American Reacts to Greggs - The Most Popular UK Bakery

[@MDP112]

I’m from Newcastle and I can’t speak for other cities but all Greggs stores in the area take whatever they don’t sell at the end of the day and drop it off at local food banks and homeless kitchens. They’re one of the few businesses who genuinely care about the community

[@reactingtomyroots]

That's awesome! I love to hear that

[@EmzSpalding]

Yeah, completely true. I used to volunteer for at a food bank and we received items from 3 Greggs in the area. They really do care.

[@Beth-wl8by]

The amount of waste by supermarkets etc is incredible. They should donate anything that is still edible.

[@hiz1507]

I worked for a charity in the north east of Scotland and they did the same with their two local branches to us. They used to complain that we couldn't take enough and were always asking for recommendations for other groups that might be able to take an evening's worth of donations.

[@dickyyy116]

I'm from Bristol and I can't speak for other cities but all Greggs stores in the area send what they dont sell at the end of the day to Newcastle.

[@patricialewis1464]

I’m watching this late at night and when he said Greggs sausage roll my mouth started watering !!! A national institution ❤️

[@Marli-o4g]

Remember that UK baked beans taste completely different to those eaten in the US, so while it sounds gross to some Americans, you have to judge it using UK baked beans (the same with our cheeses).

[@nataliesiddle8507]

Yes! I had no idea that American baked beans are a salad dish, served cold, and canned in water or brine, like kidney beans. I saw a reaction video of a US student trying the UK ones on toast with cheese melted in. His face betrayed the Out-of-body experience he had as he bit into it

[@mermcd8899]

We have tomato sauce, their's is more of a bbq

[@xbluebae]

I was wondering about cheeses! Like, do the states have the same range as we do? Like the likes of Boursin soft French cheese and various types of camembert/melty cheeses 🤔

[@helvete983]

@@xbluebae From my brief time there and as a cheese lover they do have some good cheeses and a lot of crap too. In Europe and the UK we are kind of blessed because of the variety of countries in a relatively short distance so we can get a massive international selection whereas I found when I was there 10+ years ago admittedly that their cheeses were American versions of European favourites.

[@Kat-po3mn]

@@nataliesiddle8507 the american beans sold in cans w/water are totally different to american baked beans (also sold in cans). USA baked beans are very sweet and more syrupy whereas UK trad. baked beans are tomato based and less sugary. 🙂

[@ulyssesthirteen7031]

The reactions to the prices were worth a view on their own. His reactions ran from astonishment, confusion to despair. 😂

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Yes. At this moment, that sausage roll is $1.35us.

[@briz1965]

Put it this way, you can walk into Aldi? Lidl? (last time in 2019) was it with £20 and struggle to walk home. In Canada that get's you ½ a grocery bag if you are lucky. UK £1.99 for 2 kg fresh chicken wings, in Canada at least $35-$40.

[@ulyssesthirteen7031]

@@briz1965 TBF, Lidl etc not as cheap as once was but still cheap. I think American reactions to shopping prices generally are largely based on the idea of the American standard of living being so much better than anywhere else in the world.

[@bluelionman]

Also the US dollar is strong against the UK pound so these days makes everything here seem much cheaper to them and reverse for us going over there. Put me off going as just the prices to get a beer in a bar or go to an NFL game when converting cost back to GBP made me shudder. Like a Mac Ds here in UK £6 for a standard Big Mac Meal or similar in US probably double that at least, maybe triple.

[@johnallan4826]

For feck sake a yank and proper British baked beans. It’s so funny trying to hear a American think

[@SOPARA862k]

Greggs is incredibly popular in the UK. Nearly double the amount of branches that McDonalds has, 2328 vs 1270.

[@AlainnCorcaigh]

Greggs is a convenience store, in every country in the world there is a convenience store that outnumbers McDonald's

[@frankdux5693]

​@@AlainnCorcaighno it isn't.

[@viridia1526]

@@DADBUD23where tf you eating where greggs is stone cold? Troll and promo somewhere else.

