A tea for two with champagne now passes 350 euros in New York and stays under 120 in Vienna. We compared twenty salons and the small print.
Afternoon tea has become the most expensive light meal in the world, and the price tells you as much about the city as the pastry. Our guide prices are per person, converted to euros, before champagne; they change with exchange rates and seasons.
The ladder
Vienna and Mallorca sit at the bottom: a slice of torte with coffee at the Café Sacher costs what a scone costs at the Ritz. Tokyo and Singapore offer palace teas around 55 to 65 euros, the best value of the grand hotels. London and Paris run 85 to 105; New York and Dubai start at 105 and go past 125 before the extras.
The small print
London adds a discretionary 12.5 to 15 percent service charge; New York adds tax and expects 18 to 20 percent gratuity, which turns 120 into 160; Dubai includes 10 percent service and 5 percent VAT in most quoted prices; Hong Kong and Singapore add 10 percent; Paris, Vienna, Zurich and Tokyo include everything. A glass of champagne adds 22 to 45 euros.
Where the value is
The Fullerton in Singapore, the Palace Lounge in Tokyo and the Café Imperial in Vienna give the most room and pastry per euro. Use the tea budget to see the bill for your party, with the service charges of each city.
Try it
Afternoon Tea BudgetChoose a salon, the number of guests and the champagne, and see the bill with the service charges, taxes and gratuities each city adds, plus the same tea across the cities..Afternoon Tea DuelPick two afternoon teas from the thirty-seven in the guide and compare them on price, champagne, setting, pastry, savoury, service and value.Frequently asked questions
What does afternoon tea cost in London?
Around 85 to 110 euros per person before champagne, plus a discretionary service charge of 12.5 to 15 percent.
Which city has the cheapest grand-hotel tea?
Vienna, then Tokyo and Singapore.
