Americans First Time Grocery Shopping at Waitrose... Is It Worth the Price?

Today I'm checking out Waitrose for the first time and doing some food shopping at Waitrose. When we went to M&S for the first time, many viewers suggested we next check out Waitrose since it is very upmarket, so this is my first time ever visiting. Although we did notice the difference in prices at Waitrose, they have many items and ready meals that we don't have in the US, so this was a fun experience to see what's different and how it not only compares to other supermarkets in the UK like Tesco, Sainsburys, and M&S, but seeing how it compares to grocery stores in the US as well. There were so many interesting options that we are dying to know what your recommendations are for next time!
Have you seen our video shopping at M&S for the first time? Watch it here • First Time Grocery Sho...
Have you seen the videos of our first time grocery shopping in a British Supermarket (Tesco): • Grocery shopping in a ...
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[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Any items we missed that we should try next time we are at Waitrose? Leave a comment and let us know! Have you seen our video shopping at M&S for the first time? Watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2Kanapors1rl9E Our very first time grocery shopping in a British Supermarket (Tesco): kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6GykoaAmrhpmKM

[@Mookii]

I have a colleague that goes to Waitrose on a Sunday afternoon as they close early on a Sunday (UK trading law on Sunday restricts large stores trading hours, smaller stores not restricted on Sunday's). He would go and check out the fresh meat joints that get reduced with that days date. Says they are really nice joints.

[@Manofmanyhobbies86]

The olive bread from the bakery if you have one. 👍🤤

[@wildwine6400]

You need to take note of meal deals on the posh foods in Waitrose/M&S. Its £12 for any main with a side then usually a choice of starter or dessert. They are all labelled accordingly. Saves A LOT

[@wildwine6400]

Also, Unsalted Lurpak is criminal! Those styles of butter we call "best butter", and majority use the salted version

[@wildwine6400]

For frozen desserts: try Magnums and try a Vienetta. Those are quintessential British ice cream treats

[@dave21031963]

I worked in food manufacturing for over 25 years & at one point I worked in a cake factory & we made a Belgian chocolate cheesecake & lemon mascarpone cheesecake for waitrose & when we completed the order we just changed the boxes & packed the same cakes for aldi

[@paulc9588]

Common practice. I know a guy who works for a bakery that supplies the big supermarkets. He says that the M&S products are exactly the same as those in Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's, they just switch the packaging depending on who the customer is. I know from experience that the M&S frozen desserts were identical to the Sara Lee ones that every supermarket sold.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

I had a boyfriend who worked for Mr Kipling Cakes. He told me they had two production lines. One was for M&S, the other for everyone else. M&S refused to have ‘crumb’, bits of leftovers that had been anywhere. That’s what everyone else got, including Mr Kipling.

[@jeanbrown8295]

That happens a lot in factories

[@richardj9016]

Shhhh

[@pqrstzxerty1296]

I worked proberly at the same company you are saying, I got told to put Tesco made food in Waitrose boxes and sleeves.

[@TheClairem75]

I did 17 years in retail & I can tell you that the big brands pay to be at eye level on the shelf in every store. Cheaper brands can’t compete so always look down or up 😉

[@christineayres7199]

Yeah the cheap brands usually are put on bottom shelf and also if theres Promos on each month then the big brands pay a lot to have them on the promo stands , I work at Waitrose was told we get a £10 grand fine if those promo shelves are not full up so yeah its important to the stores

[@DrVVVinK]

@@christineayres7199 Its the same way in The States.

[@karenblackadder1183]

Quite correct. I started in retail in 1973. Same trick.

[@salazarreach1636]

It is a common principle everywhere. Like top places for ads in magazines.

[@paulleach3612]

Kwik Save always had us put their No Frills line at eye level. Everything was so bleedin' cheap there anyway...

[@giadacosola8113]

As an italian, you don't need a sauce for the flower shaped ravioli, they seem rich enough to be enjoyed with just parmesan and butter or even a butter and sage sauce. Also tortelloni are just tortellini but bigger 😊

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

I loved the Pumpkin Halloween Skull

[@tonydaddario4706]

Spoken like a true Italian. ;)

[@TheMythicalPie]

For any filled pasta like tortelloni, the best thing to do is boil it then serve it with melted butter and parmigiano , maybe some herbs like sage depending on the filling of the pasta :) that's a classic way that it's done in Italy and it lets the filling speak for itself! x

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

Have you noticed the cool little metal loop that sticks up at the top of the shopping cart so that you can hook the handles of your reusable shopping bags around it? I think it's genius! Every British supermarket has them, but I have never once seen one in the states!

