Afternoon tea is a rip off largely aimed at ripping women off

[Coddy]

Somebody suggested this to me and I’ve never thought of it that way.

You don’t get very men going for afternoon tea do you? The Mark up on afternoon tea is absolutely enormous aside from staffing and cost of the building and stuff- it must be money for old rope for the businesses concerned. Specially the ones that charge over 50 quid ahead.

Are we being conned by the whole afternoon tea debacle?

(yes cake is nice I get that)

Total rip off! nice experiences but could get a full meal for the same price as some bread and butter!

we still fall for it thoogh 😝

100% this. I’ve hunted for an afternoon tea that has at least 50% savoury, but have failed. Just a few more sandwiches would help! Love me a finger sandwich. Is that what those little sandwiches are called? I don’t mean a sandwich with a finger in it.

I assumed that a ' round of toast ' was two slices! No idea why or even if that's correct.

I went for one but I’m not a big fan of English sandwiches OR sweet stuff so that was a bit of a miss for me.

Well, if you are daft enough to pay £50 or more for an afternoon tea, then yes, you are being ripped off, but men are presumably charged the same amount ?

I do enjoy an afternoon tea, but wouldn't dream of paying that.

However, it isn't directly to do with the price of ingredients is it ?

Think about the cost of any meal out, compared with the price of ingredients.
Consider what you get charged for a glass of wine when eating out - or a spirit or a pint or (in fact particularly ) a soft drink.
Think what you pay for a coffee out, compared with popping the kettle on at home.
Think what you pay for a taxi, rather than driving yourself somewhere.

Afternoon tea is the Xmas gift of a young chef to his grandma who is nearly 90. At the hotel he works in, there are dainty sandwiches, followed by a savoury, then scones and finished with delicate pastries. Nothing heavy, and all washed down with masses of tea. In an exquisite salon with a Repton garden to admire through the window. It's a treat.

TBH who would spend 50 quid on afternoon tea?

Me. And quite happily.

TBH who would spend 50 quid on afternoon tea?

I would, if it were somewhere fancy! I've twice been to the Ritz for afternoon tea (many years ago). Absolutely wonderful, and well worth the price.

More than you would expect @fungipie . It cost that, with staff discount, for two, and no prosecco. Patisserie is expensive because it's so highly skilled and time consuming.

I remember a thread on what constitutes ‘a round of toast’. I don’t remember if a consensus was reached. I think a round of toast is a slice, and a round of sandwiches is two slices sandwiched together with a filling, aka a sandwich. But I may be incorrect.

Ah well- give me a decent cuppa, scone, decent jam and clotted cream :) I am easily pleased. Lol, honestly.

I noticed a lot of people commenting that they prefer more sandwiches to cakes when they go for afternoon tea.

There is a very popular place in the Lake District that does an “alternative afternoon tea”
Instead of just tiny cucumber sandwiches and scones it does soup, smoked salmon and prawn cocktail, mini burgers, fish finger sliders, or mini fish and chips, scotch eggs, pigs in blankets, sausage rolls etc…
They do scones and a couple of other cakes but it’s mainly savoury.

I think it’s great Value at £35 each and includes a glass of Prosecco or a Bellini, I don’t drink tea or coffee so normal afternoon tea is wasted on me.

The menu changes regularly but I’ve included a link in case anyone visits the lakes and wants to give it a try.
@Coddy it sounds like it might be more up your street, no giggling girlies saying “ohhh this looks naughty!” and taking photos with glasses held up, There have been bacon sandwich includedAfternoon tea there as well!

And I'd take your option too @fungipie very happily, but this was a present.

Adult Mains from £8.79. Kids meals £3.99. It's a chain but might not be the same price countrywide.

www.hungryhorse.co.uk/pubs/lancashire/cherry-tree/menu?type=kids+menu&section=starters

I quite like an afternoon tea, but then again I'd eat pretty much anything in mini form. Christmas time is a particular treat, I have many mini dinners from M&S.

I am NOT the original poster saying a meal out for four costs £28 but I do know where to find such food.

I don't think it can be found in my area, outside of a supermarket cafe.

Specially the ones that charge over 50 quid ahead.

Where the fuck are you going for afternoon tea - the Savoy???

The most posh hotel near me (think gorgeous country house wedding venue type place) charges £25 per head. You can add a glass of fizz for £5 to £7. It's beautiful patisserie, a full 3 tier cake stand, and you can sit for hours chatting with no one chasing you to buy anything else. We would spend way more on a "night out" of meal and wine so it's pretty good value for a catch-up with friends.

This. Most posters really aren't getting it. Everything marketed at women is more expensive. And there's only a handful of things that are actually FOR women (bras, menstrual products etc) - the rest is just stereotyped bollocks. Of course no one is forcing women to go and have expensive afternoon tea but neither is anyone forcing women to buy an expensive "lady's" razor instead of a cheaper and betger "men's" one. But the fact they are marketed and priced the way they are is down to systemic sexism yes. I agree there are a million more important things to worry about. But it's still annoying. And yes OP ooh a cheeky prosecco arghhh it is so cringe and gross (and I actually like prosecco!)

Most 5 star hotels will be upward of £50 each.

Savoury Morning Tea is a thing. With mini meaty sliders instead of sandwiches and savoury pieces as well cake. Often a mini soup or sausage roll, that sort of thing.

I like it cos I can drink more coffee in the morning!

🤣🤣

Stockport v New York

Cock is extra.

I had an auntie and when she died we had an afternoon tea to remember her, as it was one of her favourite things. When her and her sister were in their 80s, her sister's daughter treated them to afternoon tea at flashy places such as The Ritz. She loved it. After she would talk about the little sandwiches and cakes. She inspired me to go to afternoon tea in Lucknam Park, Wiltshire, for £48, and the room to have it was beautiful. Then we could go for a walk around the garden after. I really enjoyed it.