'£14.45 and you don't even get any strawberries!' Wimbledon's new self-serve Pimm's machine isn't a hit with fans as they moan over cost and lack of fruit

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY AT WIMBLEDON Published: 17:33, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 17:38, 9 July 2026 Wimbledon's famous Pimm's has gone high-tech – but not everyone is raising a glass to the Championships' latest innovation. For the first time in the tournament's history, the All England Club has introduced self-service Pimm's machines, allowing fans to pour the iconic summer drink themselves in a bid to speed up service. But despite doing the work themselves, tennis fans are still paying the full £13.45 price tag, plus £1 for the cup – and many complained the automated version lacks the traditional Wimbledon touch. More than 345,000 glasses of Pimm's are served across the fortnight at SW19, making it one of the Championships' most recognisable traditions alongside strawberries and cream. The new machines, being trialled on the Tea Lawn beneath Centre Court, ask customers to place a cup already filled with ice and fruit beneath a nozzle before selecting their drink on a touchscreen. Yet the move has failed to convince some spectators. Sipping through a cardboard straw, Tim Jowitt, 78, from Arundel, said: 'It's automated, so it's not really a Pimms at Wimbledon. It feels a bit cheap to be honest.' For the first time in the tournament's history, the All England Club has introduced self-service Pimm's machines, allowing fans to pour the iconic summer drink themselves in a bid to speed up service More than 345,000 glasses of Pimm's are served across the fortnight at SW19, making it one of the Championships' most recognisable traditions alongside strawberries and cream Others questioned why they were paying premium prices for a drink they had to serve themselves. Lesley Carr, 69, from Maidenhead, said: 'There isn't much fruit, I'd rather have a bit more fruit. It's quite pricey for what it is, given its self-serve, and very little fruit.' One of the biggest complaints centred on the garnish. Each drink came with two half slices of cucumber, half an orange segment and a single mint leaf – but no strawberries. A waiter explained they were omitted because they 'take a lot more time to prepare'. Rod Gatsby, 50, from London, said: '£14.45 is pretty expensive for no strawberries.' Ironically, the self-service trial did not appear to eliminate queues entirely. More than 30 people were seen waiting around 10 minutes to use the machines, while some fans instead opted for the traditional staffed bar. Luke Sieger, 52, from St Albans, who was attending Wimbledon with his wife and eldest son, said the conventional Pimm's stand actually had the shorter queue. '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.' Not everyone was against the new concept, however. Is Wimbledon losing its charm by replacing tradition with gimmicks like pricey self-service machines? What's your view? Each drink came with two half slices of cucumber, half an orange segment and a single mint leaf – but no strawberries Daily Mail went down to test the machine for ourselves. The self-service machines arrive as Wimbledon has increased the price of its famous Pimm's Cup by £1.20 compared with last year, taking the cost to £13.45 Estelle Hutchinson, 32, from Winchester, admitted she was surprised by the amount of ice but welcomed the faster service. 'It's nice on a hot day but it's quite a lot,' she said. 'It's the drink that's most wimbledonesque. I like it because it's a lot quicker. I can't taste the difference.' The self-service machines arrive as Wimbledon has increased the price of its famous Pimm's Cup by £1.20 compared with last year, taking the cost to £13.45. The price rises come after the All England Club last year also increased the cost of its famous strawberries and cream by 20p, ending a run of more than a decade during which the traditional treat had remained at £2.50. The increases have coincided with another record-breaking year for prize money at Wimbledon, with this year's Championships offering a total prize pot of £64.2 million – a 20 per cent increase on last year.  The men's and women's singles champions will each take home £3.6 million, while players beaten in the first round still receive £80,000.