[@patriciachirgwin3238]

Waitrose may be a little more expensive than the others (it is the most expensive food store in the U.K.), but the shopping experience, as well as dealing with staff, is so much nicer. The staff are ‘partners’, so receive bonus payments (my understanding, unless it’s changed) if the store does well, so it’s in their interest to keep customers happy. And if you shop carefully (I.e. not buying ready meals, though I understand with an Airbnb it’s tricky), it’s not that much more than other supermarkets. Some things are more expensive, but the quality is excellent! And by the way, I am nota Waitrose employee - I just like shopping there! I always find treats to bring home that I didn’t intend to buy! 😂. I think you’ll find Lidl and Aldi a quite ‘different’ experience!

[@lexiebirch6675]

As of recently the bonus scheme has been cancelled due to low profits and I’m pretty sure they are becoming a public company so employees are no longer given shares

[@frankiemia]

Sadly Waitrose and John Lewis has given up on its employee share scheme. Happened some years ago, I was very cross about it.

[@nafisagaffar8599]

Don't shop at Lidl and Aldi. There German supermarkets that have gained lots of British customers with good low prices, but if you go in these two supermarkets you will recognise displays are not as nice as the British supermarkets, but I'm thankful to Lidl and Aldi because of them the British supermarket prices are kept low.

[@markjlewis]

The name coriander is used for both the leaves and spice. They have completely different flavours. My daughter hates coriander leaf but is absolutely fine with the flavour of the spice.

[@solaccursio]

because it's the same plant. I love both, but coriander leaf is very difficult to find here in Italy so every year I plant the coriander seeds to have leaves available :)

[@annother3350]

It's not cheap but the best IMO. Every single item seems like its been tested for quality

[@Faithnomore227]

Every product in every store is quality checked. They have to be by law.

[@Cayles764]

Do you think it's better than Marks and Spencer quality wise? Not in my experience.

[@MaxKingsley72]

M&S is without a doubt the same if not better, for cheaper

[@mozzjones6943]

Weird that they sell branded stuff more expensive that other places tho? And in my opinion, M&S's food is the best quality. Waitrose is hit n miss, Not worth that extra cost.

[@TheLozzbozz]

It's not better than m and s

[@karlmoon]

It's the slightly salted Lurpak you want. It's incredible!

[@Fitlad75]

or a organic english butter, lurpack is danish

[@MurraySteel3.14]

Président Spreadable is delightful, too.

[@alunthomas2698]

Not enough salt in lurpack

[@Bella-fz9fy]

Anchor butter on crumpets with golden syrup.

[@Mookii]

We call the grocery shop either the "food shop" or the "big shop". Waitrose and M&S are definitely places I'd visit if I wanted something special. Tesco is usually my go to food shop followed by a top up (fresh food e.g. salad) at Co-op for convenience. Not sure if you have it in the US, but we have things called "promotional ends" or promo ends for short. A range of items highlighted on a section of having good value for a period of time (usually 3 weeks). They used to be at the ends of aisles until recent government legislation changed that due to rising obesity. You'll find them built into the aisles rather than ends now, so that may break the flow of the aisles.

[@dscott1392]

We say "big shop" too in Scotland...or even "Goin fir yer messages" which you will only hear in Scotland

[@tenniskinsella7768]

I shop at marks I don't think it's as dear as people think they have a cheaper range I shop marks and sainsburys

[@justincross1104]

We have big shop or little shop, both at Tesco's

[@annother3350]

"The weekly shop"

[@skakried7673]

I say "big shop" and I go to either Asda or Aldi.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Did we miss any items at Waitrose that we should try next time? Leave a comment and let us know. 😀 Have you seen our video shopping at M&S for the first time? Watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2Kanapors1rl9E What about our first time ever grocery shopping in a British Supermarket (Tesco): kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6GykoaAmrhpmKM

[@cathenglish4985]

I live in a small market town and Waitrose is our only supermarket if you don't have a car. Initially I thought it was hugely expensive but you do get used to it. Their new lower price range is excellent for basics and I look for mark down things too. If you're a vegan, there is incredible choice.

[@wrs10]

Yes, Waitrose is ok on prices if one is a little bit careful. It takes time to learn to find the cheaper items quickly. I have never had a problem with the dairy section (except bargain basement yoghurts).

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

The Waitrose we went here was the easiest to get to since we didn't have a car.

[@christopherjones8096]

IMO, shopping in Waitrose is a really lovely experience. Yes, it’s more pricey than your Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and obviously Lidl/Aldi, but the quality is fantastic and as you pointed out, loads of interesting ready meal options. They can be pretty healthy too. I don’t regularly shop there, but when I do I go around 1-2 hours before closing as that’s when they begin to put the reduced stickers on things like fish and meat, so I tend to buy the fresh stuff reduced and freeze it.

