The Grand Afternoon Tea in York

Hotel is amazing! Wanted to also treat my parents to afternoon tea for her 85th birthday. It cost over £150 for 4 and it was ok. The staff seemed bothered and a bit snooty when you asked for anything. Also the savoury choice wasn’t great, scones tiny and cakes ok. We had a nice time but just not as good as I’d hoped. But if you are staying at the hotel that is lovely!

Really disappointed with the afternoon tea at the Grand, after looking toward to our treat. The one and only sandwich was very dry, tasted of sage, the Turkey seemed to be missing, there were 3 other savory items all tasted like yesterdays batch or been sat out all morning. Scones were warm but by the time we ate them, had gone cold, dry and hard. The patisserie selection looked lovely, the apple strudel pasty was very dry, all but the chocolate mouse was very disappointing. We were not offered another pot of tea, or hot water to top our cold tea up. We had one small plate, for savory, scone and then sweet, should have a clean plate after the savory. There was a 12.5% service charged added to the bill, which we asked for it to be removed. For £44.50 each each item we had £4 ish each really disappointing, we so wanted to enjoy our experience.

We were welcomed by the man on the door and escorted to the restaurant by a member of staff, both very friendly and polite. Again inside the restaurant we were spoken to very nicely and shown to a table. A waitress came over, very pleasant but she spoke so quickly we didn’t catch what she said ! We had a good choice of hot drinks which arrived quickly followed in a few minutes by the food. It all looked nice but seemed a bit of an odd combination of savoury items. I wasn’t keen on most of them unfortunately. I don’t know, they seemed a bit pretentious to me, style over substance really. The scones were nice, warm served with jam, lemon curd and cream. The cakes were ok, cheesecake in particular was yummy. We were asked frequently if we wanted more drinks. The service was pretty good and we were wished happy anniversary. I don’t like the way they add 12.5% on.

This was a first class Afternoon Tea, the service is impeccable, Deol was amazing and extremely professional. I loved the choice selection, it was rather different from your traditional sandwiches, and very delicious.

The afternoon tea was very ordinary and the cakes much too sweet for our taste. Bearing in mind this is a 5 star hotel, not very good really.

Afternoon Tea was served superbly by Ab. Attentive but not intrusive. great attention to detail eg. setting the food stands precisely in line with the others. Making sure we had enough. Boxing up the items that we just could not finish. My gluten free and dairy free selection was very tasty and so varied - an imaginative cook at work.

OK, so I will begin by saying that the room we had our afternoon tea was nice, the table we had was spacious, and the sparkling was lovely. The sandwich fillings were... interesting. But actually really enjoyable. The sweet treats were delicious, and the choice of teas is the real winner here! love the fact they have the story and background about afternoon tea available to read before during and after your food & drink. We left, feeling extremely full, which from an afternoon tea almost never happens. It was quite brilliant really. Service was ok, nothing wrong, but nothing to write home about either. I aren't a fan of seeing waiting staff stood around in a clump chatting in a corner. However, it wasn't like there was loads to do... maybe less staff for a quiet 12.00pm - i dont know.

We traveled from London on 7th April and are staying at The Grand hotel for two nights. Just decided to try the afternoon tea at the hotel - a mistake… No refills! There were 3 types of sandwiches. On requesting a refill, after finishing the thinly-stuffed low quality sandwiches, the very pleasant waiter brought back two more sandwiches and told us that ‘that’s the only ones we can give you.’ When asked why we cannot get more, he explained, ‘We do not do refills’. But we heard other table also requested for more food to a different waiter… This is shocking for us and maybe we should not use our London experiences to judge York? No tea pouring by the staff… (I can live with that and may not pay service charge!) The very pleasant staff used his pen to explain the patisseries, like a conductor… No strainer/filter (this should depend on the type of tea if they use loose tea leaves or tea bags etc) Short staffed We entered the restaurant and were seated at 15.40. However, no one came to us to take the order until 20mins later. (Should have queued at Betty’s tea house for 25mins!) Delicious scones! Fresh and fluffy (yes that is the word I’d like to use) I recommend they come to London or other restaurants to try afternoon tea to observe how good is served, explained, etc

First class all the way. Your afternoon tea is served in The Rise restaurant, beautiful surroundings create an ambient atmosphere. From walking through the main door of the hotel, to sitting at your table, you're treated like nobility, needless to say, the service is exemplary, as for the food, sandwiches, pastries, cakes, truly to die for. A large selection of teas from various parts of the world are available, coffee too if you wish, you can make it more special by adding a glass of champagne or gin, overall, a lovely experience for a special occasion, not that you need an excuse to treat yourself.

Very pleasant waitress , lovely surroundings. BUT , the sandwiches … left a lot to be desired . Hardly any recognisable fillings in all but the smoked salmon and cream cheese. The scones were ok! And cake selection good. All in all disappointing.

Afternoon tea at The Rise was a birthday present and was a lovely way to spend an hour or two on a rainy day in York. Lovely comfortable surroundings and really delicious food - particularly the scones and the bergamot custard tarts which were outstanding! The Earl Grey was exceptional too. There was a lot of food which was a little daunting. However, there was no rush, and we were also given a small box to take leftovers home if we wanted. Maybe re-think the music playlist? Some classic tunes were not given the best covers ever! Finally, I want to give a special mention to our waiter Ash who was attentive, proficient and came over a couple of times to see how we were and to have a little chat without intruding. This was a lovely touch to a very enjoyable afternoon. (Ash needs a pay rise - he is an asset to the hotel!) Thank you.

High tea was very good. There was just the right amount. It was all very fresh and very nicely presented on lovely Royal Worcester china.

Our afternoon tea for my husbands 75th birthday was absolutely amazing. EVERYTHING from our welcome, to the Grand Saloon, the service and of course the tea itself was beyond expectation. The staff went above and beyond to make the experience truly memorable. A huge thankyou to everyone.

I took my mum here for her 70th birthday along with my daughter, which was an incredible experience. Stunning room and excellent service from Roque, who took great care of us. My star was the sausage roll but the food overall was so delicious and we were recommended which teas to try, including an iced tea to start due to the heat. We could not have asked for a better afternoon. Thank you Roque for making the afternoon tea even more special for us!

This was such a lovely way to spend the afternoon. From being greeted by Wayne on the door to the lovely staff in the restaurant to the most amazing afternoon tea, it was perfect. Was especially greatful for the help with my disabled mother, thank you.

