IMO.

I like afternoon tea, but it does have to be somewhere special. You can't just go to the local bog-standard hotel or cafe.

GrumpyOldBag · 16/03/2017 08:32

Agree - it's lovely but you need to go somewhere very special.

And no lunch before or dinner afterwards.

And accept you will feel a bit bloated after.

ClashCityRocker · 16/03/2017 08:32

Not a fan, but probably have never had a really 'good' one.

Just end up feeling bloated yet vaguely unsatiated with a sugar-induced head ache.

And tea makes me pee for England.

And I fail abysmally at eating dainty things in a way that could be considered dainty. Finger sandwiches immediately disintegrate in my sweaty clutch, depositing a pile of tuna mayo directly into the lap of my posh-but-trying-to-be-posh-casual skirt. Jam and cream ends up all over my mouth and in my hair, and the macaron crumbs hit that spot in the back of your throat that causes impromptu choking. The minute I bite into a vanilla slice, eruptions of cream fly out the other end, all over my fingers and like as not the person sitting opposite me.

And I always get a dribbly tea pot so it ends up sat sadly on the white linen in a pathetic pool of rapidly cooling tea.

I don't need a linen napkin afterwards so much as a full shower.

I do like going out for breakfast though.

Thisrabbitthatrabbit · 16/03/2017 08:33

My mum took be the ritz as a teenager. It was bloody brilliant. I think the pomp did play a big part in the enjoyment, but the food was delicious. I think afternoon tea does need to be in the right place to be fully enjoyed.

GrumpyOldBag · 16/03/2017 08:33

Topuptheglass that looks rank.

No decent place would serve a tuna & sweetcorn sandwich.

And soup has no place in an afternoon tea, ever.

daisychain01 · 16/03/2017 08:34

I love afternoon tea - We have an old fashioned Tea Rooms in our town. It's the best! And I agree, its all about the ceremony and waiting for all the trays of goodies to arrive.

The owner really makes a fuss of her guests. No curly sandwiches or dry cake. She hand makes everything. If you prefer coffee, she does lovely frothy Cappuccino.

We even got her to make a fairy cake tower for our wedding party last summer. If you prefer she does lovely frothy Cappuccino

Photo is from her website.

JillSandwich, sorry about your NC ... but I did laugh at your description- sounds like an afternoon from Hell!

To think Afternoon Tea is over hyped?
daisychain01 · 16/03/2017 08:35

Oops sorry
I repeated myself Grin

Craiconwithit · 16/03/2017 08:35

My first (and best) experience of Afternoon Tea was at Raffles hotel in Singapore. My DH chose the Asian style and I chose traditional and we shared all the food. My goodness, it was scrummy and sooo filling.

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