Open garden cream teas, how much should I charge?

I went to an open garden yesterday....it was £3 for tea and a cake

It all looks lovely!

Well done. Put your feet up tomorrow.

Here’s a pic of the pricing, we know it was cheap but the tips jar was full!

OP here Thank you all for your input.
Our garden raised £480 today!
We had a great time albeit exhausting.
Many cakes,teas and coffees have been served.
We finished the day with a team tea of lasagne, wine,wine and more wine.
Here’s a pic for you, our garden is long with lots of seating areas, the picture is the view from the kitchen.

I presume there is an entrance fee. If you are a stand alone garden then Charge £4.50 for a cream tea including one drink.
Tea or coffee £2
Slice of cake or buttered scone £2
If its part of a garden trail where the fee covers entry to several gardens I would charge more as it sounds like you put a lot into your presentation and it is for charity after all. Good luck. Its just a shame we dont know where you are!

I just think it should be affordable and some will not come if it’s costing too much. We’re in a huge recession. The PM doesn’t call it that but a rose by any name …..

I enjoy open gardens. I have been to a few recently and paid admission price of between £ 5 - 7 for the opportunity to see 12 -30 gardens. I rarely manage to see them all each year.
Based on what I have paid you add 50p to all you prices you will be more or the same I have paid in Suffolk. If you are in a bigger city you can probably add £1.00 to each price. A lot of the visitors will be pensioners of differing means. But also put a donation tin out as well for those who wish to give more.

I think £5.50, at least.
It's not just the food, it's being able to soak up the atmosphere.

I would expect to pay £5 if not more. Good luck. I hope the weather is kind.

We do open garden and husband makes the scone with a 6.5 cm diamter ring. We cut these in half, butter, jam, wipcream and add a half straberryon each half. Put both halves on a plate for £2.50 and then £1 for tea or coffee with free refils. Juice, Squash etc at 50 p. I have some gluten free biscuits from Aldi which i can dress up for people who ask for gluten free.

Soooo that's per person £3.00 for scones jam and cream + £1.00 for a drink = £4.00 = a bargain and on China no less. I think it's great and if I lived nearer I would be there in a shot. Well done you ??

It all sounds beautiful.
I hope it's a roaring success.

I hope the sun shines and it’s a very successful day Sago.

At school we sell cakes for £1 a piece and that's without a drink or nice china or a table to sit at.
Good luck, I hope it goes well.

Pricing depends on what you think the community can afford. The prices you've given seem very reasonable. Not sure if I am picking up correctly but is it two scones per person? If so price is vety cheap. Not sure most people would eat two scones. Good luck for your wonderful effort do hope the weather is good

Have a nice day and raise lots of dosh.

It sounds like you live in a fantastic community Sago. I'd be no guide on the prices I'm afraid but I wish you sunshine, nice friendly visitors and great success.

Out of interest (as mine has lapsed during covid), I’ve just googled whether you need a food hygiene certificate to sell cakes and apparently you don’t if you are selling them for charity. The muffins look scrumptious, you definitely need to charge more! Many moons ago, my daughters helped at our Flower Show teas and they were brilliant, I’m sure your granddaughter will be too! Good luck.

Thanks Crazy H Here’s a photo of some muffins I made for the last one.
I can’t post a photo of the garden full of people just in case!
Our 7 year old granddaughter is coming for the weekend and is desperate to take the orders on a notepad…..this could be interesting?.
I will let you all know how we get on.

I’ve been to two local village garden openings this year and the charge for tea or coffee and cake was £5 at both, as well as £5 for the gardens, so I think you could easily charge that Sago, especially as it’s for such a good cause and you are using china and teapots, cafetières etc, which sounds lovely! I don’t know where you are but hope the suns shines for you all on Sunday.

Good luck sago and hope you make a good bit for your local hospice.

Thank you Harmonypuss I don’t have a certificate.
However I’m still going to go ahead and make as much money as I can for a good cause.

Do you hold Food Safety Certification?

If not, you should not be selling food to the public and can be reported and ultimately fined.

Just saying...

Recently in Cornwall a takeaway was charging, for a one scone cream tea the princely sum (not Duchy!) of £9 - laughs hysterically. Locally a 2 (humungous) scone cream tea in a beautiful tea garden costs £5.95. Suffice to say I saved my pennies and took him indoors out on returning home.
Whatever you decide to charge everyone knows costs are going through the roof, so take care not to make a loss. Hospice costs are rising too. This sounds like a lot of hard work well done!