[@SOPARA862k]

@@DADBUD23 That's because their food is not kept hot, if they did customers would have to pay an extra 20% VAT. They don't sell food as hot, however sometimes you may get a batch that's just come out of the oven, especially if you're in a busy branch that's constantly got things coming out of the oven.

[@DADBUD23]

@@SOPARA862k when I was a kid they use to knock money of the price when they was cold When they are piping hot the experience is much better when your fighting for a bit and the filling is getting less and less every year 😂 We have one called the pound bakery here in the uk and alot of people prefer that 🙌🏻

[@mrgrumblebum7613]

One of the plus points for Greggs is that all the savoury pies, pasties etc are baked on the premises, the products are prepared centrally to ensure consistent quality and shipped unbaked to each shop where they bake them in small batches throughout the day, any savoury bought should never have been out of the oven for more than an hour or so giving them that fresh baked quality and will usually be sold somewhere between still piping hot to warm.

[@darthdean-ii4ed]

Cold Greg's pasties are amazing

[@tylertheotaku9270]

​@@darthdean-ii4edcold greggs sausage rolls are Devine.

[@VillaFanDan92]

In Newcastle, Leeds and possibly other towns - Greggs is not just the most popular bakery, but the most popular fast food establishment. Doing more sales than McDonalds etc.

[@Steve-ln3kl]

Greggs is from Newcastle too.

[@alicetwain]

I would really rather eat from Gregg's than from McDonalds. I mean, as an Italian I see food from Gregg's not as a delicacy but as real food nonetheless, something I don't get when I think of McDonalds.

[@Ruthy-F]

The 24hr Greggs in Newcastle city centre is amazing at 2am when drunk 😅

[@Manning0151]

false but carry on lying to yourself🤣

[@Justabitnosey]

I prefer an independent owned bakery myself. Healthier as well.

[@dontaskme7004]

The sausage in sausage rolls and bakes isn't traditional sausage in a skin, it's just sausage meat like you'd use for patties or maybe meatballs. You're right, the "custard" used for fillings is set like Bavarian cream, but generally in the UK any kind of custard is just refered to as custard... Except in restaurants where they'll put "creme Anglais" on the menu to try to be classy.

[@CH11LER.]

The best thing Greggs sell is the Festive bake. Its only out at christmas but it has turkey, bacon, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy. Its on another level

[@sarajane5306]

I'll have to make a trip lol I'm usually a cream doughnut girl lol

[@carllawrenczuk9173]

Pretty sure they're chicken not turkey 😁👍🏻

[@Tosspot]

@@carllawrenczuk9173your correct

[@joefoxon75]

So festive, slapping a load of jam on some perfectly good savoury food

[@0KiteEatingTree0]

The chocolate eclair and shortbread are favourites for me 😋 delicious

[@DGLUK1]

I always chuckle when Americans are sceptical about baked beans. You're not as bad as some but, not many Americans realise that the baked beans we enjoy in Britain were introduced into the UK by an AMERICAN company. J J Heinz.

[@Oli_Guy]

even better, they've never even tried any of it

[@wightwitch]

Greggs made a huge effort a few years back to make a good Vegan sausage roll. As a veggie who misses her sausage rolls, I have to say it is the best on the market. Hugely popular too.

[@OBELISK3210]

Best veggie item will always be cheese onion pasty 😮‍💨😋

[@thehearingaid]

Not hating because it is decent and all the meat eaters at my work prefer it over the meat version. But you can get much better ones, just not at a chain level or often at that price point.

[@sianbennett-rodgers]

Morrisons also do a fab sausage roll

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

One of the joys of having a "day out" visiting a beach or local attraction, is having food from Greggs during the journey. You will find many of the bakeries on major highways at "gas stations" (petrol stations) so it is a part of your travelling experience in the UK.

