A café found itself navigating some "drama" after some people took issue with the price of its "beautiful" ploughman's lunch.
The lunchtime treat, priced at £10.45, is served on a board filled with bread, rolls of ham, and wedges of assorted cheeses, as well as salad, grapes, crisps, chutney, coleslaw, and a pot of pickled onions.
Sharing a pic of the meal on Facebook on Sunday, April 23, proud staff at The Secret Garden Tearooms wrote: "Look what our food manager Louise created today. The most beautiful ploughman's you'll ever see. £10.45 per person."
Unfortunately, a number of food lovers took issue with how much the meal cost, arguing that the tearoom was charging more than 10 times the value of the ingredients.
The Secret Garden Tearooms, which is based in Lincolnshire, has since hit back at this assertion. In a follow-up post, café staff reshared pics of the ploughman's, expressing amazement that "a picture of an innocent ploughman's would cause so much drama".
They wrote: "For me, I was proud of the picture my staff member sent me. It meant she was proud of her work and cares about helping to promote us.
"For the most part, people's comments were supportive and encouraging and honestly we appreciate them so much and value all your support.
"The comments about the food costing £1.50 in total were a-little unfair ( I'd like to shop there myself) you're not just paying for the food."
Outlining what customers are actually paying for, they continued: "The food to be delivered. The food preparation staff to make it A waitress to take out. A staff member to wash the pots
"The pleasure of eating out in a nice clean environment and no washing up. Then there's gas, electric, water etc., etc., the list goes on."
On a more positive note, the café has since received more than 6,000 likes as well as messages about bookings "from as far as Ireland", proving that "there's no such thing as bad publicity."
Addressing those who took issue with the price, they concluded: "Ps if our prices and pictures offend you please feel free to unfollow us."
The Secret Garden Tearooms has since received many approving comments, with a number of people praising staff for taking a stand.
One person commented: "Having worked in catering for over 20 years, people really don't understand that you're not just paying for food, you're paying for utilities and labour costs. I think it looks fab and is a lovely light lunch for the warmer weather."
Another declared: "That looks delicious! Lovely presentation that feels special. Crack on and ignore the haters!!"
Do you have a food-related story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
