Spectators at Wimbledon experienced an unexpected perk this week when a printing error at the Centenary Brasserie resulted in large glasses of white wine being offered at half their intended price. The All England Club has continued to honor the mistaken prices while new menus are printed.
The error affected two types of large 250ml glasses of white wine. A Piquepoul/Terret Blanc, Les Caves Richemer, France, was listed at £6.95 instead of its correct price of £15.95. Similarly, a Thirsty Birds Chardonnay from England was also sold at the reduced price.
Customers noticed the discrepancy, with one diner reporting that the brasserie initially tried to charge the full price before correcting the bill after a delay. A waitress confirmed that the menu issue had been ongoing and that starters were also not listed on the menu. "The prices should be around £14 for a big glass but it takes too much time to explain to people [why there is a different price]," a staff member stated, adding that new menus were expected the following day.
Michelle Dite, head of Operations at Wimbledon, acknowledged the error, noting that while the club prides itself on attention to detail, mistakes can occur across its multiple dining outlets. "We have a lot of menus around the place, and we pride ourselves on detail, but you know we've got hundreds of chefs, hundreds of restaurants, we've got multiple outlets, so there's always some little things that [are missed]," she told the Daily Mail. Staff have been serving the wine at the discounted price while awaiting updated menus.
The Centenary Brasserie, located overlooking Court 11, is one of Wimbledon's popular dining venues, offering both a casual brasserie and a more upscale restaurant. This pricing anomaly provided a rare moment of financial relief for attendees, who are otherwise facing steep prices for food and beverages at the Championships. A glass of Pimm's, for instance, costs £13.45, an increase of £1.20 from the previous year, and a serving of strawberries and cream is now £2.85. A pint of Stella Artois is priced at £8.95, with other beers and ciders around £8.90.