Tea clubs from the 1920s traditionally price their service by the pot, yet this one itemizes every pastry and sandwich separately. If you are looking for the 1920 Tea Club Menu with Prices, you likely want to know exactly what a vintage afternoon cost. This guide breaks down the classic items, the portions, and what you should expect to pay today for a retro experience.
Understanding the historical pricing helps you plan a themed party or a simple afternoon treat. The original menu was simple, but the costs added up quickly depending on how many courses you selected.
1920 Tea Club Menu With Prices
The core structure of the menu revolved around a pot of tea and a selection of finger foods. You did not order a “meal.” Instead, you picked items a la carte from a list. The prices below reflect the typical US pricing in 1925, which is a good baseline for a themed event.
Tea Selections And Pot Pricing
The tea was the centerpiece. You paid for the pot, not the cup. Refills of hot water were usually free, but a fresh pot cost extra.
- Pot of English Breakfast (serves 2): $0.25
- Pot of Earl Grey (serves 2): $0.30
- Pot of Green Tea (serves 2): $0.25
- Pot of Chamomile (serves 2): $0.30
Most clubs offered a “house blend” that was cheaper. If you wanted milk and sugar, that was included. Lemon slices were often a penny extra.
Sandwich Listings And Costs
Sandwiches were small, crustless, and cut into triangles. You usually ordered them by the piece or by the plate of four.
- Cucumber and butter (per piece): $0.05
- Watercress (per piece): $0.05
- Egg salad (per piece): $0.06
- Ham and mustard (per piece): $0.08
- Plate of four assorted: $0.25
You could mix and match. The ham option was the most expensive because meat was pricier than vegetables back then.
Pastries And Sweets
The dessert course was separate from the sandwiches. You did not get a scone with your tea automatically. You had to order it.
- Fresh baked scone with jam: $0.10
- Fruit tart (seasonal): $0.15
- Chocolate eclair: $0.12
- Sponge cake slice: $0.10
- Shortbread cookies (two pieces): $0.05
How To Calculate Your Total Bill
If you want to recreate this experience, you need to add up the items manually. Here is a simple way to do it:
- Choose your tea pot first. This is your base cost.
- Select two to three sandwich pieces per person.
- Add one pastry item per person.
- Calculate the total and add a 10% tip for the server.
For example, a pot of Earl Grey ($0.30), two cucumber pieces ($0.10), one ham piece ($0.08), and a scone ($0.10) totals $0.58. That was a standard light lunch.
Why Prices Varied By Club
High-end hotel tea rooms charged double these prices. They used silver teapots and white gloves. Neighborhood clubs, however, kept prices low to attract regular customers. The menu was often written on a chalkboard because prices changed weekly based on food costs.
You should also note that the portions were very small. A single sandwich piece was about two bites. If you were very hungry, you might order two plates of sandwiches, which doubled your cost.
One interesting quirk of the 1920 tea club menu was the “lady’s plate” option. This was a pre-set combo of one sandwich, one scone, and a small sweet for a flat price of $0.35. It was a good deal if you wanted a sample of everything without doing the math.
When you host your own 1920s tea party, use these prices as a guide. You can scale them up for modern inflation (multiply by about 18 times), but the structure remains authentic. Remember to charge for the pot separately and list every pastry item individually, just like the original clubs did.
If you are visiting a themed restaurant that offers a “1920 Tea Club Menu with Prices,” ask if the price includes the pot or just the cup. Some places try to simplify the old system. The real deal always charges per pot and per item, so you can mix a light lunch with a heavy dessert budget.
Finaly, check if they charge extra for clotted cream. In the 1920s, that was a premium topping that cost an additional $0.04 per serving. It was worth it, but it was never included in the base pastry price.