How Strawberries and Cream became a Wimbledon Staple? – History and Practice

Apart from the sensational presentation of utmost Tennis talents, the unique thing about the Wimbledon tournament every year is their courtside food serving of Strawberries and Cream. The club describes the pairing as ‘True Icon of the Championships’ and boasts a label of serving the refreshing fruit of the season with cream. 

Strawberries and Cream are a long standing association with Wimbledon, the venue long before the lawn tennis was added to the slot. This begins from the Victorian era where Strawberries and Cream were a staple at garden parties, a practice that was adapted at every high end political meetings, private parties and other social gatherings. 

For centuries, the matchup between Strawberries and Cream have been considered ‘iconic’, continuing the tradition that has been prolonged and now tied to the Wimbledon Tennis tournament. 

The New York Times dates the tradition back to the first Wimbledon game in 1877 and although no one questioned the serving, the question falls on why the particular combination. The answer falls flat as the fruit was in season during June and July while the locals had plenty of supply to entertain and sell the people and spectators who are visiting the clubs during game season. 

While this seems to be a more relatable and considerable reason, there are other stories as to why Strawberries and Cream. This story draws on King George V who was fond of eating the fruit while watching the matches and the locals caught on to the trend and made this combination a thing. 

The trend continues irrelevant of the origin and the short window aligned with the world famous tournament makes the sale of Strawberries and Cream a must on the travellers list. While many who visit the Wimbledon club are astonished by the bill of a meal anywhere around GBP 130, a serving of Strawberries and Cream now costs GBP 2.70, a jump from 2.50 in 2024, the year where nearly 2 Million berries were bought and consumed by the visitors.