From our greeting by the doorman to being escorted to the dining room we felt welcome. Our server Harriet was friendly and efficient and the food was fresh and elegantly served. We were offered more tea whenever we needed it and at no time did we feel rushed. The amount of food was more than sufficient and we were offered a box to take any home if we wished. Any staff we encountered around the building, smiled and said "Hello" which in itself is a novelty nowadays. I remember having afternoon tea with my Grandmother many years ago and this was up to the same standard. All in all a lovely way to spend a special afternoon.

Quite a large group of us attended. We had to wait at least 10 minutes to be seated. The standard of the food was very average. Sandwiches were scantily filled and cakes, as another reviewer noted, seemed to taste rather alike. Expected much better quality as this costs significantly more than other venues.

I took my mum and my sister to have afternoon tea at the grand. I had heard it was excellent and I was expecting that for £150 for three afternoon teas, I thought we would be treated like royalty! Keep in mind that York is...

Had afternoon Tea to celebrate my 50th Birthday. Very disappointed with the service was served our food then left no one offered more drinks or more hot water for our tea. The ventilation system above us dropped dust ever so often as it hadn’t been...

We were staying in the hotel and decided to have afternoon tea as a treat. Lovely setting and staff very friendly and attentive. Food was brought quickly, great presentation and everything tasted delicious. Kids cakes are a nice twist on the adults with chocolate chip...

Average Afternoon Tea. The Grand is a 5 star hotel. Put simply our afternoon tea experience was not 5 star, it was typical of a mid market hotel and an average one at that. On arrival you are greeted by a top hatted doorman, who...

The service was impeccable, waiting staff are friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. The drinks are great, the afternoon tea is pretty and tasty with a good variety. The cakes are delicious and beautiful to look at. The only thing letting the experience down was the really...

A birthday treat of an afternoon tea here was amazing from start to finish. The staff were very welcoming, had time to stop and chat yet the service was very efficient. The afternoon tea was delicious with sandwiches, warmed scones and beautiful cakes. We managed...

If you are looking for excellent service and attention to detail do not go here! We booked Champagne Afternoon Tea. Firstly the glass of bubbles was bought to the table NOT poured in front of you. Breakfast tea was delivered weak and insipid. Returned and...

Our greeting in the impressive foyer was friendly and welcoming. The hotel is very impressive both inside and out and beautifully clean. We were there for afternoon tea. Lovely selection of teas and tempting food menu. The afternoon tea was very attractive in its presentation...

Festive themed food and drinks were a must on our xmas break so the Festive Afternoon Tea at the famous Grand Hotel sounded right up our street. Three courses of winter and xmas inspired food as well as a whole menu of themed cocktails for...

Fabulous afternoon tea in the most glamorous venue. We were greeted and made to feel very welcome by Sabhi who took the most amazing care of us. Our afternoon tea started with champagne as we were celebrating followed by our 3 amuse bouche which were...

Very impressed by the welcome we received at the entrance to the grand, being escorted to the dining room, and the explanation of the menu! Our waiter was very attentive & funny which we enjoyed in such a high end hotel. The food was delicious...

We had afternoon tea at the Grand and it was nice, a good experience a and the attention we received was very good. Perhaps a little bit expensive.

We prebooked here for the scheme, Eat Out to Help Out. This meant our child's afternoon tea was half price and our two had £10 off each. We were told we couldn't swap or change anything which was annoying as the salmon on both plates...

Visited here for Prosecco afternoon tea and it was perfect. The setting is beautiful, what a lovely hotel. We loved how you got the amuse Bouche first and then came the sandwiches and then it was the scones and cakes on a tier. We never...

Had prossecco afternoon tea here and was more than satisfied. It was a lovely, cosy room, very nicely decorated. Staff were very helpful and pleasant (big thank you to Ronny) All of the food was tasty and beautifully presented and latte was very good. I,...

Having been for afternoon tea before the experience exceeded my expectations. Afternoon tea at the Grand has been upgraded with the addition of a three part amuse bouche and moved to the White Rose Lounge which is more intimate and cosy. The service and food were exceptional. Our waiter couldn't have done any more for us. Definitely the best afternoon tea in York by a mile and I would thoroughly recommend.

The food in general was good but it was let down by the overall experience.We had prebooked and as I’m vegan had mentioned this at the time of booking.When the sandwiches arrived one of them had clearly been left out and had on crusty. We mentioned this and as an apology was given a free glass of Prosecco.When the cakes and scones arrived I asked why I’d not got a plain and a fruit scone. The reason they had run out. What’s the point In pre booking if they still can’t deliver what’s on the menu.The service was also a little too relaxed in that I had to grab the waiters attention rather than them checking on tables for drinks and if the food was ok.It really would only take a few things to make this a 5 rating, We will give it another chance but so far it’s not on par with other afternoon teas available in the city.

Wed been staying at The Grand for a few nights, and had been bought a Hendrick's afternoon tea to enjoy during our stay as a surprise. It was such an amazing experience- easily the best afternoon tea I've ever had to date! It was so filling, and we were looked after so well by the staff. We'll definitely be back to repeat the experience in the future.

Tomamos el té de la tarde en el White Rose Lounge (nuevo lugar para Afternoon Tea en The Grand Hotel) para una celebración familiar. Fue una excelente experiencia en todo momento. Todo el personal era muy amable y servicial, y la comida era excelente. Definitivamente volveremos.

Celebré mi cumpleaños en el Grand Hotel con un pequeño grupo, el té de la tarde. El servicio fue muy amable y la comida excelente. Hicieron todo lo posible para ayudarnos con nuestros diversos requisitos dietéticos: teníamos una mezcla de vegana, vegetariana y tradicional en nuestra fiesta y todos estábamos muy contentos.