[@wookieeMan06]

the quality ue to be something special, but now days it's nothing special

[@personalcheeses8073]

Easily fooled

[@sulalee7413]

I agree. I shop there weekly and most of it is still very good quality and reasonable prices, although the prices are still going up in all supermarkets. But I find that I can't get things since we were dragged out of the EU by the idiot right-wingers. I can't get (anywhere not just waitrose) things like Goats milk feta. It's always a mix of goats and sheeps milk. As I react badly to sheeps' milk I wish I could find it in the UK these days. 👍

[@mariahoulihan9483]

i hae a local one and its not so much dearer at all. As for the ham.. she was looking at ham off the bone.. more expensibe to produce and not the plastic higly processed reconstructed nasty bits of ham pressed to look llike a slice ofham. i know which i prefer. I buy that now and again and its lovely.

[@mariahoulihan9483]

I also treat my waitrose like and M and S foodhall. quality things for now and again. My nearest M and S foodhal is a 32 milke round trip here.. in the country.. so i go down my high street to waitrose instead.

[@laughingoutloud8612]

I call it a ‘food shop’ and split it between 2 supermarkets. I’ll usually go to Aldi or Lidl and then to either Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda or Morrisons. I’ll switch it up. For a treat I go to Waitrose or M&S 😊

[@chloeelizabeth4005]

I call it "food shopping" or "the food shop". Usually do the main shop at Sainsburys and get some other bits from M&S

[@Sweaty_Ken]

Coriander in the ingredients list on curries is usually the spice, not the herb and has a completely different flavour.

[@sjbict]

Isnt the spice just the coriander seeds ground up. Generally called ground coriander in Asian shop near me.

[@peterjackson4763]

It can be the nice seeds or the utterly disgusting leaves, or both. The pictures are generally a good clue.

[@simonabbott7323]

@@sjbict Yes. Ground coriander is the seed. The leaf is usually used for garnishes, in the same way that parsley and basil are.

[@childofthestones2820]

@@simonabbott7323 Is it just me that finds coriander leaf unpleasant, tasting like soap?

[@sulalee7413]

Coriander is a herb, not a spice. Spices are things like cumin, and cardamom, and heat providers like various chilies. It sounds, Peter, like you too have the genetic mutation (gene OR6A2) that makes green coriander taste like something evil from hell, or a bottle of what I imagine tastes like Caster Oil GTX! 😱

[@jasmineteehee3612]

My weekly shop is delivered by Ocado, they partner withM&S, they use to partner with Waitrose, we have gone from weekly deliveries of Waitrose to M&S now. I like both. Honestly it’s just because it’s convenient for us. I would love to see you order in takeaway food and see how you like our curry over here.

[@fionagregory9147]

I prefer Sainsbury's myself.

[@sharongraham116]

Thanks for telling me that I did not know that ❤

[@suppleberry3863]

For the pasta, you can always do it just with a drizzle of olive oil and some grated parmesan and black pepper, delicious. For the Dell Ugo pasta i find the beetroot one a bit bland, but the Cromer crab one is delicious - fantastically good

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

That sounds lovely.

[@franceshankin2131]

We just call it 'shopping'. Because it's the kind of shopping we do most often! Glad you're so happy here, love your channel 🏆

[@jamesaston2031]

You guys are so posh, shopping at Waitrose! The 'clients' at Waitrose tend to be from the upper classes, so they're trusted not to steal the trolley and dump it in the local canal 😆 Love your videos

[@BackToNature123]

Don't be fooled, it's usually middle class wanting to look rich

[@salazarreach1636]

@@BackToNature123 Only those, who goes to Asda with Waitrose plastic bags 😂🤭. It is so funny and it is so pathetic.

[@ratowey]

You dont have to use the pot to boil water, we would use the electric kettle, its much quicker.

[@Ladygeekgeek-dj6lo]

They have a kettle in the kitchen,they probably haven't sussed that they put water in it and press the click button,and hey presto boiled water.

[@janewilson8676]

Americans apparently don’t have electric kettles!

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

We actually have an electric kettle at home, but it's not very common in the US. I've never thought about using it to boil water for a pot.

[@ianstobie]

The excellent Technology Connections channel has a couple of videos on Why Americans don't use kettles. Basically the wiring standards make them very slow, so Americans tend to use dedicated gadgets like coffee machines that heat less water. He's an eccentric mid-westerner and goes into exhaustive detail, testing and timing things!

[@EvaNemetKonc]

As I'm planning a trip to the UK, I find your videos very Informative, thanks for sharing! 🙂

[@Matthew-us1fu]

Welcome 🇬🇧

[@rootsandarrowshomestead]

As an American living in England, we love Morrisons! That’s where I go pretty much weekly. M&S is great and we like Tesco sometimes too!

[@monk3yboy69]

My five pennies worth …. Morrisons has come a long way and knocked the socks off Sainsbury’s in so many ways. Tesco has pretty much slipped to the bottom. Their stores are soulless M&S for treats and specials for sure. Waitrose ….sterile, soulless ….lacks imagination. Avoid .

