0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11I think they encourage you to buy more than you need,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13and that causes a lot of waste.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18you've told us you can feel ripped off
0:00:18 > 0:00:20by the promises made for what you eat,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and what you pay for it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24How do you know that it's half price?
0:00:24 > 0:00:25Right, so what they've done,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28they've bumped the price up and they've knocked it down.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33From claims that don't stack up, to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40so you can be sure you're getting what you expect, at the right price.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Your food, your money - this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:51 > 0:00:52where for this special series
0:00:52 > 0:00:56we're focusing on anything and everything to do with food.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And today, it's all about eating out.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02But as you know, getting somebody to cook for you has to be one of
0:01:02 > 0:01:05life's true pleasures, so we want to make sure
0:01:05 > 0:01:06that when you do get time to treat yourself,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09you can more easily interpret the prices
0:01:09 > 0:01:10that you're being asked to pay,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13and give you the confidence that you really are
0:01:13 > 0:01:15getting value for money.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Because whether it's fine dining or a cafe pit stop,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20we're going to be leaving no stone unturned,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24in order to help you choose well and spend wisely,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26and of course, thoroughly enjoy every minute
0:01:26 > 0:01:27of knowing that at the end of it,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29you don't have to do the washing up.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Oh, yes!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35'Coming up...' Good afternoon, can I take your order?
0:01:35 > 0:01:37'..I try my hand at being a waitress,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40'as we investigate whether the big names play fair
0:01:40 > 0:01:41'when it comes to tipping.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:43What would you like?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- On white or brown bread? - Erm, white.- On white.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49- Sea bass?- Thank you. - Enjoy your meal.- Thank you.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51And, from tips to tipples -
0:01:51 > 0:01:54what's a fair price for that restaurant bottle of wine?
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Just wait until you hear the profit that some places are making.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01We'll have advice to stop your choice causing sour grapes.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04I'm not happy about it.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07I think it's really, really disgusting
0:02:07 > 0:02:10that the restaurants can buy a really cheap bottle of wine
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and then sell it to me at an exorbitant price,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15and I'm not happy about it at all.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Now to a topic that, the last time we touched on it,
0:02:22 > 0:02:23during our live series,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26we really did provoke quite a response,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30demonstrating very clearly that it's something about which
0:02:30 > 0:02:32many of you feel particularly strongly,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and we're talking about tipping in restaurants.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37More specifically, about exactly
0:02:37 > 0:02:40where your money goes if you decide
0:02:40 > 0:02:43that you WOULD like to reward the person who's given you good service.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Now, it's a topic that's controversial
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and not entirely straightforward,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52so I've been looking into some of the very different ways
0:02:52 > 0:02:55that individual establishments tackle this.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56And as you'll see...
0:02:59 > 0:03:01..I did a spot of moonlighting along the way!
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Now you've probably wondered it yourself at the end of a meal,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10and you've chosen to leave a tip to show your gratitude
0:03:10 > 0:03:12to the waitress or waiter
0:03:12 > 0:03:14who's been at your beck and call all evening.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Will that tip go into the pockets of staff - as you might be hoping -
0:03:18 > 0:03:21or might the restaurant itself keep some of it back?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Well, many people who work in restaurants
0:03:23 > 0:03:26would say that little extra you leave behind
0:03:26 > 0:03:28can make all the difference to them.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31And that was certainly the case for Megan Risley
0:03:31 > 0:03:33when she worked as a waitress in a local pub.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I worked there for around five to six months.
0:03:37 > 0:03:38I liked the atmosphere of the place.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40No-one had, like, set jobs,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42you could kind of get involved in everything.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45You were kind of free to run food and take orders,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47it wasn't like you had to be this, this and this -
0:03:47 > 0:03:48you could be independent.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- Cheers, thank you. - Enjoy your coffee.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55In this pub, the tips were collected in a jar and then split
0:03:55 > 0:03:58between the staff, with - as is common -
0:03:58 > 0:03:59a certain percentage going to
0:03:59 > 0:04:02the sometime neglected kitchen staff,
0:04:02 > 0:04:03and the rest divided up amongst
0:04:03 > 0:04:05the serving staff working that shift.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I thought the tip policy worked really, really well.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The kitchen got a certain percentage of the tips, which benefited them,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16because they obviously contributed to the overall success
0:04:16 > 0:04:18of the evening, and it was also good for the waitresses.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22But when the business started to struggle,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24the pub's policy suddenly changed.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28They started losing money, so all the tips were taken away
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and they were put towards the company.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32So at the end of a shift, none of the staff
0:04:32 > 0:04:34that performed on that shift got tips,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37and neither did the kitchen. It was, like, unrecognised.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41All those tips that YOU'VE earned, you didn't get to see sight of.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44But it isn't just in failing businesses
0:04:44 > 0:04:48that the policies around this can cause a kerfuffle.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Very often, as you'll know,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53some restaurants include a service charge on the bill.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56It's usually optional, but in December 2016,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59the Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche
0:04:59 > 0:05:03made headlines when it was revealed that NONE
0:05:03 > 0:05:06of its 13% service charge went to staff.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Instead, every penny was kept by the business and treated as revenue,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13a policy that its owner Michel Roux Jr
0:05:13 > 0:05:16defended very publicly months later.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21If a restaurant or a hotel pays their staff the market price,
0:05:21 > 0:05:26and then distribute the whole of the service charge without removing
0:05:26 > 0:05:31any of it, that restaurant or hotel will be bust in three months.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36After the dust had settled, Michel Roux Jr abandoned that policy,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38announcing he was scrapping the service charge
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and that in future the bills would make clear that,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43while no further payment was necessary,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46a customer could still leave a tip if they desired,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49which WOULD be divided fully amongst the staff.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51But as that story made clear,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54it's entirely up to the individual restaurants
0:05:54 > 0:05:55how they approach tipping.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59There are no laws or set guidelines for restaurants on what
0:05:59 > 0:06:03they can charge for the service they give, or indeed who gets the cash.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05But a code of practice set out by the government
0:06:05 > 0:06:08states that restaurants should ensure
0:06:08 > 0:06:11that their policy is made clear to customers,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13and "all workers should be fully informed
0:06:13 > 0:06:15"on the distribution and breakdown
0:06:15 > 0:06:18"of service charges, tips and gratuities."