Having booked, I'd been looking forward to this for weeks but WHAT a disappointment! We've been going to the Grand for afternoon tea periodically for years but it has gone from a real treat to bog-standard at best...The venue:Whilst afternoon tea used to be served in a quiet, cosy room it's now in the hotel breakfast room. This means it's in a loud, echoey room with rows of tables, devoid of any scrap of ambience or atmosphere! Not even a table cloth in sight! The service:Again, this was not the experience we've come to expect. Though we were both wearing dresses the older waiter chose to call us sir and madam, presumably because we both have relatively short hair - it's the 21st century for goodness sake! Beyond this, there were numerous times we said excuse me and staff seemed to catch our eye but never stopped or came over (chatting among themselves by the bar instead). One time when we said the scones felt stale the waiter actually started prodding them with his fingers! At the end, no-one asked us if we'd enjoyed our food or if everything was OK - presumably because they knew it was not and didn't want to acknowledge this!The food:It seemed like nothing was fresh - cold slightly soggy sandwiches (presumably straight from the fridge); dry stale-seeming scones (and again fridge cold when we asked for a replacement); miniscule slice of Xmas cake (not even an inch squared!) and tiny mince pie (smaller than a 50 pence piece!). All in all nothing was very enjoyable or filling and definitely not worth over £50. I am not convinced the jelly in the macaron was vegetarian (as ordered) either.Overall, this has gone from a feeling of 'silver service' luxury to just a conveyer belt of mediocrity. We might as well have just gone to any old tea shop in York for half the price! Gutted - day ruined.

Habíamos reservado el té de la tarde para dos parejas que celebraban un aniversario de bodas, que se mencionó en el momento de la reserva. Teniendo en cuenta que no había mucha gente en el restaurante, nos sorprendió que nos sentáramos en una pequeña mesa redonda. Dos de nosotros tomamos el té de la tarde Champagne y dos de nosotros tomamos el té de la tarde Hendricks. El camarero trajo las tazas de té, pero después de una larga espera, tuvimos que pedir la leche y trajeron una botella pequeña. ¿Llegaron las dos copas de champán pero no parecían ser una medida completa? La ginebra Hendricks estaba bien presentada en una hermosa cafetera con tazas y platillos de porcelana. Debido a que la mesa era muy pequeña, una pequeña mesa auxiliar se colocó entre dos de nosotros para que uno de los té de la tarde pudiera caber. La selección parecía impresionante pero resultó un poco decepcionante. No había mucho relleno en los sándwiches y los bollos estaban secos. En ningún momento durante la comida, ningún miembro del personal vino a preguntarnos si necesitábamos algo o si estábamos contentos. Pedimos dos recargas de champán y una copa estaba llena, pero la otra solo estaba medio llena y a las 17. 50 por vaso tuvimos que pedir que se llenara, lo que no pareció complacer al personal porque tuvieron que abrir otra botella para completar el segundo vaso. El servicio cobrado parecía excesivo teniendo en cuenta que el servicio era casi inexistente. Hemos tenido el té de la tarde aquí muchas veces antes y lo hemos disfrutado, pero en esta ocasión nos decepcionó toda la experiencia.

Genialmente destripado al recibir mi té de la tarde libre de gluten aquí ayer después de haber esperado tanto haber tenido la mejor gf AT aquí hace un año. Los bollos eran absolutamente inaceptables, más bien como galletas desagradables, eran duros con un centro crudo.Muy decepcionados y contados por los camareros que habían cambiado su proveedor desde la última vez que cenamos aquí, lo que francamente me hace sentir (como celíaco) que el precio de costo de sus productos es más importante que la experiencia del cliente. Muy, muy pobre (otros pasteles estaban secos y sin sabor también).Sin embargo, el personal era amable y parecía entender de dónde veníamos y lo compensó con una factura con descuento y delicioso Amaretto Sour.

We had enjoyed an excellent weekend stay at the Grand and enjoyed it very much. I gave the hotel five stars overall and would definitely go back but unfortunately not for the Cream Tea experience. The service was excellent as usual but the meal was only average and at just short of £60 with service Charge, overpriced and certainly not value for money. If I had paid maybe thirty pounds for two I would probably say that would have been better value, especially taking into consideration the location and service. I have given the hotel feedback on suggested improvements to bring it towards five stars in my opinion and I hope they take on board some of the comments. I’ve been truthful and also stated positives where they were present. I will visit the hotel again without a doubt but not for cream tea, unless changes are made.

We were given a Sparkling Afternoon Tea voucher as part of a wedding gift and decided to stay overnight in York for 2 days to make better use of the gift. We were told that The Grand had the nicest Gluten Free menu, which was ideal for my wife. The Grand suggested we telephone a few days in advance with some allergy changes to my wife's Gluten Free requirements. As I am allergic to cucumber, they assured us that they would advise the kitchen of our requests and booked us in for Valetines Day. We always try to pre-book for Gluten Free meals as restaurants offer the food but often run out of supplies when it comes to taking the order.We were seated at our table at 3pm in a very large room. Considering it was Valentines Day we were surprised to find only about 8 couples in the gigantic room. Even more surprised that the people dining next to us were so close, that they might as well have been seated with us. A gentleman came to take our order. I explained that we had already pre-booked but gave him our requirements again of the Gluten Free and cucumber allergies. He assured us that everything would be seen to. A choice of teas was brought to the table. We were sat right next to the bar. There seemed to be quite a lot of staff passing us, (considering the number of guests) as they moved in and out of the bar area. In time, as our pot of tea was getting colder, people who had been seated after us were getting their food. After 30 minutes, a couple who were seated at the same time as us received their sandwiches. We thought ours may be along soon but being Gluten free, perhaps would take a few minutes after the other couple. Then a couple behind us who had been seated for 10 minutes got their Gluten Free sandwiches! We saw no more waitresses for a while. After being seated for 40 minutes, a young waitress came to us and explained that she'd just started her shift and noticed that we'd not dined. She checked with the kitchen and offered their apologies and assured us that the sandwiches would be with us shortly. A whole 20 minutes later they were brought to the table. We'd been sat for over a hour and eventually got some expensive sandwiches and cakes which looked pathetic. The Gluten Free sandwiches looked like they had been made by a 3 year old child, with fillings on the sides of the crusts and sliced into whatever shape they could manage. The bread looked like it had been bought from the reduced shelf of the local corner shop. I wouldn't be surprised that given the lateness, the kitchen staff had gone home and the serving staff had defrosted the bread in the microwave to do their best of a bad job. To make matters worse, I ended up with a cucumber sandwich, which they were told several times I was allergic to! The afternoon was ruined so we didn't stay to eat and asked for the manager. He apologised for the delay and presentation of the sandwiches and asked for the opportunity to some how put right the situation, even though I stated that we would not want to come back at any time to The Grand or it's other sites. They didn't even know who initially served us, if it wasn't for me giving a description. The whole afternoon experience was ridiculous. I get better professional and friendlier service from the village tea rooms at Pickering for £12 served by the delightful teenage granddaughters of the owner. The Grand telephoned to say they had refunded the payment. You would think that they would learn from the poor reviews that are posted on these sights. Probably quite a few more that never bother to complain. I would give them less than 1 star rating if the system allowed.

