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)

*Less sophisticated out of towners” 🙄

If there’s one positive thing I can say about you, it’s that at least you won’t have to worry about the effects of climate change because you’ll have drowned in your own smugness long before then.

Im going to London in a few weeks. So everyone can sneer at me. Lovely.
I am even booking afternoon tea in my favourite place. And I know a great caff near my hotel for breakfast.

Imagine being so deprived and unsophisticated that a trip to Claridges to spend quality time with loved ones while being brought lovely sandwiches and cakes is seen as 'a treat'.

I suppose you think they should remain in whatever provincial hell hole from which they hail so your worldly sensibilities are not sullied by the mere sight of them?

I think some posters are on a bit of a wind-up.

Im so deprived and unsophisticated I dont even live in the UK let alone Surrey. And to get to London I need to get a plane.
I have a crush resistant frock to wear on my long journey. And I believe there is a toilet in Heathrow if I overdo the tea.

Jesus Christ bloody wind your neck in! I was being flippant!

This thread gave me a smile. I do like afternoon tea. Generally I do not like heavier meals and it is nice to catch up with people in the afternoon with good tea, nibbles and in nice surroundings. I agree that quality can be variable though, but where I live there are some really nice afternoon teas with a good choice of teas and sandwiches and really nicely done cakes.

>>The cheap one I go to admittedly only has indoor and outdoor hot tubs, woodland relaxation area, pool, foot spas, steam room and sauna, but it's only £29 for 3 hours including lunch and a glass of prosecco.<<

Wow I'd like to ask where that is, but bet it isn't near me.

I don't think deprived is the word: basic springs to mind. Do you recall the scrunchie scene in Sex and The City?
These activities are set up for tourists. The very same ilk book coach theatre trips to Cats, because 'it's a bit of a giggle'. I've no problem with either (I wouldn't want to attend), but the question was are they a rip off - yes they are.

I can go and see our local school musical for a tenner. I can go and see a play in our local theatre for 40 euros.
Or If I was in London I could book a fabulous West End production. But I would be a tourist. At least I know not to bother with afternoon tea at fortnum and mason thanks to this thread!

”Basic” I thought that I was on MN but I somehow seem to have stumbled onto Tumblr.

There’s nothing more tiresome than people like lookwhatyoudidthere, who think that they’re so much more interesting and Individual than everyone else.

It reminds me of seeing a bunch of emos all making bleating and baaing noises at everyone else in spite of the fact that they people they were making fun of, unlike the emos were dressed in a varied fashion and were going about different activities unlike the identically dressed twats who were all sitting on a wall while simultaneously making animal sounds.

As for “HRT riddled” heaven forbid that middle aged women should be seen in public let alone dare to have fun with their friends.

There is a lot of work, and often expensive materials in a good cake. I'd rather pay about £18 a head for a nice tea & one good individual piece of patisserie than have the whole shabang, a whole tea is unhealthy. No slices please, served in a nice place with comfy seats & proper china. The Connaught tea shop, for example, if you can get a seat, but they do takeaway. I guess adding a good view might be tricky and cost more. Anyone know of some other good places like this??

Just as dinner out can run from a Wetherspoons pie and chips to a Michelin starred restaurant, so can afternoon teas vary by quality and environment.

It's bizarre to think that they're any more a rip-off than any other meal out.

So the poll is finished, I’ve won convincingly

I will be taking no more questions on this point

If you're going to sneer at people less sophisticated than yourself you might possibly want to consider switching spell checker and grammar checker on before you post.

Do you struggle with apostrophes and plurals? That's your second error. It's Claridge's.

I know it's usually bad form to pick up on punctuation but if you're going to sneer the way you have done I think you're fair game.

I know a good place that does it for £9.50

I see acres of HRT-fuelled non Londoners - donning vile floral midi dresses (clutching high street bags), tripping out of Claridges or similar

"Donning" is a present participle meaning to put on an item of clothing. These women might be wearing "vile floral midi dresses" but I doubt they were "donning" them as they were tripping out of Claridges" [sic]

And also acres? What an odd term to use!

So sophisticated 😅

I don't think deprived is the word: basic springs to mind. Do you recall the scrunchie scene in Sex and The City?

I'm not 'basic' enough to have ever watched that drivel.

Sorry but acres??

Why would you assume people on HRT (thanks modern medicine), not from London can't afford a "proper" lunch?

I enjoy a good bacon butty and a cuppa. I also enjoy tiny sandwiches, scones and cakes with a cuppa. And I like a curry. And pasta. And ice cream. And a roast dinner...beef, chicken, pork.

It's food. Served in one way or another. I can do all of them at home or out somewhere. Some times I feel like one thing, some times another. Perfectly allowed.

Well, if you think about it, non Londoners probably can spend more money on delightful luxuries like afternoon tea, as our housing is less extortionately overpriced.

I've never seen SITC either. I kept imagining it was another one of those USA series, with women who talk in annoying voices as if everything is a question, and watched by the kind of people who care about the attention seeking schemes of talentless trash, on the DM sidebar lol.

Also, every time I've been to London, I've been glad it was just to visit for a day, and am glad to get away by the end if the day.

And we're tripping out of London at the end of the visit back to clean air and good friends 😊