[@j0hnf_uk]

Pasties are made with flaky pastry, or rough puff pastry, which is made from many thin layers of pastry that are folded over and over with layers of butter between, and because of this, it acts as a great insulator keeping the heat and moisture inside, as the outside is baked to form a crust-like layer. They basically seal all the ingredients inside and have a manageable exterior which can be held, once it's cooled down sufficiently enough. Much like sandwiches, they're hand-held and the entirety is eaten.

[@sheilagalvin9342]

They now use palm oil instead of butter. Totally clogs your arteries and can even go rancid in the body.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Thank you. I was just thinking about how to explain this (edit: Pastry) and saw your comment.

[@daftgowk1]

Great description

[@psycho6776]

Greggs is basically the fast food of bakeries here. You'll find better local bakeries generally but Greggs is always a good shout if you need something quick on the go anywhere in the country.

[@llamagirl2679]

Sausages taste very different here Steve and you might really like them as well as cheese. I lived in the US for 10 yrs and missed cheese so much! Also baked beans here are very different. Donuts are a lot sweeter in the US as are all sweat pastries.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah, sounds like I'd enjoy the UK versions of those things better then

[@VickyAitch]

Can’t believe they missed off the legendary Corned beef pasty! And yes, the filling is often hotter than magma.

[@joeknight6151]

A yum yum is like a long doughnut, but it’s also layered and so has a different texture to just a normal doughnut

[@Ruthy-F]

I only tried my first yum yum a few days ago! I'm 41 😂😂😂

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

I don't like it it's yucky

[@Relyx]

Plain yum yums are disappointing. The toffee yum yums from Lidl are banging though

[@Carlin2810]

@@Relyx Bangin mate init.....You F'ing Chav...

[@Andreaod73]

I’ve seen lots of American you tubers trying Greggs and they think it’s delicious and say they wish they had a chain of Greggs in the US. You can buy bread, pastries, cakes, sausage rolls (which are a firm favourite for many), steak bake is my personal favourite, pizza, sandwiches etc and it’s quite reasonable. Would you ever come over to the UK Steve? I’d love to see you experience things over here, as I love your reaction videos. Then you could give us your thoughts on Greggs too? 👍🏻

[@101steel4]

Sausage is very diffrent in England compared to the US. I can only describe is as being more meaty and herby. Much more flavour

[@MrBollocks10]

What do they have?

[@WijaLE]

The most famous is probably the cumberland sausage, with spices like mace , nutmeg, sage and thyme. Another even more herby on is the Lincolnshire (my fave) with mainly sage, but also parsley and thyme. Theyre also so much meatier than an american sausage because the meat in a uk sausage is often chopped, so its much coarser@@MrBollocks10

[@tonycasey3183]

The sausage in the Greggs sausage roll is similar to what you would call a breakfast sausage in the USA

[@101steel4]

@@MrBollocks10 very plain flavour. Quite bland

[@martinmillar7137]

Sorta spicy probs black pepper

[@footscorn]

I'm from Australia and I can tell you Greggs is amazing. Couldn't stop stuffing my mouth when I was over there.

[@zakbook15]

15 years ago you could buy 4 sausage rolls for £1

[@EnigmaStar153]

Those days are gone ……

[@railvlogger1439]

80 years ago you could buy 4 sausage rolls for 3 pence

[@EnigmaStar153]

@@railvlogger1439 😄😄😄😄😄

[@andrewwaller5913]

100 years ago none of us were here to eat Sausage Rolls 😂

[@EnigmaStar153]

@@andrewwaller5913 1000 years ago men ate mammoth sausage 😀

[@mrcirclestrafe-7696]

Minced pies are the most common Christmas treat in the UK. Its ground up/ minced fruit in like a sort of sweet tart pastry. Honestly I'm surprised how many Christmas traditions dont translate to the US.

[@jessieb7290]

Mincemeat (the stuff inside Mincepies) are actually not chopped up, it’s whole dried fruits (usually dried saltanas, raisins, spices and sometimes cranberries and other things like that) mixed together with brandy or whiskey and suet. You can get vegan versions too now. It’s fermented (technically for a few months, so it’s left to stew over time). The alcohol goes into the fruit and tastes sweet when you have it with the pastry. You can now get different kinds like with almond crust or frangipani etc.