Four of us had tea with fizz at The Grand after my daughters graduation. The staff were excellent - nothing was too much trouble. The tea was beautifully presented and tasty, and we could sample as many teas and coffees as we wanted, plus were given extra jam and cream when we asked. We had a long lazy afternoon there, in a very relaxed and happy atmosphere. It was a lovely way to celebrate a special occasion.

Treated my mum to afternoon tea here and we had a lovely time. We stayed for almost the allotted two and a half hours! Loved the endless tea and the fact that you can chop and change between blends...important if, like me, you mainline tea and know that a need for Assam eventually softens into a preference for English breakfast! I also noted with interest that several coffees and hot chocolates were also available. I would have preferred more savoury and a bit less sweet (the Grand may wish to consider developing a Gentleman's Afternoon Tea like some other high quality establishments, for those who prefer more sandwich and less cake) but the food was first class, particularly the home made scones. Personally I didn't mind in the least that the jam wasn't home made...it was Tiptree! And strawberry or raspberry and I'm sure others would have been available if required! What's not to like? More generally, the hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas and the outside in particular, with the concierge team in their bowlers and greatcoats, looked like a film set. Just smashing.

My son gave me the gift of Afternoon Tea for Two at this wonderful hotel. It lived up to my expectations, on both quality (and quantity!) of food and exemplary service. From the concierge who warmly greeted us, to the helpful reception staff, the whole experience was memorable and very pleasing. Nothing was too much trouble, the surroundings are beautiful - enhanced by charming Christmas decorations. It is worthy of its Five Star rating. Thank you for a sublime afternoon.

Had pre booked an afternoon tea for a pre Christmas afternoon for my wife and myself. I must say for such a “grand” hotel the whole experience was a disappointing let down. We had afternoon tea in the breakfast dining room which totally lacked any ambiance. No Christmas cheer apart from a few decorations and the setting was so clinical. The food itself was also disappointing with a quite bland choice of sandwiches and sweet offerings. We were not given a run through of the food on offer unlike other tables which was a shame and it was not as if the restaurant was busy. For the money and the hotel rating I would have expected a more relaxing dining experience with perhaps some Christmas music in the background or even a pianist entertaining the hotel visitors. Not what we expected and felt very let down.

As a birthday treat we went to for Afternoon Tea and was not disappointed. Our waiter, sorry I didn't get his name, he was very attentive and made us laugh and was extremely welcoming. They let us mix and match our sandwiches , so instead of egg and cress and salmon we had cheese & chutney and a hummus option that we thoroughly enjoyed. And the sausage roll was amazing! Eat it straight away as best warm! The scones were lovely and warm, a selection of fruit & plain with jam and clotted cream yum! And unlimited coffee, tea and hot chocolate. We opted for the champagne afternoon tea and it was worth every penny! Will definitely return!

Was so looking forward to afternoon tea but wish we hadn’t bothered!Staff very friendly and room was ok but would have been nicer to sit in comfy chairs etc rather than standard restaurant setup. Finger sandwiches just that, very traditional fillings, ok but nothing exciting. I had to ask for one of mine that was missing and then came along later. The scones were a bit hard and crispy, jam came in a bought pot and although this is normally my favourite bit neither of us finished them. Cakes really disappointing - cupcake that you could easily make yourself at home, cheesecake in a pot and choux bun felt hard / stale. Tasted ok but at this price level (£60 for 2 with service charge!) they should provide luxury and proper patisserie i.e. madeleines, macarons, financiers, something much higher level and more interesting. At this price level we have had far, far superior offerings. I wish we had gone to Betty’s or one of the many other options in York but thought we were in for a luxury treat.Decided not to say anything and just chalk this one up to experience.

I enjoyed afternoon tea here with my sisters for an indulgent weekend treat. The hotel restaurant itself is stunning and was made all the more elegant with a live pianist (keyboard) and accompanying singer. Our waitress Harriet was so friendly and made the experience all the more enjoyable, and the endless tea was a very welcomed touch, especially as Harriet informed us that we were able to sample as many different teas as we wished. I opted for the China Rose Petal tea which was superb. The sandwiches were great and the sausage roll was faultless. The scones were very good too and the selection of cakes were tantalising but were just too sweet to finish (and I have a very sweet tooth!). The rose flavour in the rose cupcake, which I was so looking forward to, was so subtle that it was virtually undetectable to my tastebuds. Slightly disappointing on that note but overall very good.

Received this as part of a package deal when staying at the hotel for a Spa break. The quality of the food was OK, however we felt that the ratio of sandwiches to cake was a little bit off. Ideally we would have liked maybe another couple of sandwiches and a smaller amount/size of cake as they were huge. The complimentary fizz was greatly appreciated though.

Had the grand afternoon tea this week. Very disappointing scones more like rock cakes and cakes very average. Tiny choux bun and the cheesecake not great! Vegetarian sandwiches were the only decent part. Service was good and beautiful surroundings but honestly over priced we wish we’d queued for Betty’s

Great room, wonderful food and the most attentive and wonderful service - thanks Harriet for making it a special occasion.

Received a voucher as a present for the Hendricks Gin Afternoon Tea and we were not disappointed. Service was excellent and you were made to feel special and very welcome. The food was fresh, delicious and plenty of tea and hot water refills. If booking for a special occasion, let them know and they will decorate your table with balloons etc.. It is expensive but however for a special occasion well worth the money.

My daughter and I had afternoon tea here today.She had received vouchers as a present and asked me to go with her.We enjoyed every thing we had.It was all well presented, fresh and very tasty.The staff were nice and friendly especially Sahbi who looked after us very well .

I visited with my friend who had received Afternoon tea as a birthday gift.We have both had afternoon tea here before but this occasion was nothing like our previous visits.This time there were no table cloths ,china cups,attractive room or attentive staff.We were shown to a tiny table close to the bar which was very noisy.Three different people were involved in our service,non of whom were attentive and we had to ask for our tea to be replenished after being told earlier that it was unlimited.Staff were busy chatting behind the bar and not focusing on customers.The sandwiches were tiny with little filling.The scones were undercooked and the cakes dry.This experience bears no resemblance to our previous experience and is not value for money.I will not be returning .