0:06:19 > 0:06:23But at this hotel restaurant here on the shores of Lake Windermere,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26they do things a little bit differently.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33- Welcome...- 'Thomas Noblett runs the Langdale Chase Hotel.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36'Not only has he recently scrapped the service charge here,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38'but any tips that ARE left
0:06:38 > 0:06:41'are put into a donation box to be given to charity.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43'The staff don't get any.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46'But Thomas insists that's fairer to the customer,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50'because it's clear from the off exactly how much you will pay,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52'without any extra being added on.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:56If you went into a supermarket and you have, say,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58a £100 - for argument's sake - shop...
0:06:58 > 0:07:01So you turn up at the till and they say,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04"That will be 115, please, madam."
0:07:04 > 0:07:05And you say, "What for?"
0:07:05 > 0:07:08"Because it's a service charge." You'd be outraged.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Thomas, when you interview staff and tell them,
0:07:11 > 0:07:16"We have no service charge and a no tipping policy", how do they react?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19We're always up front. This is what we've got to offer.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Down the road, they probably do offer service charge and tipping,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24you're very welcome to go to the two.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29But what we DO offer here is brand-new staff accommodation,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32where they get board and lodgings...
0:07:32 > 0:07:35for that, plus their two meals a day.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38So that's like a tip or a service charge,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41included in their wage structure.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44But I wanted to see what Thomas's customers think
0:07:44 > 0:07:47of his "no tip" policy, and about tipping in general,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49and the best way to do that is
0:07:49 > 0:07:53to roll up my sleeves and offer my services to help serve lunch.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55- Good afternoon.- Good afternoon. - Can I take your orders?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Do you want to know what the specials are today?
0:07:57 > 0:07:58- Yes, please.- What would you like?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- On white or brown bread? - Erm, white.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05- Sir? - I think I'll be adventurous today.
0:08:05 > 0:08:06Right, what are you going to choose?
0:08:06 > 0:08:08So I'm going to have the fish and chips.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- Because he doesn't get them at home!- Fish and chips!
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'Once my covers are fed and watered...'
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- Sea bass. Enjoy your meal. - Thank you.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18'..it's crunch time for me,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21'as I find out what they think of their waitress.'
0:08:21 > 0:08:22Now, did I give you good service?
0:08:22 > 0:08:25You gave us excellent service, thank you very much.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Anywhere else, I'm sure I'd be giving you a significant tip.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30And does it worry you that very often, when you do,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32the tip doesn't actually go to the staff anyway?
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Well, I will try to ask the question,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38"Does it go to the staff?", but you don't know, do you?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40I mean, sometimes the staff would not feel able to say,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- "No, it doesn't".- Yes.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46If there's a service charge, we'll pay it, but we won't tip as well.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50- No.- What I tend to do is always have cash in my hand, as Brian knows,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54and I'll slip the waiter or waitress a fiver or whatever.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Do you think more people should follow the system
0:08:57 > 0:08:59that they have here in this hotel,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02that it would be better if there was no tipping policy?
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Yes, I do. I think it should be incorporated
0:09:04 > 0:09:05in the price of the meal,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08the service is there, it's a service industry.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Well, I would have given you a tip today.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- I think you did very well. - Thank you!
0:09:13 > 0:09:16But I shouldn't give up the day job just yet then!
0:09:18 > 0:09:20SHE SIGHS
0:09:20 > 0:09:22It's good to sit down after the lunchtime rush.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25But, you know, what's interesting is,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28that even though all of those customers recognised
0:09:28 > 0:09:31that tipping is part of the service culture and that they will pay a tip
0:09:31 > 0:09:33if it's expected of them,
0:09:33 > 0:09:38every one of them approve what Tom is doing here in the restaurant
0:09:38 > 0:09:42and would like to see a "no tipping" policy spread, well,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45in other areas of the service industries.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46But I have to say that waiting staff
0:09:46 > 0:09:48really do earn their money, you know,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50so let's see what they think about it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53When you both came here to work and were told,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57"No tipping, no service charge", what did you think?
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Did you think it's worth doing that, or, "Gosh, I'm not
0:09:59 > 0:10:01"going to get the money that I thought I was going to get"?
0:10:01 > 0:10:04My rule is you shouldn't go anywhere expecting to get anything extra
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- than what's on the paper. - Do you ever feel that
0:10:06 > 0:10:10because there's no service charge and no tipping,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13that perhaps, financially, you're losing out?
0:10:13 > 0:10:16I'm not losing, because anyway, if I will need to rent a room
0:10:16 > 0:10:19somewhere here, it would be more expensive, you know?
