Tea rooms were at their peak in the 1920s and still around in the 1930s and 1940s. After that time tea rooms only survived in the department stores and now luxury hotels. They were know for serving a lighter fare, but included everything from salad, soups, chicken, pastries, toast, etc. But they specialized in preparing a few simple dishes well and kept there menus short. They were decorated from lavish to quaint and were styled like Europe and Asia tea rooms. Tea rooms were operated mostly by young women who disliked their city jobs. But one of the most important facts about tea rooms were they brought women out into society and was a place to discuss art, politics, and current events. It was a place to go before work and after work with your family.