Came here for a treat, it was nice, but for the price could be a lot better. Won’t put me off coming again, but will try other places 1st.

Visited yesterday with a friend. My husband bought me a voucher for Grand Afternoon Tea for 2 as a gift. Service & welcome was lovely. Waitress was a bit giddy but attentive. Disappointed lack of atmosphere in restaurant as only 1 other couple. Thought afternoon would be served in a lounge rather than in the restaurant. Everything well presented, Italian coffee lovely. Sausage roll was the highlight served warm it was delicious. Sandwiches fresh but a little more filling would be better. Cakes and scones looked great but especially the scones were only ok. Raspberry cupcake basic bake. Somewhere like Betty’s afternoon tea would outshine The Grand on flavour and would be considerably less expensive.

Wonderful afternoon tea spent watching the Royal Wedding and then sat in the terrace sunshine. Great service and great food. Too many cakes for me, sandwich plate replenished. Champagne to accompany was a perfect way to celebrate Harry and our Meg.

Treated ourselves to afternoon tea and limitless prosecco. What a treat! Staff friendly and the cakes and sandwiches great.

Was given a voucher as a gift for afternoon tea for 3 at The Grand, after reading some of the reviews I was a little bit worried, but after our experience of it today we could not be happier, the service we received from all the staff could not be faulted, they were all very pleasant and nothing was too much trouble. The food was lovely and presented beautifully. Would highly recommend it to anyone visiting York.

Visited for an early afternoon tea. Staff were professional, friendly & attentive. Food was of exceptional quality and there was so much cake we needed a take away box! In all, a very enjoyable experience!

受付にいた女性の案内がとても良く、わくわくした気持ちで席についたが、それ以降のサービスが残念だった。オーダーした黒人の男性は笑顔もなく、受け答えも適当、サーブされた食事も特別感は特になし…ロンドンでアフタヌーンティーをした際とても素敵だったので、どうしても比較してしまうのがよくないのですが、もう行かないかな…お会計も違うテーブルのを出されて最後まで適当なかんじでした。時間の都合で滞在していたホテルのアフタヌーンティーにしましたが、他のところにすればよかったです。

Came here with friends for the free flowing Prossecco afternoon which was advertised on facebook. The sandwiches, scones and cakes were amazing, such good taste and more than enough food that we couldn’t eat it all. The service was great and at no point did we have an empty glass, the Prossecco just kept coming. There was also lots of choice of tea. Well worth a visit, i will be back.

We visited as a hen group, some had afternoon tea and others lunch menu. Food was delicious, however part of my lunch menu order was missed off and brought after everyone had finished eating and soup was cold. Service was good, but not to the standard expected.

My daughter bought afternoon tea for my 70th birthday. From the beautiful gift box the voucher arrived in and from the title of the hotel being grand and 5star we were anticipating a wonderful experience. Not so however. We checked in at reception and were taken to the bar area for a drink. After 15 minutes someone came to take our order for drinks after a further 15 minutes elapsed before we received these. Having told reception that we were booked for afternoon tea we were surprised we were brought a lunch menu. The waiter who brought the menu enquired why we hadn't yet received our drinks and went to find the person who had taken the order. There was no further contact with us until we finally went to find where we were to be seated for tea the situation of which left a lot to be desired. We have taken afternoon tea in many venues and were expecting linen tablecloths and fine china. What we found was more akin to a cafe/bistro setting. Having explained dietary requirements on booking the waiter had no knowledge of these when he took the order. Tea finally arrived 20 minutes later and what a disappointment. Only 3 finger sandwiches each with very little filling. The selection of cakes were also disappointing the only redeeming feature were the scones. Service was practically non existent the staff were more concerned with chatting to each other and moving tables around us. There was no ambience which we have come to expect in 5star establishments. Extremely poor value for money and this is not an establishment which we will be visiting or recommending in the future.

A bit of a let down in all honesty - I have had much better afternoon teas for a lot less money. It was very quiet as it was a Monday afternoon, however, one elderly couple did leave as they got fed up waiting for their food!

We were here for a post-wedding afternoon tea, and it was a great experience. The tipsy gin tea was really fun - and I've been trying to get my hands on a gin teapot ever since!! The sandwiches were amazing, but the highlight was the sausage rolls. So good! It was a wonderful and special experience.

I had the Hendricks afternoon tea. Food was good but spoilt by slow service, inattentive staff and a freezing cold restaurant (guests sitting in coats at tables!)Very difficult to get more drinks as staff too busy chatting amongst themselves and avoiding eye contact. Somewhat surprised to then find a 12.5% service charge automatically added to the bill when we finally had to get up and go and find a member of staff to bring us the said bill!Pleasant food but very average experience.

We had a great time having afternoon tea Our server Sahbi was superb, chatty friendly,made us laugh and feel welcome Lovely food & the Earl grey tea was gorgeous. Expensive but worth it for a treat

We came here for afternoon tea just to chill before getting the train home, it was brilliant we went for the special gin afternoon tea which was served in a teapot filled with gin and tonic. It was a brilliant idea a great twist and a really quirky way to do it. The food was lovely the coffee was also wonderful, there wasn’t too much which I sometimes find there is with this activity. The staff were most friendly and very professional. They gave great advice on what to go for and gave you just little bits of information which was nice they really made an effort. There was a young lady singing and playing guitar in the corner which was cool although she didn’t need to be plugged into an amp which was a little irritating as she was a bit too loud but that is my only complaint, she was good tho. You could take anything you didn’t eat away wit you which was also good and the hotel it’s self is beautiful. Overall a very good afternoon tea.

We visited on Sunday for gin afternoon tea, service was amazing and afternoon even better. Definitely will be back and will recommend to friends and family.

What a wonderful afternoon tea - It has made tea a 'grand' affair once more. You can easily imagine these formal afternoon teas being served in this same location for the last hundred years. Indeed some of the ingredients may still be very similar to what was served in the grand old Edwardian days ? Excellent choice of sweet and savoury with veggie options. They do provide a boxed service if you have any cake delicacies you may be unable to eat at the time of Visit. - you do get alot and so this is a great idea. Pricing is top end but it is a quality afternoon tea experience. Staff were lovely.