0:10:19 > 0:10:20You get meals as well, don't you?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- Yeah, exactly. - I don't want to interrupt you,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26because I know you're getting ready for dinner tonight, aren't you?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- I certainly am.- But I just wonder, you're working in an establishment
0:10:29 > 0:10:32where there's a "no service charge" and a "no tipping" policy.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34What do you think about that?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Erm, I think it levels out the playing field,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40it's more even across the hotel for the staff.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42There's no arguments between the staff.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46The waiting staff haven't got more money than the kitchen staff do,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49we're both here, we both work the same hours,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51- and it's an equal playing field. - Yeah.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Of course, staff elsewhere won't always
0:10:54 > 0:10:56get access to accommodation or the other benefits
0:10:56 > 0:10:58they get here,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and while that probably DOES make up for what's lost in tips,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04it is interesting how staff and customers seem
0:11:04 > 0:11:07right behind Thomas's approach.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Now, it's not going to work for every
0:11:09 > 0:11:12restaurant, cafe and hotel throughout the country,
0:11:12 > 0:11:17but what it does do is open up the argument about the whole question
0:11:17 > 0:11:18of tipping in general.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And that's something we wanted to explore a bit further,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28by getting a clearer picture of what happens in the big chains
0:11:28 > 0:11:30that dominate the restaurant business.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34We asked 27 of the best-known names how they manage their tips,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and the results couldn't have been more varied.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40For example, Ask Italian told us that any tips
0:11:40 > 0:11:43paid by credit or debit card are split,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46with 50% going to the waiter or waitress serving your table,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and the other 50% shared amongst the other non-management members
0:11:50 > 0:11:52of the team working that day.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Meanwhile, staff members at Cote Restaurants
0:11:56 > 0:11:57pay £2 out of the service charge
0:11:57 > 0:12:01for each shift they work, to pay for a meal and drink -
0:12:01 > 0:12:04a policy the chain says is widely supported by its staff.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And Gaucho Grill takes 16% from staff tips,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11which the company tells us is put towards
0:12:11 > 0:12:13things like staff incentives.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17PizzaExpress has very publicly changed its policy,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21after criticism of the way the chain used to retain a percentage
0:12:21 > 0:12:25of all tips paid by card, so that tax is paid on them -
0:12:25 > 0:12:28the policy Zizzi restaurants still carry out.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32But while it isn't as simple as saying
0:12:32 > 0:12:33there's a right or a wrong way
0:12:33 > 0:12:35for any restaurant to tackle all this,
0:12:35 > 0:12:40trade union Unite are calling for staff to receive 100% of their tips,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and Pizza Hut is one of the chains already on board.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Kathryn Austin is their Chief People and Marketing Officer.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The reason that we have that policy is that we believe that
0:12:51 > 0:12:53our team members deserve every penny that the guests give them
0:12:53 > 0:12:56for the hard work and the great service that they provide.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58None of the tips goes to management
0:12:58 > 0:13:01and none of it goes to head office or any form of administration.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04We believe that, if our teams are happy, our guests will be happy.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10TGI Friday's, Carluccio's and Gourmet Burger Kitchen
0:13:10 > 0:13:14also allow staff to keep 100% of their tips.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16But in London, restaurant owner Alex Wrethman
0:13:16 > 0:13:19has been running his own campaign on tipping.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20All right, mate, how are you?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Whatever their policy on service charges or gratuities,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26he'd like to see all British hospitality businesses
0:13:26 > 0:13:29make it easier and publicly available,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33so that customers and staff alike know where they stand.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34If you've got a restaurant where
0:13:34 > 0:13:37they share the service charge amongst all the departments,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40any member of staff applying into that restaurant
0:13:40 > 0:13:42can know that and be either happy or unhappy with that
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and work there or not work there. And similarly,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47a member of the public coming in and spending their money there
0:13:47 > 0:13:49can understand what's actually happening
0:13:49 > 0:13:53with that service charge when they hand over the cash.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56In Alex's own restaurant, he's chosen to go down the route
0:13:56 > 0:13:59of an optional service charge added to the bill.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02We share that entirely with people in the site,
0:14:02 > 0:14:03so nothing to head office,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and that is also distributed between kitchen, bar and front of house.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09So for me, everybody that touches the guest experience -
0:14:09 > 0:14:11from preparing the food, preparing the drinks,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15meeting and greeting at the door, but nobody that's on the admin side.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18It's obviously a consumer issue. People want to know where
0:14:18 > 0:14:20their money is going, and that's fair enough,
0:14:20 > 0:14:21I totally agree with that.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26It's because there's been such a debate on the subject
0:14:26 > 0:14:29that, in 2015, the then Business Secretary Sajid Javid
0:14:29 > 0:14:31ordered an investigation into what was described as
0:14:31 > 0:14:35"the abuse of tipping in restaurants".
0:14:35 > 0:14:39The consultation suggested it should be made clearer to customers
0:14:39 > 0:14:42that tips and service charges are optional
0:14:42 > 0:14:44and that staff should receive their tips
0:14:44 > 0:14:48with legally limited deductions to cover costs of admin.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51But, at present, these are only proposals.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54So, for now, it remains up to individual restaurants
0:14:54 > 0:14:57to choose what they do.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59But former waitress Megan is amongst those
0:14:59 > 0:15:01who would like to see that change,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03because she remembers only too well
0:15:03 > 0:15:07how receiving a tip isn't simply about getting a few extra pounds.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I definitely think that receiving tips,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13not only is it an extra tenner in your pocket, it's like,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15"I did well on this shift, it's been busy."
0:15:15 > 0:15:19And it makes the next time you go in, for you to aim a bit higher.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22It's like, "I could get a good amount here
0:15:22 > 0:15:24"and have dinner tonight, something nice."
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:15:31 > 0:15:34we task a royal butler with looking into
0:15:34 > 0:15:36the great British afternoon tea.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40So how many of these examples really would be fit for a king?
