Instead of being waited on, people in a pub have to go to the bar to order their food or drinks. When there is a group of people, they will just send one person to the bar to order everything that the members requested. Also, many pubs prefer to take cash for payment. When local people give tips to the server, they will sometimes put their payment in a tip jar. Or they may choose, instead, to offer him or her a drink that will be added to the tab.
Another tradition I found is that British people love their tea! Whether they are at work or going out in the City or staying at home: when the afternoon comes, they will definitely have tea as a relaxing and joyful moment of the day. At work, they will take turns making teas for people in the company. People who have free time will invite their friends over or go out for afternoon tea. The traditional afternoon tea consists of select teas, traditional scones, simple sandwiches and petite cakes. Sometimes there are other foods as well, such as clotted cream and fruit jams.
I believe that the U.K. has the traditions of pub life and afternoon tea in order to serve two important but also distinct goals. The first is to create a sense of neighborhood. When you go to the local pub in your neighborhood, you meet your neighbors and engage in conversation and debate about the day’s issues and learn about the challenges and successes of each other’s lives. In this way, you develop a sense of community and caring for your neighbors.
Afternoon tea serves a broader goal of binding the entire society together around a common ritual.