[@fellafella1000]

Morrisons is very middle of the road

[@TravelSignal]

For a frozen desert, you have to try a roulade - a kind of meringue and cream rolled desert. For the trolley coins, regardless of brand, supermarkets in city centres tend to need the coin deposit as they're stolen more, whereas out of town supermarkets don't tend to bother

[@TravelSignal]

We usually get our shopping from Asda.. One good thing from Waitrose if you sign up for their loyalty scheme you get a free coffee when you shop there

[@ynys_mon6928]

Waitrose stuff is premium, but the quality usually shines through. My husband is now vegetarian and Waitrose is the only supermarket where we can get a decent variety of vegetarian Indian dishes (curry). We like to have an curry meal where we have a variety of dishes accompanied by rice and naan bread. Other supermarkets have a variety of curry dishes (mostly chicken baked). Although they are more expensive the Waitrose curry dishes are far better value, in my opinion, as you get proper real meat and/or veg ingredients, not just a few scarce bits of meat in a curry sauce. Pre-Covid lockdown my car used to automatically turn left into Waitrose car park on the way home (my excuse). Even though I only had a 10 minute journey from work to home down one road, Waitrose somehow managed to build a new store half way between home and work. Recently we have a new Lidl at about the same distance, and I’m trying to spend less, so it’s mostly Lidl shopping with the occasional ‘treat’ visit to Waitrose.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

We really do need to check out Lidl.

[@DAZLIN6]

For gravy get a basic one and add a teaspoon of marmite. Also make it with the water your vegetables cooked in.

[@AnnieWatson-lv8ek]

I always do my weekly shop at waitrose. I find the staff are so friendly and helpful, always ready to help in any way. You get treated so respectfully in waitrose, it is a joy shopping in there. 😀

[@aquablushgirl]

Waitrose has the best quality food by far. We have a Waitrose in our town so I tend to go there evey week. I will go to Tesco for basics, but Waitrose for fresh food. Out of all the supermarkets I prefer Waitrose.

[@Manofmanyhobbies86]

Try the fresh baked olive bread. It's UNREAL! I've not been Waitrose in a while but besides the price the quality is just better all over.

[@dougfile6644]

Great suggestion! Olive bread is delicious, and never more so than when it's fresh. Try it guys. You won't regret it. 🙂

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

We do need to try that.

[@Manofmanyhobbies86]

@@TheMagicGeekdom after I told you I went and got some and it's still just as good mmmm. I'm not sure if all of them have a bakery but the Chester store has a great one. 😁

[@hock-yonglam5568]

Love your take on British life from the us prospective..... always look forward to your uploads

[@Ingens_Scherz]

Expert level Waitrose shopping. Outstanding!

[@Ingens_Scherz]

(I mean, Waitrose has become the Las Vegas of British supermarkets. If you don't focus really hard, in one shop you could lose your shirt! You navigated the markups like a pro, and came away solvent. As I said, outstanding!)

[@andrewwhite4335]

Love your Tube. A quick price guide for you. Waitrose and M&S Food are top prices. Sainsburys and Tesco fight out the middle market and Lidl/Aldi mop up those on a tight budget. Make sure your friends back home in the USA know the difference.

[@carpathianpsychonaut]

I always find Waitrose a lot more expensive than most other places on the highstreet and it somewhat trades on that as a way to trumpet how premium their products are. On the flip side some of the options/flavours are ridiculously good. My weekly Aldi/Lidl main shop cost would buy me probably two days worth at Waitrose.....but it would be a mighty fine two days! :)

[@resurrectionjoe4205]

Fascinating watching somebody doing their big shop

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Thanks, Joe.

[@davidgraemesmith1980]

Lidl, Aldi and ASDA have been my go-to grocery stores for over a decade, absolutely love the microground instant coffee from Aldi and Lidl as it's good enough to fool a friend who is a self declared coffee snob lol

[@denewst01]

Waitrose & m&s are the occasional luxury ones for us, the ready meals are pricy but very tasty & saving the prep time can be handy, as always with those kinds of things plus pre-prepared vegs. etc. you're paying for the convenience as much as the raw food costs. Waitrose can usually be quite good with their end-of-day markdowns on fresh items though. Suggestions for frozen treats, I'd say try a vienetta - yes they're pretty old fashioned but they're relatively inexpensive & very tasty, definitely a treat when i was growing up.

[@lizzieb6027]

‘A food shop’. Is what we call it. Any ready meals are expensive, but great when you busy and short of time.