Loved afternoon tea here. Very posh and beautiful. Would certainly go back. Christmas treat. Great atmosphere

We visited The Grand Hotel for an afternoon tea on a girlie weekend in York. We arrived early and were seated by the bar until our table was ready, whilst we were waiting we ordered a cocktail which was one of the best cocktails I have ever had. We were then seated and ordered our afternoon tea, which was delicious. The bar and waiting staff were very friendly, professional and efficient. However there was one thing that did spoil our time at The Grand Hotel and that was who we think was the restaurant manager (did not get his name). Not only did he fail to smile the whole time we were in the restaurant he then proceeded to give a few members of staff a very loud, violent telling off in front of a room full of customers. It stopped us mid conversation and also the tables around us. We left feeling very sorry for the staff (in our eyes faultless) who had to work under this very rude man.

We arrived on Saturday 14th October for afternoon tea for two. We were greeted warmly and shown to our table. After waiting 15 minutes for somebody to take our order (it was 3:30pm on a Saturday afternoon and most of the other patrons had finished eating and wears leaving so there was only 4 other tables in use) we eventually had our order taken, a further 10 minutes until our drinks arrived. Then our afternoon tea arrived. We had to beg for our unlimited tea supply to be refilled. When it came it was Luke warm and felt like somebody else's pot just refilled. Nobody seemed to want to serve us - just more concerned about setting the tables for night service. The food was nice - but not what we were expecting and the service was appalling. The only good service we had was when we were shown to our table, after that it went down hill. What most upset me was that this was meant to be a birthday treat, instead we were left disappointed, and won't be recommending this to anybody.Be aware when they box up your left overs you don't get everything on the tray!We asked where the rest rooms were located - we got pointed into the direction of the spa and told to go in there.

Overall this was a nice afternoon tea within the hotel's restaurant. The sausage roll with cranberries and the scones were the highlights. Lots of sweet options so we were offered a container to take these away as we couldn't quite finish them all then and there. We asked for some further hot water which unfortunately turned up lukewarm. However, the staff were friendly and attentive. Arguably slightly expensive compared to other afternoon teas which we have experienced in the South of England but as an overall experience whilst staying at the Hotel it is recommended.

Over 3 years ago I gave you top marks. Since then I ve partaken in lots of top afternoon teas ... a fair few in Dubai where it has to be said prices are steeper than normal in the UK but not much compared to The GrandOur party was primarily interested in a long overdue catch up .. that was fabulous . The food and overall experience was woeful . I am a seasoned Afternoon Tea goer. I have never had in a 5 star hotel .. again been privileged to visit quite a few, experienced service from staff who are non plussed at quite simple requests . If you want to add 12.5% service it is expected that service is top notch . It was not So I don't eat pastrami .. but I like smoked salmon .. in fact I like it quite a lot , however as it was seemingly impossible to get salmon without the pastrami .. after saying it was nt possible to have vegetarian without ordering, that's what I got . So no salmon for me Cakes were decent Rye bread was a poor choice chef.. with emmental a guerkin slice, maybe the pastrami would have helped . It was dry and like cardboard. I seriously suggest you eat this tomorrow and then revise the menu The vegetarian , no salmon half bagel with 2 fat slices of skin on indigestion inducing cucumber were not only unimaginative they were very boring. The pastry was ok The scones were not light .. they tasted of baking powder .. the jam was ok but not home made .. a choice of raspberry or raspberry .. Mm lazy Cakes.. most of our were boxed up .. they were the best bit but being honest they were also a bit lazy ,. They were not top notch patisserie . If you want to see this head to Malton ... 2 excellent patissers to learn from.Sorry to be writing such a poor review .. did we complain no .. the best bit apart from a great girls catch up was the ladies where thankfully MB remains the soap of choice There are much better afternoon teas in York .. it will be interesting to see if you reply as you did when I complimented you

We had the Sparkling Afternoon Tea at The Grand this week and mainly enjoyed this although a selection of finger sandwiches would have been more traditional and preferable alongside the cakes and sweet things which were very nice. Service was fairly good, the waiter was polite and knowledgeable and quite attentive. The venue we thought was quite large and we sat in a row of small tables where afternoon tea was served amongst people having lunch or just having drinks. It was very busy there and quite a thoroughfare for restaurant and bar staff walking back and forth most of the time. I think serving afternoon tea would be better placed in a small area set aside where it would be quiet and more tranquil.

Didnt want to write this here however after contacting the hotel directley and having emails from 2 people saying they would contact me and nothing i suppose theyve already proven what my email said.I have been visiting The Grand for years, its my go to place for friends and families birthdays. I order a bottle of fizz, I bring them for the best afternoon tea in York. Silverware, large tables, linen, no rushing, smart knowledgeable staff and the ambiance of the beautiful room. NOT ANYMORE..... your left in the bar even though youve checked in to remind them 15 mins after you booking your still here. The new Cafe!!!! Has tiny tables , they pack you in so your almost sitting on the people next to you. The staff are young and cant answer questions about the simplist of things and then they forget you. The chefs lean over and just stare out into the cafe. We ran out of milk, the tea was cold, we could not get anyones attention. I wanted it to be special for my sisters Birthday. She lives away so never had the opportunity to bring her before. My parents even said she will love ot, its elegant and quiet and the service is simply amazing. Well not anymore, its noisy, its far from elegant amd luxurious anymore and if I had known it was goung to be that horrible I would have spent my £100 on something much better for my sisters special day. I could have gone to a spa day with afternoon tea thrown in somewhere. I did conract the hotel and was told they would rather speak to me in person TWICE but never heard back from them. The Grand isnt Grand anymore