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Well, I can safely say I'm absolutely shocked.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45I don't quite know what to say.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Next, we want to decipher what for many of us
0:15:51 > 0:15:54remains one of the most bewildering parts of eating out -
0:15:54 > 0:15:56the wine list.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I'm sure, like me, you've been offered page upon page
0:15:58 > 0:16:01to choose from. In fact, some places
0:16:01 > 0:16:03now offer more wine options than food.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05And it's easy to see why.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Because last year, our love of a good glass of red or white
0:16:09 > 0:16:11generated almost £11 billion
0:16:11 > 0:16:14for the restaurant and drinks retailers.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17But restaurant critic Jay Rayner recently joined the ranks
0:16:17 > 0:16:21of those saying that restaurants are overcharging us for wine.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23He went on to suggest that because of the mark-up,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26we should always buy the house wine in restaurants
0:16:26 > 0:16:30and drink the best wine at home. So, is he right?
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Wine lists can sometimes read like Shakespearean verse.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41It's all "full-bodied this" and "earthy that",
0:16:41 > 0:16:43and "elegant the other".
0:16:43 > 0:16:45So, how DO those of us who aren't connoisseurs
0:16:45 > 0:16:48choose which one to have with our meal?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Well, we've put together our own wine list to find out.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55I'd go for the cheapest one, or I'd ask to taste it.
0:16:55 > 0:16:56I always go for a house wine,
0:16:56 > 0:16:58because you know they're going to be cheaper.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03I don't think the price of wine is worth it, really,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06when you consider how much you can possibly pay for it
0:17:06 > 0:17:07in the supermarkets.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11It's very clear that, for many of you,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13price really is a key factor when deciding
0:17:13 > 0:17:16which bottle to choose in a restaurant.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18The trouble is, most of us will have no idea
0:17:18 > 0:17:21if the price we are seeing is a fair one.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Simply going for the cheapest won't necessarily mean
0:17:23 > 0:17:25you're getting the best deal.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31The average price we pay for a bottle of wine in the supermarket
0:17:31 > 0:17:33is £5.40.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Whereas in a restaurant, it's £15.62.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41While you may expect to pay extra if your wine is being served,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43just how much more are the restaurants
0:17:43 > 0:17:45typically asking us to pay?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's been reported that a swish restaurant in London
0:17:47 > 0:17:54has inflated the price tag of one wine over 500%.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57And while not all restaurants will have a mark-up quite so dramatic,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Master of Wines John Downes says that,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03when it comes to deciding what to charge for wines, as they say,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05there ain't no rules.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09The mark-up's paying for - so chefs and restaurateurs tell me -
0:18:09 > 0:18:12their overheads. I can accept that.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14But for me, that's no real excuse to go
0:18:14 > 0:18:17more than three times the retail price.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22John thinks restaurants should let customers know
0:18:22 > 0:18:25how much mark-up there is on the wines they serve
0:18:25 > 0:18:27by making clear their pricing policy on the menu.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33I think that people have a real battle when they see a wine list.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35You can see, when the wine list comes,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38it goes round like pass the parcel because nobody
0:18:38 > 0:18:41wants to make that decision. That's because people don't know
0:18:41 > 0:18:43much about wine. And that's a little sad.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45CORK POPS
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Well, to see how easy it is to navigate this complex world
0:18:49 > 0:18:51of pricing when eating out,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54we've set up an experiment with a group of self-confessed wine lovers.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56They're no experts,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58but they do enjoy the odd tipple when they're out.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02I quite like wine with a meal.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Usually rare for me to drink it without food.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09But, yes, I find it a very sociable drink
0:19:10 > 0:19:12- When I'm eating.- I do like wine.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17I like both with a meal and socially as well.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21And who better to wait on the ladies than our grape guru John?
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Ladies. Good evening. Welcome to the Rip-Off Britain Wine Bar.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I hope you have a lovely evening. I'm going to give you each a menu.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29What I'd like you to do tonight
0:19:29 > 0:19:32is to choose just two wines off the list.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38The list we've created has four different white wines,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41priced the same as we've seen them sold for in UK restaurants.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45But which will our guests choose, and why?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47I always like New Zealand.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49So...I'll go for the Frost Pocket.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Two or four? Four first, hopefully.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54THEY LAUGH
0:19:54 > 0:19:58So on the menu today is an Italian Trebbiano Chardonnay,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00priced at £19...
0:20:00 > 0:20:04a wine made with a fashionable Verdejo grape at £22...
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for £23.50.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11And finally, a French white for £72.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14So, ladies, have we chosen?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16- ALL: Yes, we have. - Unanimous or not?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Yes, eventually.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21A little bit of friction? Anyway, that's normal with wine.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- What would you like?- The first one we agreed on was the Yealands,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- the Frost Pocket. - Lovely, good choice.
0:20:28 > 0:20:34The ladies' first choice is this New Zealand number, priced at £23.50.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Sauvignon Blanc, that's lovely. And the second one is?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40We'd like to try the Puligny-Montrachet.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Super choice.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Next, they pushed the boat out and went for the most expensive wine,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49a French white, currently selling in a restaurant at £72.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I will get it up for you straightaway.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55You'll enjoy those two. Wonderful. Two minutes. Thank you.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58But will the ladies be as happy with the choices once John reveals
0:20:58 > 0:21:01the gulf between the restaurant and retail cost?
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Ladies, I have your wine.
0:21:04 > 0:21:10- Good.- They may just find the prices require a stiffer drink to digest.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14The New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the first wine we tasted, I am told
0:21:14 > 0:21:18the profit to the restaurant was 165%.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Wow, that's a lot.