[@reasonableandfair7662]

I do my ‘food shop’ wherever I fancy that week. And wherever I have vouchers / offers on. I like them all. But love M&S, Waitrose and Morrisons. Great video

[@dorkbrandon4422]

I understand now why I fell in love with shopping around in Publix stores , although expensive I forgot they look and feel nicer to walk around in compared to all our UK supermarkets

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Being part of the John Lewis partnership, they have a joint customer bonus card. The company is employee owned, which explains it title as a partnership. My third son and his Oregonian husband who live in London use this regularly as they find the store has a great range of organic food. M&S is better for ready meals, though.

[@mikecook6318]

Our Waitrose store in Leek closed around 4 / 5 years ago and was converted to a Lidl of which we shop at. Have I noticed any difference, yes, our weekly shop reduced by approx £50 per week, always best to work out your meals for the week, to ensure no waste and also good old cooking from scratch rather than ready meals is the key, I feel that people have forgotten how to cook the most simplest of items and are being charged loads of money for someone else to cook it for you. Our average shopping cost for the month in Lidl for two people is around £200

[@malcomflibbleghast8140]

no cooks were broileid the making of this internet post.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

That's super smart.

[@DaveBartlett]

Years ago, we used to do our weekly supermarket shop at a local retail park that featured a number of supermarkets: Aldi, Lidl, Safeways (when it existed,) and Waitrose. We only ever used Waitrose near to Christmas, when they were the only store that carried some of the more exotic seasonal items we required. The thing was that Waitrose was the only store on the park that had toilets for the public, so often before we started the long trek homeward (we were on foot - no wheels back then,) my wife would decide to take advantage of Waitrose's facilities, whilst I wandered around the store, laughing at their prices and taking pleasure from realising how much money we'd saved!

[@DirkGently1972]

For Ravioli or tortellini you can always serve in a butter and parsley (drizzle) after cooking. It keeps the flavour of the pasta more pronounced and doesn’t swamp it with Ragu (sauce).

[@A16AdamWalker]

Generally I've always known it as "The weekly shop" as typically you also pick up things that aren't what we'd considered groceries (like cleaning products etc). But to maybe offer insight why even non-own label products (like the Bingham meals) tend to be more expensive even in a Waitrose, a lot of it is down to a combination of having smaller market share than the big 4 (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons) so less buying power to negotiate, combined with higher staff wage/benefits and often higher operating costs. Being seen as a higher-end brand (like M&S) Waitrose tend to target more affluent areas, which can often mean leases are higher. It's similar to why you pay more at train stations, or in central London than you do in say Inverness.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

That all makes sense.

[@robbiemanzin3884]

Just a polite note, there are no added letters in the UK, letters are removed or swapped in the USA, from the language of the English people the USA people have borrowed and simplified for their own use.

[@LucyQuinn94]

We use Tesco and M&S for our weekly shop. The benefit of Tesco is the clubcard points, usually triple them (changing to double from mid June) and use them towards a lodge break with the dog.

[@Bessie66]

Love the way you say pasta 😊

[@dawnkershaw711]

Waitrose are very expensive ... they are the supermarket of choice for the Royal Family. We just call it a food shop (or a big shop) and I usually go to Tesco, sometimes Aldi or M&S as they now price match Aldi! Quorn Savoury Mini Eggs are lovely, give them a try x

[@staceystevenson2875]

Can’t believe you’ve been to my local Waitrose! Hope there’s other videos coming from your time in Lincoln!

[@aimeestanley4471]

Waitrose and M&S are my weekly go to’s, but i always try to make a list of what I need as the bill can spiral quite quickly. Also going for meal deal options, they normally put them on the ends of the isles is a great way to try some of there other options as I find if it is all bought separately, it becomes expensive. But would say compared to some things at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and particularly the co-op, it can be cheaper. Both Waitrose and M&S own brand things are good and sometimes even have less sugar/ the gums that can be put in. Plus I do love the free coffee you can get from Waitrose if you have their points card.

[@G1NZOU]

My first job was at John Lewis, which is the department store of the same Partnership with Waitrose, as the name implies it's employee owned. More upmarket than Sainsbury's, kind of on the same level as Marks & Spencer but arguably with less pretentiousness. Really good cheese and deli selections.

[@amandamcneill6111]

Heartily recommend the rhubarb and ginger crumble!

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

It was good!

[@zeideerskine3462]

Many decades ago I used to shop on street markets for food. They are similar to farmers' markets in the US but typically have real local produce. Bio is organic.

[@alieninthewindow5566]

I love Waitrose and M&S both have good quality ingredients and taste, theres always something special to try with unique ingredients. As for "grocery shop" I call it "food shop" im not sure what anybody else calls it as it may differ from North to south of the UK, but i do my food shop online for the convenience, however now its warmer weather I'll probably do a late food shop at Waitrose because its so peaceful another reason to shop before closing time no stress 😊

[@xoxohunxoxo]

Waitrose is soooo fab but yeah it’s definitely a treat haha

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

For sure!