[@franceswatts4001]

Mince (without the D) pies are sweet Christmas treats. Minced (with the D) are savoury pies made with ground (USA) beef or lamb.

[@nataliesiddle8507]

@@jessieb7290 the fact it takes a while to ‘ferment’ is why it usually on,y makes an appearance at Christmas. My mum started making her own in jars as she didn’t like the store bought, and it’s delicious but very very boozy

[@default3252]

I assume Dunkin' Donuts has a mostly, if not entirely, sweet menu? We're much more into savoury baked stuff here. When we hear "bakery", we tend to think of things like sausage rolls first, not doughnuts

[@jamielee9350]

Correct, Dunkin Donuts is a "Patisserie", a shop where pastries and cakes are sold.

[@michellemaine2719]

Dunkin Donuts in the states has a few savoury options (or at least they used to). They have breakfast sandwiches with egg, cheese, bacon or sausage, bagels with cream cheese, and a small selection of toasties. I was disappointed to see Dunkin in the UK is purely sweet, but there isn't one near me, and I honestly prefer Costa and Gregg's anyway.

[@MrBollocks10]

I think of cream cakes.😋

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

Warm Lunch Food.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Not a big fan of Dunkin Donuts, but yeah it's mostly sweet. They do offer a few savory type items but the quality is awful in my opinion

[@MrRancidity]

I had a friend visit from Colorado and she was OBSESSED with Greggs sausage rolls as soon as she tried it, but she was impressed by basically all the food we have here 😂 so much for British food being awful!

[@WCGUK2024]

Who says English food is awful? American food is literally plastic cheese & chemical injected burgers

[@ghostparty2062]

​@NOSEYPARKER-zh2ep even though that is true, a lot of Americans say British food is awful. I can't take them seriously 😂

[@JohnResalb]

Mince pies are a real British speciality. Mixed dried fruits dipped in alcohol, typically sherry, are all the rage especially at Christmas. You preferably eat them warm or hot from the oven (even though you've bought them cold from the store). On the run up to the Christmas period I usually have my afternoon teas with mince pies.

[@ollielowe7534]

Mincemeat goes back several hundred years and yes it did have minced meat in it. Gradually as dried fruit and spices were introduced to this country the meat became less until now there is no meat but there is alcohol!!

[@lindakirk698]

We have just finished our first box of luxury MInce Pies & it's not the end of October! Roll on November & Dec & Jan!!!😂

[@razor1uk610]

@@ollielowe7534 ..used within the ingredients, the alcohol content of which, evaporates during baking if there was any previous;y lingering percentage of content.

[@stephensmith4480]

@@lindakirk698 I got a Tray of four from The Co-Op the other day, they didn`t last long 🤣👍

[@alanmon2690]

@@ollielowe7534 Interestingly, meat originally meant food not just flesh of animals. If only it meant the same today, no more vegans....

[@stevemcguinness]

When you get to the UK you need to do a follow up to this and react to eating them all - you’ll love it !

[@Hen71557]

It’s as much fast food as a bakery these days, cheap with pretty much something for everyone. If it’s wrapped in pastry here in the UK you’re eating right.

[@irene3196]

Love Greggs. Love everything about it. Everything they sell is top quality and delicious. The staff are lovely too. A very popular place to sit in at lunchtime, or anytime, for a meal. They have magical doors that just draw you in whether you intended to enter or not. Bakery heaven.

[@samsativa245]

American Cheddar Cheese is not the same as English Cheddar, where it originates from

[@allenwilliams1306]

Just plain “American Cheese” is a thing in the USA. If you tried to sell it in the UK described like that, you would be prosecuted under the Trades Descriptions Act.

[@audiocoffee]

if it isn't cheddar, it isn't eaten. simples. tried US cheddar once - bloody awful!!

