No sweet spot: Wimbledon fans say self-service Pimms lacks punch
No sweet spot: Wimbledon fans say self-service Pimms lacks punch
Cameron HendersonThu, July 9, 2026 at 6:48 PM UTC
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A tennis fan drinks from a glass of Pimms at Wimbledon - Shaun Brooks/CameraSport via Getty Images
Pimm’s has long been the drink of choice at Wimbledon for tennis fans trying to cool off in the summer heat.
But for the first time, tournament-goers hoping to skip the queues are being asked to pour the drink for themselves.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) is trialling self-service Pimm’s machines at the Tea Lawn beneath Centre Court.
Visitors place up to four cups pre-filled with ice and a small garnish of fruit beneath a nozzle before choosing their order on a digital screen.
Despite doing all the work themselves, guests must still pay the full price of £13.45 and have been left disappointed by the cost, and the minimalist fruit garnish on offer.
Rod Gatsby, 50, from London, said: “It’s pretty expensive for no strawberries.”
When The Telegraph visited on Thursday afternoon, a queue of more than 30 people waited up to 10 minutes to be served by the three machines, which are designed to be more efficient than a human bartender.
Each glass was loaded up beforehand by staff with half a glass-worth of ice, two slices of cucumber, half an orange segment and a single mint leaf.
A waitress said they did not add strawberries as they “take a lot more time to prepare”.
A spectator carries trays of Pimm’s at Wimbledon - Matthias Hangst/Getty Images
Lesley Carr, 69, from Maidenhead, said: “It’s quite pricey for what it is, given it’s self-serve, and very little fruit.”
Estelle Hutchinson, 32, from Winchester, said: “It’s the drink that’s most Wimbledon-esque,” adding: “It’s nice on a hot day but it’s quite a lot of money.”
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The price of a glass of Pimm’s at Wimbledon is £13.45 at this year’s tournament – up £1.20 from 2025 – with the AELTC blaming the increase on inflation.
The trial also includes Stella Artois machines serving the regular lager, and a limited-edition strawberries and cream version.
The drinks machines mark Wimbledon’s latest foray into automated purchases after introducing “frictionless” payments at a snack shop inside the Walled Garden Larder last year.
The technology allows customers to tap as they enter the shop then it scans their movements as they remove items from the shelves, meaning they can leave with their purchases without queuing.
The innovation cut queueing times to get into the shop by 75 per cent on the previous year, and has since become a permanent fixture.
However, the replacement of bar staff with automated self-serve drinks machines has left some spectators hankering for a more human touch.
Sipping sceptically through his cardboard straw, Tim Jowitt, 78, from Arundel, said: “It’s automated, so it’s not really a Pimm’s at Wimbledon. It feels a bit cheap, to be honest.”
The queue for the automated Pimm’s machine stood alongside a far shorter queue for jugs of Pimm’s served by Wimbledon staff.
Luke Sieger, 52, from St Albans, who came to watch the tennis with his wife and eldest son, said he was drawn to the regular Pimm’s queue for the sense of occasion.
“Apparently the machine is colder, but I’d rather have the human touch,” he said. “I’m here for an event and an occasion so I’d much rather be served by a human than a machine.”
The AELTC was approached for comment.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