[@helenatryfon9844]

Best crumpets by far are Warburton's. Tried lots of different makes and supermarket own brand crumpets but nothing compares. Also salted butter is best for spreading on toast etc. Loving your videos

[@manchestertart5614]

I love Warburtons crumpets. I double toast them on number 3 because I like them to be hot and crispy with butter or plain with jam.Apricot is gorgeous.

[@honeybee4423]

Oh my I do miss Waitrose since we moved out to the country our nearest Waitrose is 40 miles away! I used to practically live in the place. The quality and variety and the shopping experience is worth any price differences with other standard supermarkets for me. Now we shop online in Tesco's and call it the weekly shop - it's still good but I do miss Waitrose. I hope the food was good for you and Jeremy. Sweet Blessings Mand XOXO

[@kristinabrookes6777]

Glad you went to Waitrose, I love it, my favourite supermarket

[@Kari_B61ex]

I've never shopped in Waitrose for a full weekly shop, I tend to use Waitrose for special occasion treats (Christmas/Easter/Birthday Celebration) Everything non-branded purchased at Waitrose is definitely better quality. Saying that M&S is much the same quality. I usually use Sainsbury's for my weekly shop. For me M&S is easier to get to than Waitrose. Lurpak is a brand - and the price can vary... at this moment Waitrose comes out cheaper for 500g; Tesco - £4.46, Sainsburys - £5.00, Waitrose - £3.75 for the light 500g.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Interesting that Waitrose is the least expensive.

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

I'm from London originally where we call it, "The shopping". I live in Scotland now though where it is called "getting your messages". I do nearly all our shopping at LIDL which has an amazing price/quality ratio, pays their staff better than waitrose I believe, and achieves that by not carrying range and brands. Also it doesn't deck the store out luxury style.

[@MaxKingsley72]

Messages is only glasgow btw

[@matthewbenson9471]

​@Max Kingsley Fermanagh too! Could be my wife's Weegie dad, mind.

[@Poliss95]

@@MaxKingsley72 Dumfries too.

[@jaffabeast]

For the pasta a simple thing to do is fry garlic in olive oil then toss the cooked pasta in the oil until coated, add parmesan as an optional extra.

[@traceypotter7669]

I can't afford to shop there 😂, but the one thing I will splurge on is the Heston Blumenthal salt beef pretzel roll. Nowhere in Edinburgh can I find pretzel rolls or buns. But that sandwich is incredible. Aldi or Lidl had equally great products for much cheaper, as well as having the middle Isle for random stuff like camping, clothes, DIY, or any number of other items. Lidl also does their Greek week where I find my favourite marinated anchovies.

[@charlestonscnative9083]

I thought Heston and Waitrose parted ways recently? Which is disappointing because the sandwich you described sounded great! I've only been in our town's Waitrose three times (lived in UK since 2020), lol.

[@rosstube100]

Use a good thick creamy 'soup' as a sauce on pasta - Whatever you fancy. I enjoy your videos in the UK, have a great time.

[@dscott1392]

Yes I have even used tins of condensed Campbells soups (Chicken and also Cream of Mushroom) as a base for great Chicken and Ham Pie...and to be honest , the ham was actually just those packs of bacon end bits, really cheap but they taste great in a pie mmm

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Thanks for the tip!

[@johngilbert572]

Antipasti, roasted artichoke hearts, mixed wild mushrooms, yum.

[@FjRennard]

I get my weekly shop at Asda. Great selection and reasonably priced.

[@BVA663]

I really enjoy your videos and it’s always so nice to see you enjoying yourselves in the uk. Waitrose has always been a lot more expensive than other stores but it generally good quality. Though not always good for monthly shop as it would cost a lot more than say tescos. Forthglade dog food is quite good by the way. Enjoy the rest of your stay.

[@andreaodonnell2159]

£2.95 is a really good price for a dozen eggs , free range too. Cheaper than those I’ve seen in Tesco. We tend to just call it food shopping x

[@AlexEwan1]

You can get 10 J James eggs for £1.66 which is a brilliant price. personally I can't tell the difference between them and the pricier eggs. All free range of course, I don't buy caged eggs.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Thanks, Andrea!

[@SlackHoffman]

Coriander 🌿 is the corner stone of any Indian cooking ❤

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

The leaves aren't my favorite.

[@abbigeorgia]

We buy that goats cheese & beetroot pasta often, and don't pair it with a sauce, just a drizzle of olive oil and grate some parmesan over the top (& garlic bread of course)! I'm also very averse to coriander, but fare absolutely fine with garlic & coriander naan, so i'd say it was worth giving it a go! And you're right, we don't called it 'grocery shopping', I think most people here would all it 'the weekly shop'!

