The Popularity Of Afternoon Tea And New Twists On The Tradition

The British tradition of afternoon tea has been around for hundreds of years. While the concept of afternoon tea is nothing new, restaurants, cafes and hotels across the world are bringing new life to the pastime and putting a contemporary spin on the tea experience.

The classic afternoon tea can have the connotation of being stuffy and old fashioned. Now, some tea services are elevating the experience for a modern audience to push beyond that stereotype. This includes afternoon teas with pop culture themes, interactive elements and partnerships with luxury brands.

With this surge in new and different afternoon tea offerings, trend reports show that more people want to partake in tea experiences. A 2022 annual trends report from Pinterest states that “afternoon tea is the new happy hour” and searches for “tea party aesthetic” and “drinking tea pose” were increasing on the website. Afternoon tea showed up again on Pinterest’s 2024 trends report, where the company saw user searches for “afternoon tea party ideas” up 165%.

Further increasing the popularity of afternoon tea is the inherent photogenic nature of the meal. Dainty finger sandwiches, colorful tableware and elegant pastries photograph well.

Many teas are held in charming spaces filled with floral arrangements and fine china. The experience lends itself to getting dressed up and is an escape from the everyday. This combined with unique twists on the classic experience make afternoon tea popular content to share on social media.

Today’s afternoon tea menus offer global flavors, whimsical touches and playful themes. The excitement of the unexpected combined with the tradition of drinking tea makes for a more memorable meal.

From a drink menu inspired by folklore to a Bridgerton tea fit for high society that go beyond typical finger sandwiches and offer a unique take on the classic pastime.