0:21:22 > 0:21:23It certainly is.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27We found the same bottle for sale online at just £8.85,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29almost £15 cheaper.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34On to the more expensive French tipple,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36which was on our menu for £72.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Although hardly a snip online at £38.50,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43the restaurant price has a considerably smaller mark-up
0:21:43 > 0:21:45of just 87%.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- So what do you think of that? - I suppose it's understandable,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50with the more expensive one.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Had they put 165% on it...
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- Exactly.- ..they would have sold a lot less!
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Exactly. But did you enjoy the wine enough
0:21:59 > 0:22:02- to pay the £72 to take in the lower mark-up?- I didn't.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06Exactly. Very interesting.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08INDISTINCT CHATTER
0:22:08 > 0:22:10In fact, our ladies have chosen rather well,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14as the two wines they DIDN'T go for could be giving restaurants
0:22:14 > 0:22:20an even bigger profit. The Verdejo from Rueda had a mark-up of 216%.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22THEY GASP
0:22:22 > 0:22:24But it was the cheeky little Italian number that
0:22:24 > 0:22:27had the cheekiest mark-up as well.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29On the Trebbiano Chardonnay, from Italy...
0:22:29 > 0:22:31are you ready?
0:22:31 > 0:22:34The mark-up...is 225%.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Wow.- We chose the right ones. - We chose the right ones!
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Really not good.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41- It's obscene.- It is.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45I'm not happy about it. I think it's...
0:22:45 > 0:22:48really, really disgusting that the restaurants are allowed to do that,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51that they can buy a really cheap bottle of wine
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and then sell it to me at a really expensive price,
0:22:54 > 0:22:59an exorbitant price. I'm not happy about it at all.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01But the restaurants, again,
0:23:01 > 0:23:02perhaps in their favour a little bit,
0:23:02 > 0:23:07they need to make a profit on food and everything to run a business.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09But that's a hell of a profit.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15With just those four wines, we've seen a huge range of mark-ups.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18So to see if that's what we can expect wherever we eat out,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22we've examined the menus of the top ten high street restaurant chains
0:23:22 > 0:23:24to find out how their wine prices
0:23:24 > 0:23:26are topped up once they hit your table.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Now, it wasn't possible to compare all these wines.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33But on the day we looked, Prezzo had the biggest mark-up,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36on an Italian white, with a hike close to 270%.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40When we asked the chain why,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Prezzo told us it is standard practice
0:23:42 > 0:23:44to take into consideration...
0:23:46 > 0:23:49..on top of the actual cost of the wine
0:23:49 > 0:23:51to help ensure that its customers enjoy a...
0:23:55 > 0:23:58The chain said it is constantly reviewing its wine list
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and prices, and aims to pass on cost savings were possible.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06The big name with the smallest mark-up was Beefeater.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09It charged us £10.99 for a wine
0:24:09 > 0:24:15that we found on sale online for £5.99, a rise of 83.5%.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19But the biggest problem we uncovered was the sheer inconsistency.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23Not one restaurant had the same mark-up on all of their wines,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25making it almost impossible for consumers to tell
0:24:25 > 0:24:30if they are paying a fair price. Of course, restaurants buy in bulk,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32and if you're looking for some of these wines online,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36you may have to buy six at a time to get them for the prices we found.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40But with no regulations or industry guidelines restricting
0:24:40 > 0:24:42what the restaurants can charge,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44they can set whatever prices they like.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Neil Gill owns a restaurant in North London,
0:24:48 > 0:24:49and after 18 years in the trade,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52he knows better than most that restaurants need
0:24:52 > 0:24:54to make a decent margin on their drinks,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58but he thinks that in some places that's just got out of hand.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Wine mark-up is very important for a restaurant.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02We're an industry that has a lot of costs,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04so therefore we do need margin.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Where it gets a little bit silly is at the sort of top end of the list.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13The things mark-up pays for are the property, the rent, the people,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16the wages, the promotion, a bit of marketing, a bit of advertising.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So the mark-up does pay for everything,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22but it gets to a point where things have been paid for,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24and then it becomes perhaps a little bit extreme.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Neil has come up with an innovative and simpler way
0:25:30 > 0:25:32of charging for the wine at his restaurant.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35He just adds £10 on to every bottle he sells,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37however much it initially cost.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I wanted to have a win-win situation,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42so that... I thought in a local restaurant,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44people wouldn't want to spend too much money on the wine,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47so rather than them just come in and buy the house wine,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50make the same cash margin for me on some of the better wines,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52the more interesting wines, then everyone's aware,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55they get a better wine and I make the same money.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59With Neil's approach still rare,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01you might think you're stuck when it comes to knowing
0:26:01 > 0:26:04if a restaurant's charging over the odds,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06but luckily, technology is at hand to help.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Several phone apps have been developed
0:26:08 > 0:26:12to try and give you a better sense of a wine's true cost.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14You can download some of them for absolutely free,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17to compare the prices of plonk wherever you are.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21As a technology journalist and editor of the website TechSPARK,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Jamie Middleton reviews a lot of online tools.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Apps like Wine-Searcher and Vivino,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32they work by you actually scanning a bottle or doing a search,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34just typing in the name of the wine,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36and this will then bring in information
0:26:36 > 0:26:39from retailers, vineyards, reviews.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41It will all aggregate together into one screen,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44then you can see all that information about that wine, including price.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47So the benefit of these apps is that they're very easy to use,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50you also get a really good idea of the price, the average price there,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52although the way it's worked out is a little complicated,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54it still gives you a really good idea
0:26:54 > 0:26:56of whether that wine that you're buying
0:26:56 > 0:26:58is being bought for the right price.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03But do these apps really work?