[@wurble]

My weekly shop is at Asda. I go to M&S around once a month to treat myself. I find Sainsbury's to be a happy medium between the two.. probably just edging towards M&S in terms of quality.

[@paulclarke6057]

Waitrose and M&S are the most expensive places to shop, Aldi, Lidl are more the cheaper stores followed by Asda and Tesco and Sainsburys, Co-op stores are more for the convenience and are quite expensive.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Good to know!

[@jill954]

My local Tesco and Morrison’s don’t use the £1 trolley charge, it may depend on the area. I’m in Lancashire.

[@davidjackson2580]

Same here in what I still consider Cheshire, whatever the government calls it. Only Sainsbury's around here still uses the £ coin. The others used to, but gave up doing so a few years ago.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Interesting that not even all locations of the same store do it.

[@callumswansborough1779]

I mostly do my weekly food shop in Aldi, but will occasionally go to to Tesco to get things Aldi doesn’t sell. On an even rarer occasion I’ll go into Sainsbury’s or M&S for fancier treats.

[@enemyofthestatewearein7945]

IMO Waitrose isn't expensive, it just looks pricier than other stores because they mostly sell premium products. If you compare items on a like for like basis e.g. with the premium products in Sainsburys or Tesco, or basic products in Waitrose, the prices are similar. If you look carefully there are some good deals on certain items that are quite competitive and the quality is always excellent.

[@jackiejones1684]

Love Waitrose, great quality, very good for vegetarian choices own range is good value and great for treats. Plus the staff are lovely and you get treated like a human being rather than a packing machine as at cheaper supermarkets.

[@salazarreach1636]

Exactly. I am a foreigner in UK, but for me it is also a piece of old good England in my understanding ☺.

[@lorrainemoynehan6791]

What???? you haven't been to either Lidl or Aldi? You have to go. If you combine Lidl with Waitrose you get the best stuff

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

We have not really. We have at home. They are becoming more popular there. The last few places we have been haven't really had them nearby.

[@jackiewale5206]

I love Waitrose . We normally use unsalted butter for baking and salted for spreading here in the uk .

[@cafenajatuk8304]

Waitrose is a premium supermarket and very good for ready-made meals & entertaining. For frozen desserts, you can buy a dessert, allow it to defrost slowly in fridge or in counter for couple of hours and you have a nice dessert ready for dinner. We say doing our grocery shopping at supermarket

[@christineayres7199]

I work at Waitrose its a very good company that looks after its workers also the reason prices are so high is most of the meat and fresh fruit and vegetables are all free of nasty chemicals and are very high quality food products much better than Tesco or any rival , only Marks and Spencer is similar in quality in my opinion.

[@agranda6379]

There are so many comments, someone may have mentioned this already.....but when I occasionally shopped at my local Waitrose years ago, lots of ladies used to shop for their provisions using a wicker basket!!! Posh eh? They still may in some towns! 😊

[@mohammedwaseem9936]

Nice Video, Thank You. Have a Nice Day.

[@stephenHolloway88]

I knew that Waitrose was expensive but I didn't know that they were this expensive. I don't think that we have ever shopped there for that reason, wow. £6-£9 for one item in a meal is shocking.

[@Cayles764]

Did the airbnb not have a kettle? 😢 You talked about how you needed to boil water in the solitary pot.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

It did. I think we don't think about using the kettle for things that aren't coffee, tea, or maybe Cup Noodle.

[@Jackosaurus117]

I work at Waitrose in Newcastle. Great to see you guys try us out

[@markjones127]

I used to shop at Waitrose a lot when I lived in Brighton as I had one a short walk away, I love the food there and always appreciated the quality, their fresh meat was superb, the best I've ever had from a supermarket, plus you'd quite often spot a celeb in there which was always fun, I saw Nick Cave half a dozen times so he obviously loved Waitrose too! My nearest one now is about 20 miles away as I now live in Snowdonia, so more an occasional treat these days, the houmous there is by far the best I've ever had from a supermarket, I'm a working class lad and I can't say I ever thought a Waitrose felt any posher than any other supermarket really.

[@jameshiggins.openworld]

WAITROSE is one of the expensive shops in the UK

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

It's for sure not cheap.

[@jameshiggins.openworld]

@@TheMagicGeekdom exactly James

[@Faithnomore227]

Waitrose is way too expensive for us. We use Tesco and Sainsbury. Brilliant food at a good price.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

That's fair. We like Tesco and Sainsbury.

[@peterchapman4729]

Finally you visited a Waitrose. Perfectly reasonable prices if you don't get tempted by all the loveliness, sadly I always do

[@daveofyorkshire301]

In the north Asda or Morrisons, in the south Tesco or Sainsburys. But not forgetting the budget Lidl and Aldi both north and south...

