Bettys has been in St Helen's Square since 1936 and has never once adjusted its standards downward to match the times. The room is art deco, the staff wear black and white, the menu covers proper Yorkshire rarebit and fat rascal scones at every hour of the day. It is an institution in the proper sense: something that represents a place beyond just being a business.
The queue is real, usually 20–40 minutes at peak times. It is worth it. The Bettys in Harrogate is the original, smaller and slightly more atmospheric, if you're heading that direction. Don't leave York without stopping here.