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Well, we've given our wine tasters two of the most popular,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09to try out on the four bottles in front of them.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10They're using apps from Vivino,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14which has 23 million users who upload wine prices
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and reviews from right around the world.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19And Wine-Searcher, whose 4.7 million users a month
0:27:19 > 0:27:22can check where particular bottles are stocked
0:27:22 > 0:27:24and at what price.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Will either of them be any help if you're trying
0:27:27 > 0:27:29to make sense of a restaurant wine list?
0:27:30 > 0:27:34- It was... The year was...- 2015.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37I thought the app was brilliant.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40I can't see me sitting in a restaurant using it.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45But I think you'd probably learn the wines you liked
0:27:45 > 0:27:47and what you expected to pay for them.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53And maybe if there was one at £70 that you thought,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56"I'd like to try that", maybe you would look.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59I do think to be able to look on the internet before
0:27:59 > 0:28:04you go out and check the mark-up before you go,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08I think that is probably more useful for somebody like me.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Personally I would not use the app in a restaurant.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I think when I go to a restaurant,
0:28:12 > 0:28:16I go to enjoy a night out and I don't really worry about
0:28:16 > 0:28:18what I've spent on the wine at the time.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21I might worry about it afterwards when I pay the bill,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23and I might check when I get home, to see if I've been ripped off!
0:28:25 > 0:28:28- GLORIA:- But Jamie Middleton's advice with apps like these is to use them
0:28:28 > 0:28:32as a guide, rather than taking their contents as gospel.
0:28:32 > 0:28:33There are downsides to the apps,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37for example the price listed might actually not be a reflection
0:28:37 > 0:28:39of the reality, because those prices are pulled from online prices,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42offline prices. Consequently, that could be skewed
0:28:42 > 0:28:45in a way which suggests the price you're paying is not right.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Apps like these are a start,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52but the problem remains that while restaurants can charge
0:28:52 > 0:28:55whatever they want, unless you're a wine buff,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57the only decision you can make with confidence
0:28:57 > 0:28:59is are you prepared to pay their prices
0:28:59 > 0:29:03or would you rather dine without wine?
0:29:03 > 0:29:07It was interesting tonight, to see what the mark-up was, definitely,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11and I am shocked and disappointed.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14But no, if I go out for a meal, I go out for a good time, and yes,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17I'll pay whatever price they ask.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Now, what could be more quintessentially British
0:29:28 > 0:29:30than taking afternoon tea?
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Sitting in dainty surroundings, sipping from the finest china,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37and nibbling away on a freshly made cucumber sandwich,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40possibly with a vicar lurking in the background?
0:29:40 > 0:29:44It's a tradition that's been around since the 1830s,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47but these days, teatime rarely comes cheap,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and those who do fork out for the luxury experience
0:29:50 > 0:29:53sometimes end up thinking it wasn't really worth it.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58Because if you want a genuine upper-crust tea, the finer details,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00such as how those sandwich crusts are cut,
0:30:00 > 0:30:02apparently make all the difference.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07So here's a handy guide to how it should be served and how much
0:30:07 > 0:30:08you should expect to pay for it.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17The origins of what we now know as the traditional afternoon tea
0:30:17 > 0:30:20lie in the upper class drawing rooms of the early 19th century.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24In those days, dinner was served fashionably late,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27but when the then Duchess of Bedford complained about feeling hungry
0:30:27 > 0:30:29in the afternoon, the tea was born,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31and it wasn't long before all of high society
0:30:31 > 0:30:33was filling its boots.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Now, of course, we can all aspire to enjoy afternoon tea,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42and in recent years, doing just that has become hugely popular.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49Some of the most prestigious venues can be booked up weeks in advance,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51while at the other end of the scale,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54the high street store Patisserie Valerie
0:30:54 > 0:30:56last year sold over 133,000 of them,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00coining them in a cool £2.3 million -
0:31:00 > 0:31:02nearly twice as much as the previous year.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Margaret Boyd from Gateshead and her friend Ann
0:31:07 > 0:31:10are big fans of a classic afternoon tea.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12That's lovely.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15The perfect afternoon tea for me would have to be
0:31:15 > 0:31:18a nice, well dressed table,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22nice china, fine bone china,
0:31:22 > 0:31:28delicately cut sandwiches and small, sort of, scones.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31But a recent outing with some friends
0:31:31 > 0:31:34left Margaret feeling distinctly underwhelmed.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40I expected to have fine china and it wasn't, it was just the normal,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43ordinary catering china.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47The scones were a bit rock hard, had been warmed up,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49and I think they'd been warmed up too long.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52And then the selection of cakes,
0:31:52 > 0:31:54which I thought would be a bit more fancy,
0:31:54 > 0:32:00were just like a macaroon and a lemon tart, and a little tiramisu.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04It was not quite what I expected. I was disappointed.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Now, if you think Margaret was just being fussy - you're wrong.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13There are very particular rules on how a proper afternoon tea
0:32:13 > 0:32:16should be served, not to mention what should be in it,
0:32:16 > 0:32:18and they don't include tiramisu.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22But Margaret's by no means alone in finding her afternoon treat
0:32:22 > 0:32:24left a rather sour taste.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Online review sites are full of outraged comments
0:32:27 > 0:32:29from other customers,
0:32:29 > 0:32:33either about what their tea included or how much it cost,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and it's not unreasonable to expect the best when, chances are,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40you're going to be paying a very pretty penny for the privilege.
0:32:40 > 0:32:45Margaret's hard scones and tiramisu cost nearly £20 per person.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48So, just how much should an afternoon tea set you back?
