To dislike afternoon tea?

[Watermelonsugarcube]

I’ve never had an afternoon tea I’ve enjoyed - can’t work work out whether I’ve just been unlucky and never had a good one, or if they’re always just crap in general.

Admittedly I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so that’s probably skewing my opinion, though I’d like an actual good selection of sandwiches rather than 3 microscopic bits of sarnie with boring fillings.

Then who actually wants to eat 2 scones followed by a massive pile of cakes? The last one I had included cake pops. Cake pops I tell you - is it 2004? Sorry, I digress.

I always feel like I have to eat this massive pile of cake, because I’ve paid for it and am tight, then come away feeling sick from sugar overload. (Not a competitive mumsnet underrating boast btw, I could eat my- considerable- bodyweight in chips etc).

Hardly a shocker that people have different preferences I realise, though I have so many friends and family member who absolutely rave about it - I can’t be the only one!?

My issue with them is the timing - mid afternoon. I guess the answer is skip lunch so you’re really hungry but I am always hungry at lunch so have a little something, so then I don’t want a meal at 3pm! If they were served at 12.30 it’s be fine. For mid afternoon it’s far too much food.

I prefer tapas mmmm

YABU for not liking the cake part 😁

I love an afternoon tea - scones, sandwiches and cakes are my perfect food.
But I rarely get them as I always feel you don’t get your moneys worth.

It’s a lot of money for not a lot of food and if you paid the same amount somewhere else you’d get a decent portion.

I do live in a popular holiday destination so the price is probably more expensive than some areas. But it always seems a bit of a rip off.

Totally agree ! I LOVE food, and I like a cake sometimes, or a sandwich sometimes - but an afternoon tea is far too much of a carb overload, and although it LOOKS inviting, I always feel sick afterwards.
I have finally stopped going to them / booking them.

I'm with you, it's too much cake, and the cakes seem to be particularly sickly. A couple of times I've asked for extra sandwiches and fewer cakes. One place said yes no problem, the other place was very much "computer says no".

My issue with them is the timing - mid afternoon. I guess the answer is skip lunch so you’re really hungry but I am always hungry at lunch so have a little something, so then I don’t want a meal at 3pm! If they were served at 12.30 it’s be fine. For mid afternoon it’s far too much food.

I think they are there to replace a meal and not have on top of your normal meals.

If you can’t skip meals for any reason then I would try and have lunch earlier or just have a snack for lunch and a very light dinner.

Or just try and book it around dinner time so that is your meal.

I think it really depends on where you go. There is a place near me that makes everything from scratch and it's delicious. They don't overload on the cakes you just get quality but not tons.

The chain hotel ones where everything is just defrosted are rubbish and YANBU!

We have a nearby Aspers casino and a few years ago they did an afternoon tea for about £12.00 a head ( and unlimited tea/ coffee, unlike you M and S , even though at £16 for two yours was the cheapest I found) I think the idea was that after tea you would drift into the casino and bung a small fortune into the gambling machines. Didn’t quite work like that, they soon found that word got around and their very nice dining area was filled with people scarfing down the tea but not playing the machines. They don’t do it any more😥

I much prefer a high tea. We used to go a local hotel when we were kids for a high tea. Toast to start, a main course, then cakes, with pots of tea to go along with it all….fab!

I'd rather have prosecco with a ploughman's

Scones are horrible, aren't they? They're dry and claggy and stick to your teeth. I have no objection to cake though.

My issue with them is the timing - mid afternoon. I guess the answer is skip lunch so you’re really hungry but I am always hungry at lunch so have a little something, so then I don’t want a meal at 3pm! If they were served at 12.30 it’s be fine. For mid afternoon it’s far too much food

This. Plus even if I was really hungry a giant pile of cake is the last thing I'd want to eat, I'd want something more savoury, and hot. To me, sandwiches, scones and cakes seem at the same time too filling/stodgy but not very satisfying.

I think I like the idea of afternoon tea a lot more than the reality. I love seeing the selection of dainty sandwiches, mini cakes and scones with clotted cream on the stand, but I'd much rather have savoury nibbles like chicken skewers, crisps, crudites and dips, crusty bread, crackers and cheese.

Plus it's hugely overpriced for what you get, it must be extremely profitable to sell, which is probably why so many places offer it.

You’ve just met the wrong AT’s…. Loads and loads of delicate sandwiches (cucumber, egg, ham) , to obscure the fact you’re eating so many, a scone, a small piece of cake… heaven.

AT should be 75% savoury.

I'd rather have afternoon tea without the scones. Sandwiches and cakes will do me just fine. I've had afternoon tea only 3 times in my life. Last two was on a cruise ship. Living the life!

DH and I love them but always choose one savoury and one sweet and share them between us.

I’m not a fan of standard afternoon tea, but I don’t eat sandwiches so not really the target market. Indian afternoon tea is a delight, though. Indian snacks and unlimited chai is truly amazing.

I’m with you! Always found the idea of eating a whole platter of cakes sickening. I might eat a mini roll after a sandwich but then I’m stuffed!

I once went for afternoon tea(prepaid) and had a grump because we couldn’t get the men’s afternoon tea that included Yorkshire spuds and steak!

One of my main gripes about AT is that I only drink decaffeinated tea . Decaffeinated tea is mainstream now with lots of people opting for it and yet the offerings ive had are more often than not absolutely dire.
The last one I had was Tea pigs and that came with a natty little sand timer to ensure the tea was brewed correctly. I played the game and let it sit as expected and yet the tea that was poured looked nothing like the other teas. Mine was a nasty shade of grey and had little taste . I tried encouraging it with a hefty stir but there was noting left to give.
I get Yorkshire Tea or M&Ss decaf tea and they are exactly the same as regular tea. It pisses me right off that my drink is second best . I often just ask for tap water now.
Oh - and the AT I had was marvelous with huge amounts of food and take home boxes supplied for all.

I LOVE an afternoon tea. One of my favourite meals to have.
But I voted YANBU, as obviously it is not unreasonable for different people to have different tastes.

I don't stuff everything down though - I take things home in a doggie bag.

You’ve just met the wrong AT’s…. Loads and loads of delicate sandwiches (cucumber, egg, ham) , to obscure the fact you’re eating so many, a scone, a small piece of cake… heaven.

Absolutely. The good ones are heavenly and box up the leftovers so you don't end up feeling stuffed. I've had some lovely ATs but my favourites were The Landmark Hotel and Stoke Park....yum.

I thought that until I went to the Colonnades at the Signet Library in Edinburgh. Now that is something else!

Tea at the Ritz is amazing (and no I'm not advertising). Expensive though. It was £32 pp ten years ago, probably double now! Yum!

I'd prefer more sandwiches too!! But I'd you don't finish everything, you can ask for a takeaway box! Then eat the cakes the next day.

https://www.thesignetlibrary.co.uk/colonnades/

It wasn't £55 pp when I went!