Free afternoon tea menu template
Updated 20 October 2026
Copy the free afternoon tea menu template below, fill in your sandwiches, scones, cakes and teas, set a price per person, and print it on A5 or A4, or make it in our free menu maker and download a PDF. It's laid out the way UK tearooms and hotels sell afternoon tea: three tiers, a price per person and for two, an upgrade to a glass of fizz, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions that need notice. It also covers the measure to state for sparkling wine and the allergens that come with every tier. Then take bookings and pre-ordered afternoon tea boxes online.
In short
- Price per person and say what's included: "£[__] per person, with a pot of tea; with a glass of prosecco £[__]".
- Sparkling wine by the glass has no legal measure, unlike still wine (125ml, 175ml and multiples), so state the measure you pour.
- Allergens on every tier: gluten (bread, scones), milk (butter, clotted cream), eggs (egg mayonnaise, cakes), and often fish (smoked salmon) and mustard.
- Afternoon tea eaten in is standard-rated at 20%. A cold afternoon tea box to take away is different; see the VAT note below.
Make this template in the free menu maker
| Setting | Afternoon tea card |
|---|---|
| Design | Fine dining, Café or Classic |
| Size | A5 (the A4 layout printed smaller), or A4 for a two-page tea menu |
| Currency | £ |
| Sections | Sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries, teas, upgrades |
| Foot line | Allergy notice, booking and notice for dietary versions |
In the printable menu maker, paste one line per item. Lines without a price become section headings, so the tiers can be listed without prices and the per-person price goes at the top as its own line ("Afternoon tea per person 32.00").
Copy-ready afternoon tea menu template
AFTERNOON TEA AT [YOUR VENUE] £[__] per person · with a glass of [prosecco or champagne] ([125]ml) £[__] per person Served [days], [times]. Booking required. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions with [48] hours' notice.
SANDWICHES Cucumber and cream cheese (V) · Egg mayonnaise and cress (V) · [Smoked salmon] · [Ham and mustard]
SCONES Plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam (V)
CAKES AND PASTRIES [Victoria sponge] · [Lemon tart] · [Macaron] · [Seasonal cake]
TEAS (one pot per person, refills on request) English breakfast · Earl Grey · Peppermint · [Your blend]
UPGRADES Glass of [prosecco] ([125]ml) · £[__] · Bottle to share · £[__]
Food allergies or intolerances? Please tell us when you book. Every tier contains gluten, milk and egg unless you've ordered a free-from version. (V) vegetarian · Prices include VAT.
For two. Many tearooms print "£[__] for two" next to the per-person price; make sure the arithmetic matches, or say it's a different deal.
UK rules an afternoon tea menu should follow
| Topic | Rule | On the menu |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkling wine measure | No specified quantity by the glass in UK weights and measures law | State it: "Glass of prosecco (125ml)" |
| Still wine by the glass | 125ml, 175ml and multiples; in England and Wales a 125ml glass must be available and shown | "Wine 125ml / 175ml" |
| Prices | Including VAT; prices displayed at or near the entrance (Price Marking (Food and Drink Services) Order 2003) | Per-person price at the top |
| Allergens | All 14, in writing or with a sign to ask | Allergy notice plus a matrix; make one with the allergen chart maker |
| "Gluten-free" | Only claim it if you can prevent cross-contamination | "Gluten-free version on request" with notice |
| Service charge | Discretionary, as prominent as prices; all of it goes to staff | Foot line, if you add one |
VAT. Afternoon tea served in your tearoom is a supply in the course of catering, standard-rated at 20%. A box to take away is mostly cold food, which is generally zero-rated, but hot drinks and some items such as chocolate-covered biscuits are standard-rated, so a box sold at one price may need its VAT split between rates. Ask your accountant, and see VAT on takeaway food. Price a tier from its ingredient cost with the menu price calculator.
Take bookings and afternoon tea boxes online
- Table bookings (Lite). Guests book a date, a sitting and the number of people from your Menuthere menu. See table booking.
- Boxes that need notice (Lite). Sell an afternoon tea box for collection and set the notice it needs, such as two days, so customers can only pick a time you can bake for. See dishes that need notice.
- Dietary versions. Add a required choice, "Standard, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free", and tag the 14 allergens on each version.
Afternoon tea peaks on Mothering Sunday (7 March 2027) and around Christmas; plan them with the Mother's Day menu template and the UK restaurant marketing calendar. More layouts: café menu template and all UK menu templates.
FAQs
Is this afternoon tea menu template free?
Yes. Copy the layout into Word or Google Docs, or make it in the free menu maker and download a PDF, with no sign-up or watermark.
What's the difference between afternoon tea and high tea?
In the UK, afternoon tea is the light, tiered tea of sandwiches, scones and cakes. High tea traditionally means a more substantial early-evening meal. Many venues use the terms loosely, so describe what's included.
What measure should I state for a glass of prosecco?
UK law sets no measure for sparkling wine by the glass, so state the one you pour, such as 125ml. Still wine by the glass must be 125ml, 175ml or multiples.
Is afternoon tea standard-rated for VAT?
Eaten in your tearoom, yes, at 20%. A takeaway box of mostly cold food is treated differently: cold food is generally zero-rated, but hot drinks and some items are standard-rated.
Can customers pre-order an afternoon tea box online?
Yes, on Menuthere's Lite plan. Set the box to need notice, such as two days, and customers choose a collection time you can bake for.
Sources (5)
- GOV.UK, Weights and measures: the law: specified quantities ("There are no specified quantities for sparkling wine or yellow wine by the glass"; still wine 125ml, 175ml and multiples): gov.uk/weights-measures-and-packaging-the-law/specified-quantities (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- The Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010, Schedule para 4 (125ml wine available and shown): legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/860/schedule (accessed 11 Oct 2026 for the live UK menu-templates hub)
- The Price Marking (Food and Drink Services) Order 2003, article 7: legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2253 (accessed 11 Oct 2026, as above)
- HMRC, VAT Notice 709/1 (on-premises consumption standard-rated; cold takeaway food; hot drinks): gov.uk/guidance/catering-takeaway-food-and-vat-notice-7091 (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- FSA, Allergen guidance for food businesses (updated 17 July 2026; 14 allergens; no gluten-free claims if cross-contamination can't be prevented): gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses (accessed 20 Oct 2026)