0:32:48 > 0:32:54I would never pay more than £25-30 for afternoon tea.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57If it was just sandwiches and tea, then, yeah, OK,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59let's call it £12 or something like that.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02For a very special occasion I'd pay £20.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06A few pounds, that's fine, but much more than that,
0:33:06 > 0:33:07it seems like it's very expensive.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Now, you will of course pay more if there's Prosecco on the side,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14but we want to stick with tradition
0:33:14 > 0:33:18and try and establish the cost of the classic afternoon offering,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21which typically includes tea, freshly cut sandwiches,
0:33:21 > 0:33:22scones and home-made treats.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26If you were buying the ingredients from a supermarket,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29you'd pay just over £5 a person.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34But of course, when you go out for tea, you're paying for the service,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37the ambience and the sheer indulgence,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41all of which might cost you around £12.50 a person on the high street.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45However, choose a ritzier venue and the sky's the limit.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50The priciest we've come across is at the famous Claridge's Hotel
0:33:50 > 0:33:53in London, where a traditional afternoon tea
0:33:53 > 0:33:57will cost you a breathtaking £60 per person.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01But for that price you'll be treated to the creations of pastry chefs
0:34:01 > 0:34:03with a world-class reputation,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06in rather splendid Art Deco surroundings,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10where the rich and famous have taken tea for over 150 years.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14But if it's hard to put a definitive price on an afternoon tea,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18how easy is it to judge what you should be getting for your money?
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Well, we've come to York,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23in the region which drinks more tea than any other,
0:34:23 > 0:34:28to find out if the locals' love of a good brew will help them identify
0:34:28 > 0:34:29what should come with it.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31According to a website
0:34:31 > 0:34:32devoted to afternoon teas,
0:34:32 > 0:34:35that are specific treats that must be included
0:34:35 > 0:34:37for the fully authentic experience.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Let's see if the shoppers here can guess
0:34:40 > 0:34:42which of this selection are on the list.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Starting with, of course, the key ingredient.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48It's got to be... Well, tea, obviously.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Correct, but in an afternoon tea,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53it should always be loose and never in bags.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- Got to have some clotted cream and jam with a scone.- Yeah.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01Also right, scones are a staple on any self-respecting cake stand.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03And clotted cream is the ideal accompaniment.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08But our next shopper isn't quite so au fait with the finer details.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10I'm a savoury person, so the sandwiches
0:35:10 > 0:35:12would have to be the priority.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15And the crust, I think, is probably the best bit, actually.
0:35:15 > 0:35:20Uh-oh. Afternoon tea sandwiches should be strictly crusts off.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Should it? No, definitely crust on.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Why did loaves have crusts if that's the case?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Should have been designed without crusts.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Ooh, cupcakes would sound good.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Mousses, they sound good.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Oh, dear. It may be our shopper's birthday,
0:35:34 > 0:35:38but it's a big fat no to those cupcakes.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40It's a selection of handmade cakes and pastries
0:35:40 > 0:35:42that you should expect to be served.
0:35:42 > 0:35:43So the shop ones we took out
0:35:43 > 0:35:45probably wouldn't make the cut
0:35:45 > 0:35:46either.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49And she can kiss goodbye to that chocolate mousse, too.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Oh, yeah, but I like chocolate mousse.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54But what about a bit of fizz?
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Champagne, Prosecco... We've never had Prosecco.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59- So we'd say champagne.- Cupcake.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04Well, in a truly traditional afternoon tea, that's a no-no, too.
0:36:04 > 0:36:10In fact, from the products on offer, only five - the scones, pastries,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12loose leaf tea, crustless sandwiches
0:36:12 > 0:36:14and dainty cakes - are bone fide.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19The rest, including those tea bags, are all strictly off-limits.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22But one man in no doubt about
0:36:22 > 0:36:24what you should be getting is Grant Harrold.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28A traditional afternoon tea is a light meal,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30it is not a state banquet.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35A butler for over two decades, Grant was a member of the royal household.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38And his services are in demand across Europe
0:36:38 > 0:36:39when it comes to defining
0:36:39 > 0:36:42the traditionally British ways of doing things.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45So who better to test a range of teas
0:36:45 > 0:36:47to see if they are up to scratch?
0:36:50 > 0:36:53We sent Grant to five Manchester establishments that advertised
0:36:53 > 0:36:57a traditional afternoon tea, but at very different prices.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Each time, after sampling the atmosphere and the service,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02he sneaked out the food itself
0:37:02 > 0:37:05to bring back to a special location -
0:37:05 > 0:37:08our very own tasting HQ.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11When it comes to afternoon tea, it's not just about the food and drink.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Other factors come into play, such as the perfect setting.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16The perfect ambience.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18And of course, the wonderful service.
0:37:20 > 0:37:21Thank you.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24So, how does he rate the first tea,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28which came from a tearoom and cost £18.95?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Lovely ambience, very friendly staff, but I warn you,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34you have to wait for a little while to be seated.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37And even when you sit down, the service can be slightly slow.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39I was very impressed with the array of teas that they had.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42In fact, when I asked for some China tea, the lady said,
0:37:42 > 0:37:43"Which kind would you like?"