[@larryc9617]

you might need a mortgage to enter there lol

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

It for sure not the cheapest.

[@Pure_B]

£1 coins for shopping trolleys are for chavy supermarkets like Tesco, Lidl, Aldi and Morrisons because they won't get them back otherwise. 🤣 I like your handwritten grocery list on your phone. Did you use an App for that? The beetroot and goats cheese pasta goes well with Waitrose Genovese pesto. Tortelloni is just larger tortellini. Both are available there and other supermarkets. Non bio laundry detergent is better if you have sensitive skin.

[@refreshcms]

@@omnicognatesnr5947 In our small market town Tesco and Morrisons also have coin-free trolleys

[@carolynekershaw1652]

Depends on what part of town / city, my Asda and Tesco don't have 'chained' £1 release trolleys, but if I stopped off to shop at a supermarket in parts of this city I would not be surprised if the trolleys were chained.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

Thanks for the info!

[@Pure_B]

@@TheMagicGeekdom What app do you use for your shopping list on your phone? The handwriting looks cool.

[@TheMagicGeekdom]

I work for a company that sells digital planners, so I created it on my iPad using an app called Goodnotes, which also syncs to my phone too. 😀

[@beverleybrown5365]

I go to Marks & Spencer’s for Tai meal, chicken free range ,barbecue meats and our treats. I also use Morrisons and Aldi. Lurpak with salt always, best on crumpets with a cup of tea. Waitrose is always more expensive. Can’t go wrong with crumble and custard. Love watching your videos, glad your enjoying your UK trips. ❤️

[@erint5373]

Waitrose is where posh Brits shop, you should do a comparison to an Asda or Aldi on a Sunday afternoon in London-like a wasteland! 😅 I also love visiting supermarkets in different countries, it's actually very interesting to see how people eat differently in different places! It tells you a lot about the culture. I am NZ expat with an Italian partner, living in London- and we for sure had to adjust to British supermarkets when we moved here. I have found that shopping at a verity of different places, and some local greengrocers/butchers/specialty stores is a good option if you have a hard time finding all the ingredients you need.

[@sandraskellen3172]

I do my grocery shopping in Waitrose lol I thought this video was a bit like a documentary but I realise you have a chanel so I am subscribing now to see what your experience was like for you. UK

[@CognitiveChronicles769]

It interesting to see supermarket in a different country

[@Kari_Jane]

It all looks so fancy!

[@imchezi]

Aww, this was so cute, "I've got a coin for the trolley...oh, I don't need it!😂" Asda, you don't need a pound but you do for Sainsburys and Tesco! I really enjoyed this video, I love food hauls and your reaction to options of food and comparisons. I call it "food shop/food shopping" as we don't really say "groceries/grocery shopping" over here. Yess, Waitrose is pricy, I went there once to see what all the fuss was about and then left.😂 I do like M & S, although it's rare I shop there, it's more of a treat for me to buy stuff from there. My usual shop is from Sainsburys or Ocado.❤

[@ianz9916]

The pound for the trolley thing is more confusing than that. It depends which branch of the store you are at. Tesco in Basildon doesn't need a pound but Tesco in Romford does. Waitrose in Upminster needs a pound too.

[@davidfennessey2727]

@@ianz9916 no coin needed in Waitrose upminister

[@sophieirwin3497]

Waitrose is an experience! It’s the most expensive supermarket (m&s not far behind) but some of the food is amazing. My mum loves the battered fish from M&S, and occasionally goes to Waitrose for a look and then a pot of tea with a magazine (she’s getting fancy in her retirement, post kids and mortgage, and has time and money to browse the fancy supermarkets. Though she should let my dad shop occasionally, he likes his pies and fresh fish!). I love the peri peri hummus from Waitrose. And there’s deals on the most random things that turn out cheaper than Tesco (not as cheap as Aldi or Lidl). But the rest, it’s like ‘fancy’ foods which are your basics with a price tag. I get paying a bit extra for some boojie cheese and a really nice cut of steak but it’s more economical to go local for those; more for your pound

[@vildiac]

I personally shop at Iceland, Asda and Aldi, depending on what I need. Iceland is great for frozen food items, Aldi for cupboard items and Asda for general perishable items (bread, cheese etc). I find these three to be cheapest for me, as I shop for the month (for convenience and my own comfort) so I get alot of cupboard and frozen stuff, and I have all 3 pretty close to my house so they're easy to get to. I have always wanted to shop at Waitrose but it's always been way out of my price range unfortunately.

[@rhondalockrey9592]

The variety of prepared meals always makes me jealous so much cheaper then ordering food out or eating out to pick up a few easy meals. I am from Toronto Canada not huge selections at the deli for take out meals. Hopefully you will do another shop another place at some point so we can compare pricing more its fun.