Wimbledon will serve a new signature cocktail, the Centre Court Cooler, made of gin, lemon juice, cucumber juice, and elderflower, priced at £12.80 for this year’s tournament starting June 29, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Michelle Dite, involved in the event’s catering, said, "We have a new signature cocktail, the Centre Court Cooler, which is gin-based and very tasty." [1]
The tournament expects over 500,000 guests during the two-week event, making it one of the largest annual sporting gatherings in Europe [1, 2, 3]. Wimbledon operates 55 kitchens staffed by 292 kitchen workers, handling the highest volume of catering in European sport each year [1, 2, 3]. Fans will consume huge quantities, including 345,000 glasses of Pimm’s, 2.5 million strawberries, 17,363 litres of cream, 315,000 restaurant meals, 19,000 portions of fish and chips, 27,000 pizzas, 230,000 cups of tea, and 24,396 bottles of champagne over the fortnight [1, 2, 3]. Strawberries, a top-selling item sourced from Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, are priced at £2.85 per punnet, a 15p increase reflecting inflation [1, 2, 3]. The price of a glass of Pimm’s has risen by £1.20 to £13.45 [1, 2, 3].
Organizers also updated the electronic line-calling system to improve call audibility and added visual indicators on scoreboards showing "out" and "fault." Michelle Dite explained, "We’ve learned a few lessons about volume and making sure players can hear the calls." [1] This upgrade applies across all courts [1, 2, 3]. Ticket resell productivity will be improved to better fill seats when spectators leave during the day. "We’re hoping to increase productivity of ticket resell and filling more seats when people leave for the day," Dite said [1].
The 2026 tournament will also feature notable player returns and defenses. Serena Williams will make a comeback after four years away, while Jannik Sinner seeks to defend his men’s singles title [1, 2, 3].
The 14-day tennis event begins tomorrow, June 29, 2026, with hundreds of thousands expected through the gates amid these catering, technology, and roster updates [1, 2, 3].