0:37:43 > 0:37:47The downside is, I wasn't offered any lemon with my Earl Grey.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50As far as presentation goes, as you can see,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55there's a wonderful array of sandwiches, scones and some cakes.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58Now, the scone does look slightly overdone.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02And finally, the bruschetta, don't quite know how that fits in.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Overall, I'll award it a seven out of ten.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Next was the most expensive of the lot,
0:38:08 > 0:38:10a £23 affair from a hotel chain.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13It, too, had a couple of additions Grant didn't approve of,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15including that wrap.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18But its selection of carefully-crafted handmade cakes
0:38:18 > 0:38:20meant he scored it rather better.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23On the downside, I was only offered one sandwich.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26So if you've got a savoury tooth, maybe not a good idea to visit.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28But overall, I would give it a nine out of ten.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Right at the other end of the price scale was a tea from a coffee house
0:38:34 > 0:38:37costing £12.90 a head.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Here Grant DID get more sandwiches, but on this occasion,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42he wasn't impressed.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44It was the worst cup of tea that I've had today,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46and as you can see from the selection in front of me,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50they do offer quite a few bits, but the finger sandwiches, well,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53it puts a whole new meaning into fingered sandwiches.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Overall, I'm sorry to say, that I'll be awarding it a five out of ten.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Perhaps they were just having a bad day.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04But when it came to a £22 tea from one of the city's smarter hotels,
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Grant was purring - mainly.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08The ambience is very traditional,
0:39:08 > 0:39:10and I even noted people dressed up for this experience,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12which is lovely.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15The staff are very friendly, I was served very quickly, and again,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18as you see, there is a wonderful selection in front of me.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21The tea, I must add, was very delicious.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24The downside for me was the china was very commercial,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26the sliced lemon from my China tea,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29it's more like something I'd be putting in my gin and tonic.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31And the tea strainer looked like something
0:39:31 > 0:39:33out of one's Christmas cracker.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35So overall, I'd award it a nine out of ten.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Thanks to its lovely atmosphere and selection of sandwiches,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43that was Grant's favourite of the teas he tried.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47He did attempt to sample another one at a city centre hotel chain,
0:39:47 > 0:39:49but was scandalised by what happened next.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Well, I can safely say I am absolutely shocked.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56It is just gone in there to get my fifth and final tea,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59and they've said that afternoon tea has stopped.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01But it's 4.20pm now,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and traditionally I teach people that tea
0:40:03 > 0:40:05is normally between 4:00pm and 6:00pm.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07So I don't quite know what to say.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Well, that particular establishment told us that,
0:40:11 > 0:40:16though it advertises afternoon tea as served between 2:00pm and 4:00pm,
0:40:16 > 0:40:18it will try to meet requests for tea
0:40:18 > 0:40:21outside of these times with advance notice.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Well, as you know, on this programme,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28we're not in favour of paying more for anything without good reason.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31But Grant did find that, in this particular test,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33he got what he paid for.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37It was the pricier afternoon teas that he enjoyed the most.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40And that's because he says they followed his key principles,
0:40:40 > 0:40:43which are ambience, good service
0:40:43 > 0:40:46and a wonderful array of the correct food.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Then there's the etiquette around how
0:40:48 > 0:40:51a proper afternoon tea should be served.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53And it seems there are quite a few traditions
0:40:53 > 0:40:55that we should observe when tucking into one.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Grant has picked out the three he considers the most important.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Beginning with how to drink the tea itself.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04When it comes to stirring the tea,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06remember it's a back-and-forward motion.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08We're not going to go round in circles
0:41:08 > 0:41:10because we're not creating a mini tsunami.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12When it comes to the etiquette with scones,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15always remember that you place the jam and the cream
0:41:15 > 0:41:17just onto the side of the plate.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19Because we're not trying to create some sort of ghastly sandwich.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23And finally, we come to napkin etiquette,
0:41:23 > 0:41:24and what this means for ladies,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28the crease is away from so you can pick up the corner and dab.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Remember, we dab, we never wipe.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Gentlemen, the crease can be towards you and on your lap.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Chin-chin.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44- GLORIA:- If you have a story you'd like us to investigate
0:41:44 > 0:41:48then do get in touch with us, via our Facebook page...
0:41:49 > 0:41:54..our website is bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain...
0:41:54 > 0:41:56or you can e-mail...
0:41:58 > 0:42:02And, of course, if you want to send us a letter, then our address is...
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Well, that's almost it from us for today,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19but I have to say that doing a shift as a waitress
0:42:19 > 0:42:21really did give me an incredible insight
0:42:21 > 0:42:22into the world of tipping.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26And I can now totally understand why it is that some people do feel
0:42:26 > 0:42:28so strongly about this - and certainly,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30would like to see the rules around
0:42:30 > 0:42:33who actually GETS the money made an awful lot clearer.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35I tell you what, Angela, I would have given you a tip,
0:42:35 > 0:42:37you did that well. And I was really fascinated
0:42:37 > 0:42:40to finally discover just how much some restaurants
0:42:40 > 0:42:42are making on just one bottle of wine.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45I, for one, do not want to be paying a 200% mark-up
0:42:45 > 0:42:48just because it's being brought to me in a restaurant.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51As with tipping, well, I don't know about you,
0:42:51 > 0:42:53but I think it would help us all if the industry
0:42:53 > 0:42:56would sing off the same pricing song sheet on this subject.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58Well, Gloria, here's an idea.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Why don't you ask to wield the corkscrew yourself
0:43:01 > 0:43:04and see if you can't haggle the price down?
0:43:04 > 0:43:06- If I can get away with it. - Could work.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Anyway, remember, our team is keen to hear all your experiences
0:43:09 > 0:43:12on all kinds of topics - not just food -
0:43:12 > 0:43:15for our various programmes coming up throughout the year.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18But in the meantime, thank you so much for joining us today,
0:43:18 > 0:43:19and wherever you're eating out,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22we hope you get the service and the price that you deserve.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- Till next time, from all of us, goodbye.- Bye.- Goodbye.