I wish I had taken the recent reviews into account when booking this for my Mums birthday as they are accurate. I've eaten many afternoon teas before and can honestly say this is the worst experience I've ever had for a ridiculous price. When I say ridiculous price what I mean is value and quality for money - I'd be prepared to pay the price if it was worth it, this is most certainly not. It was boasted to us at the start that everything was home made, it's a shame that it didn't taste as fresh as it was made to sound. I'll start with the odd choice of sandwiches from the classic afternoon tea menu - pastrami, cheese and gherkin on a rye bread?! Bizarre. I've got a varied palet but when you think of Afternoon tea, these kind of sandwiches don't come to mind. It was tasteless and looked quite sad on a thin bit of bread. The cream cheese and salmon bagel was as tough as old boots along with the scones served. The sausage roll was tasty enough but the savoury pastry tart was totally unmemorable and tasteless. The cakes were probably the half decent part although again, I've had far better quality elsewhere. Service seemed attentive to start with but as soon as food was served (which was almost 5 minutes after ordering, making me think they had these entire stands plated up well in advance & waiting around in a dry environment) it was very difficult to get someone's attention. The tea was not hot enough and again it took us an age to get someone's attention for another round of the 'unlimited tea' - I say 'unlimited' because I felt we were ignored for service once the food had arrived. We asked for the bill and to add insult to injury an £11 service charge was put on the it. I will tip when I feel it is necessary - afternoon tea is not really an occasion where I would feel the need to do so. I was utterly disgusted that this had been put on the bill, let's not forget the fact that it was £30.50 per person for a sparking afternoon tea (this choice obviously included prosecco) it's certainly not cheap and the quality is not reflected in the price. It's embarrassing to ask for this to be removed and a customer should not be made to feel like this. I feel that the whole ordeal was a very poor experience when we were there to celebrate a birthday. A word of advice to anyone reading, do some further searching around York and you will for sure find a better venue to enjoy a proper afternoon tea! Don't waste your money here!!! It's a real shame because we came here a few years back before it was in the rise restaurant and everybody I was with thoroughly enjoyed it. We shall not return.

Had many a afternoon tea in the past few years and on paper this promised to be up there with the best ! Boy was we wrong !!The whole experience was very poor from the " travel lodge " surroundings to the " non existent " service , and as for the food , well if you can call food a half empty quiche pastry , a hard dry bagel and a inedible sandwich !!!My recommendation is to AVIOD this at all costs , and just to add insult to the whole experience the advertised cost of £25.50 per person didn't include vat Buyer beware !!!!

Oh wow. What a fabulous afternoon. We had booked for 2 pm and all of a sudden it was 4.45pm and there was still food on the stands. To absolutely fantastic staff to superb service ,to a fabulous afternoon tea. Nothing was too much trouble and our waitress was a joy. Not once did she stop smiling.The savouries, the sandwiches, the scones and the cakes were delicious. The sweet potato and chorizo veloute was to die for.We will definitely return in the not too distant future. Thank you so much

We had a fantastic afternoon tea at The Grand, made incredibly special by the waiter, Sahbi. He provided the most memorable and attentive service, even staying 20 minutes after he finished to ensure that our experience was amazing. He went above and beyond what we expected and showed us such great service that we will be returning and recommending to all! He is a real asset to The Grand! The afternoon tea itself was superb, and very different from most. We fancied a change from Betty's and it did not disappoint. The taste of everything was amazing (even the bits we expected to enjoy slightly less on arrival were incredible!). It was a very varied selection of savoury bits and the cakes were different from the classics you'd expect from afternoon tea, and all delicious! It was £25.50 a head and so worth it for such a special experience and delicious food.

Afternoon tea completely overrated. Surrounds feels like Travel Lodge. Service tried its best but rock hard scones, half empty quiche, and sandwiches tired and inadequate are difficult to make a fuss over.On checking my receipt looks like I've been overcharged. Telephoned today to enquire, but still waiting for them to ring me back as promised.Won't be returning.

It's a shame to give such a bad review when actually when it came, the food was quite good, but the delay was not in keeping with a Greasy Spoon never mind a hotel with a 5* rating. We were booked for a tea at 13.30 (pre paid £10 per person), orders for tea started at around 2.15 - a few people asked for the vegetarian tea - apparently that has to be pre-booked, but this was not mentioned when booked - took about 15 mins to confirm that the 5* chefs, who you would expect to cook from fresh,could take the meat out of a sandwich! So, now around 2.30 ish, orders were taken for tea...tea arrived about 10/15 mins later; waitress was clueless as to what anyone had ordered but it didn't matter, it was cold anyway! Milk arrived, after further requests, about 5 mins after so we got to add cold milk to cold tea - lovely! The tea was so strong you could stand in it. Still no sign of food though. Our party, apart from the veggies (who should have pre-ordered apparently), had a few non dairy/butter eaters - no matter, this 5* eatery cannot cope with these fussy types - they either eat what's on the menu or pay £25.50 and eat sod all.Requests for boiled water to heat up and weaken the tea took about 20 mins to arrive and then it was luke warm. Requests for a second cup of tea, never arrived. The food itself was very nice, if you're not expecting actual sandwiches, and the cakes were nice. I didn't eat the scones but was reliably informed they were like rock cakes...Our 1.30 tea eventually finished when we got fed up waiting for hot tea around 4.15 - 3 hours of my life I will never get back for a nice pastrami/pickle sandwich and a v nice sausage roll.Our host complained and did get a decent discount but this was the start of her hen party, you don't get that time back and you don't go to an over priced 5* location for service McDonald's would be embarrassed of.

The staff are the best I've ever experienced, from front of house, bar staff, waiting staff and management they were all superb. They all made such a fuss of our two young girls too and made us all feel so welcome. We had 2 adult afternoon teas and 2 children's afternoon teas and they were breathtaking. We all really enjoyed them and the setting and the feeling of indulgence made for a special treat.

Our party of four enjoyed everything about this afternoon tea, it was a wonderful and relaxing experience. The variety of food was excellent with some lovely variations on the standard afternoon tea offerings. The staff were friendly and attentive and the surroundings lovely. Will definately repeat the experience.

Having been lucky enough to spend a night here last year I decided to revisit for afternoon tea and glad I did. The service is excellent, variety of food great with some little twists to classics eg sausage roll with fennel.The 2 staff that served us were polite without being intrusive and we didn't feel rushed so were able to enjoy at our leisure. Lovely afternoon spent.

My daughter booked afternoon tea at the Grand as a Mother's Day present for when we were spending a few days in York. It was a wonderful experience. The Grand is a beautiful hotel and the ambience was perfect. It was a pleasant surprise to have something different from sandwiches, the smoked salmon bagel was lovely and the little tartlet and sausage plait were very tasty. The scones were warm and melt in the mouth and the selection of little cakes was nice and plentiful. As a non tea drinker I was pleased to find a good selection of coffees and it was nice to have a little pot of coffee rather than just a cup. There was gentle mood music playing in the background and it was extremely relaxing. The staff were attentive but discreet. Would definitely go back again. A few people had mentioned Betty's tearooms to us so we went to have a look - what a disappointment, an extremely crowded, noisy cafe on a corner in the middle of town, it was like sitting in a fish bowl with shoppers walking past peering in - The Grand was definitely a much better choice for afternoon tea.

