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)

Everything seems overpriced these days but I would imagine that tourists are the main target, not women per se.

Very pricey restaurants will offer afternoon tea as a more affordable option to go out and celebrate. You get the high class dining experience without paying for a three course meal. It's also a good choice for older people who don't want to eat so much and don't like going out late in the evening.
Is it good value for money? Well, obviously, you could make yourself a sandwich, cut a slab of cake and pour yourself a mug of tea for less than a fiver, but I really don't think people go out for afternoon tea because they're hungry! 😂

I’m baffled how so many people don’t like sandwiches. I can understand not liking some fillings, but all sandwiches?

I have hovered over the “book now” button for afternoon teas a few times; I held back at the last moment because I find them essentially absurd. However, I’d go if someone else paid.

But that post which that poster was responding to wasnt talking about that at all unless men are also getting their nails done at male nail salons which charge less, or buying manbags that are massively less expensive

They were answering a post claiming only female coded items are frivolous and expensive like getting your nails done and buying handbags. Hence the comparison to cars, bikes and gadgets.

And given all the places I have seen that have a gentlemans afternoon tea as well as a standard one charge the same the idea that a "feminine" afternoon tea is somehow more expensive and worse quality cant really be backed up.

I do like the idea that the womens afternoon tea is the standard though and the male specific one is less available and prefixed with the gender. If people are going to claim that afternoon tea is expensive because its aimed at women lets at least appreciate the fact that women are also the default.

Although Ive no idea why men insist on paying more for mens football when football tickets are cheaper and the skills are just as good. Must be their silly man brains.

And if you sit there sipping your tea for an hour, £2.50 is very cheap to hire a table.

It does make me laugh to think this is being pondered on as sexist though. Men are literally paying hundreds to see strangers feet wiggle across the globe and paying cam girls to moan a bit and call them "big boy" on the regular and there's all of us women having actual conversation with tea and CAKE! World has gone mad, indeed 😅

@Coddy reading all your posts, I think we may be kindred spirits. I want you as my friend!

You're doing women a major disservice if you think they don't know what they're paying for/the probable markup. If people want to buy it, they can.

Fortunately we don't..
So more profit for the Cafè.

Surely women are able to make up their own minds if they want to indulge in afternoon tea or not? No-one is forcing them, and some people are happy to pay the price. Pretty sure there are men who also enjoy afternoon tea, and who presumably pay the same price as the women.

Our local one offers a savoury afternoon tea which is cheeses, hams, pork pies , pickles etc and a traditional sweet one. My friend and I have one of each and share

I had no idea afternoon tea was just for women. My DH, my dad and several male friends all enjoy it!

I suppose they could have a cheaper 'express tea' and give you a 10 min timer to glug it down and get yourself out the door. 😁

Right?

I can’t stand these ‘I’m so above it’ posts like the OP’s.

Yes, afternoon tea can be expensive for the basic ingredients but often you’re paying for the venue or a particular experience alongside it. You could say it about anything - a fancy meal, a spa day. You can do it all a lot cheaper in your local cafe/leisure centre but it’s not quite the same is it?

Luton Hoo is one of my favourite places for afternoon tea 😊

Have you thought about putting your internalised misogyny in a finger sandwich ?

She’s not like all the other girls.

Who wants to be like other girls?

Isn't she just? I tried reading all the OP's posts- got halfway through. The internalised misogyny and the desperate attempt to be so not like the other girls are quite sad really.

I like other girls, whether they like cream teas or not.

Or perhaps get some help with her lack of self esteem. You'd have to hate yourself quite a lot to want to waste time trying to boost yourself by such pointless put downs.

How perfectly lovely

I've never, ever seen all the "tittering and giggling"

As others have said, OP would do better having a look at her own misogyny.

We sent my PIL for their Golden anniversary for tea at the Ritz. FIL wasn’t impressed initially and did end up with his cuff in the clotted cream, but they both really enjoyed it. It was something they would never have treated themselves to, they both felt thoroughly spoilt for an afternoon. It was £50 each in 2013. He died two years later, so it’s a lovely memory for her to look back on.

Oh. I’ve just booked afternoon tea with some reluctance for my wife’s birthday. And now I’ve read this and it kind of proves my fear/point.

It’s a bloody con!

Should I cancel?