Visited here today (5th April) for afternoon tea. Staff were fantastic. Really accommodating for my 9month old nephew and really good with him. My mum is gluten free and she really enjoyed her selection of sandwiches and cakes. So much cake, didn't leave hungry. Had to box some up to take away. Good value for money. Will be back.

Loved the savoury selection with this afternoon tea. Plenty to eat and you don't even have to ask for boxes to take home what you can't manage. Friendly service. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make sure there is plenty of hot water to go with the tea as it gets very strong and cools quickly

Went here for a hen party so was a very large group, first impressions were not disappointed, the room was clean and well designed. There were two actors playing the hatter and the white rabbit, who were superb and really made the atmosphere. The tea was served with a scone, and the main food was buffet style so could eat as much as you wanted. There was plenty of sandwiches which were replenished as necessary, and more sweet treats than you could imagine, which is what I went for! But if you can't eat them all you may take the rest with you in a doggy bag. We had different needs within the group but all the vegetarians and a gluten free diets were meet, and didn't miss out on anything being served. A great afternoon had and would definitely be going back.

Not balanced , no sandwiches, too many very sweet caked . No one in the rstaurant could finish their afternoon tea . S why serve so much . Serve what people can eat and charge less . Too much waste

The afternoon tea itself was very tasty, although there were a lot of sweet items - would have preferred a bigger selection of savoury food. We ended up not quite finishing it, we were absolutely stuffed. The atmosphere and setting is really nice, the staff were so courteous and polite it was a real treat!

Included in our reservation but at just short of £50 for 2 may be a bit expensive, but it was very nice, salmon bagel, pork pie, tart, 2 scones each with jam and cream, coffee or tea, and then 4 cakes each, you may require a doggy bag. Champagne was also available but cost a bit more.

We visited without a reservation and were able to take afternoon tea in the well appointed tea room. Lovely starched cloths and napkins, delicate china, good service ensuring an enjoyable unplanned outing. The savoury items were all different, not just sandwiches, the scones were light and warm, and the individual blackcurrant cheesecake was divine. Pastries were tasty too.

Average level of cake making and certainly not the patisserie we expected from a 5* hotel! No sandwiches, and very poor quality of scones with very little clotted cream. I have had far better quality afternoon tea in London for less money. Would recommend you don't waste your money going to the Grand.

We did the tea service our first afternoon in York and thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was well presented and delicious (could not finish it). The service was exceptional and the room was decorated for Christmas so it was just lovely.

Decided to do this for my 50th birthday. Looks amazing when you walk in and the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit greet you take you for walks around. They banter with you the whole time, making it a fun exoerience for the whole family. Once seated you have a mini "drink me" drink in the tables and you are offered tea, coffee, juice and water all included in the price. This is where I think it needs changing. I have given it 5 stars as it was definately worth 5 stars but this would improve it. We were brought warm scones before sandwiches. The sandwiches were added to the "Buffet table" with the cakes. Personally I would have liked a selection of sandwiches on the table first. Then the scones then extras on the buffet table if needed. Instead as soon as our warm scones were delivered (we were the last almost everyone else had eaten their by the time ours arrived) the Mad Hatter did his opening ceremony and everyone rushed to the Buffet of sweets and chocolates. Everything we tasted was lovely although personal tastes some were to rich for some and not others. Which to me means a good selection for everyone. The Mad Hatter and White Rabbit left for a bit while people were eating then came back to continue to fun and amuse us. All in all a good afternoon tea.

I booked to have Afternoon Tea with my mum as a treat for my 30th birthday, due to having a delicious Afternoon Tea at the hotel last year. This was booked a week in advance and as there were a couple of items on the menu which I didn't like, the staff member at the time of booking confirmed they would swap these two items (in this case a different sandwich filling and a chocolate brownie instead of a date sponge). On arrival I was informed the menu, as of the 1st December, had changed to a 'festive edition', which at the time of booking was not even mentioned. Everything on this new menu, I absolutely hated (mince pies, Christmas Pudding cheesecake and figs) and had I known this would be the only choice available I would certainly not have booked. The staff member serving us was from the start extremely flustered and expected to serve six other tables whilst trying to sort out the issue I had with the menu. It was extremely obvious they were short staffed. After forty minutes he finally came back and told us the chef could 'sort something out'. As this was booked a week in advance for my 30th birthday I did not feel as though 'sorting something out' was anywhere near good enough and was made to feel like an inconvenience. To try and smooth things over he asked if we wanted a complimentary glass of Prosecco - I was driving so declined but I asked for one for my mother. Another twenty minutes passed and the staff member had not even taken our order for tea. During this time we had also found a dirty spoon on the table. We never did see the glass of complimentary glass of Prosecco and eventually my mother had to ask the staff member if he would like to know what tea we were having. This service was completely unacceptable for any hotel, never mind a 5* establishment. When the Afternoon Tea arrived it certainly looked like the chef had 'sorted something out'. The sandwiches were crispy and curled up, the clotted cream for the scones was still frozen and two of my substituted cakes were actually part of a sponge cake which had been clumsily hacked in half with some cream piped on the top. The presentation was appalling (it came on two trays which meant the table was so full me and my mum couldn't even see each other!) and the quality of the food disgusting. My mum who had decided to have the festive menu also complained the food was dry and tasteless. I couldn't eat much of what I was given as it was so foul. Eventually our waiter returned and said his manager would speak with us. We were asked if we would like to go somewhere more private but because the hotel was quite busy we had the conversation in the main corridor! I detailed how upset I was by the whole experience, my 30th birthday celebration had been ruined. The manager said there would be no charge for the afternoon tea and he would contact me by email in the next 48 hours to offer me a voucher to come back for another afternoon tea at my leisure. I am still waiting to hear from him and the fact a complaint has not been dealt with 48 hours later, considering the circumstance, shows exactly how much The Grand Hotel value their customers. They may not have charged us for the Afternoon Tea which was brought to us on Saturday, however the hotel clearly have no idea how much upset they have caused in that they have ruined a 30th birthday experience, which is time I cannot get back. Furthermore, they have no interest in trying to redeem their failures which they have demonstrated by failing to follow up a complaint within the agreed timescale. Before this Saturday I was saving up to stay at this hotel for a weekend away next year, however I am glad I have seen their true colours before I experienced an even bigger disappointment at a much larger expense.