[@johnleonard9090]

The US stuff should be referred to as cheese made by the cheddar method, as Cheddar was the first place that made cheese by scientific principles to make a consistent product that could be transported for sale. I believe that an American businessman saw the cheese being made and took the process back home.

[@aidencox790]

@@allenwilliams1306 It's more like tasteless rubber than cheese. YUKKK.

[@aidencox790]

@@johnleonard9090 My post below came in late so may be misleading. AMERICAN cheeses are HPORRENDOUSLY BAD. If an American can make a profit off ANYTHING he/she doesn't care if the product is good or bad - Americans LIVE for profit. Stuck her in old age and terminal illness - been here 25 years and I can't think of ONE thing that isn't second rate here - and the food? I now weigh less than 7 stones. ALL the US food is GARBAGE that has to last on shop shelves for a year or 6 months without going bad. VIRTUALLY NOTHING. IS FRESH. FORGET ever eating fresh food and CRY as you remember the good days. (My US wife died and I'm not far off ;-(

[@angelamuircroft5181]

My wee Auntie Rose worked in Greggs in Wishaw Scotland. She was in charge of making the sandwiches. Unlike a lot of other mainstream bakeries, the sandwiches and baked goods are made in small batches throughout the day, so you are always buying fresh. Xx

[@TheQuietWalker1990]

I personally find many none chain local bakeries are better in quality. But I certainly get the appeal of greggs and occasionally indulge them myself.

[@cat269erine]

True - cheap and cheerful that's Greggs.

[@RosLanta]

They're almost always better in quality, but the price is generally two or three times as much, so for the price Greggs is pretty good

[@thedisabledwelshman9266]

@@cat269erine cheap does not always mean bad though.

[@Justabitnosey]

I get a delivery every week from a local bakery. I get some pie's, quiche bread, cake's Sometimes some scones and teacakes.

[@TheQuietWalker1990]

@@Justabitnosey that sounds utterly delicious 😋

[@rjb29uk]

Pastries in the UK usually refers to any kind of sweet pastry, also known as patisserie due to the French influence on our language. Pasties on the other hand (no R) is usually savoury baked goods. Prime example, Cornish Pasties, meat, potatoes in handheld form.

[@jameslewis2635]

Pasties and pastries are two distinct things. Pasties are a specific type of pie associated with the former mining region of Cornwall (seen in the bottom left of the picture at 4:47). Pastries is a general term for anything made with pastry. The baked beans in the UK are based on a tomato sauce. As I understand beans in the USA have barbecue sauce in them which is not the case in the UK.

[@lindakirk698]

And then there is Patiseries selling sweet cakes n donuts etc!

[@serenacula3256]

Yeah, I think the guy in the video just straight up doesn't know what a pasty is, I was really confused when he called the bakes pasties xD

[@reactingtomyroots]

Oh, I see! That makes sense

[@pureholy]

I can confirm that American baked beans have a barbecue flavour with strong molasses after taste - I quite like them - our baked beans come in a lighter slightly less sweet tomato sauce.

[@Draiscor]

​@@serenacula3256yep, I'm from the Westcountry, so him referring to everything there as a pasty was really painful to hear lol

[@tibsie]

The best way to think about Greggs is to compare it to McDonalds. Greggs is to bakeries as McDonalds is to fast food. Food that is good enough at a decent price and with a standardised menu at all the branches so you know what you'll be buying before you even walk in, even if you've never been to that city before. Greggs food is made in factories off-site except things like sandwiches. However, independent bakeries often have a better selection, and fresher food as it's all made on-site. As for how many locations they have, I live in a suburb and there are more than 20 locations within 4 miles of where I live according to their website.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Oooh okay! That makes more sense :)

[@Thurgosh_OG]

You've got to remember that McDs in the US is rubbish compared to any McDs in the UK or the rest of Europe. Just much better quality, ingredients and staff conditions.

[@aquissuk]

Watching Steves mouth watering and lick his lips at various points was rather funny 😂

[@otterman3]

Mince pies are a seasonal thing at Christmas, it's a sweet mince made from sultanas, raisins and currants like a Christmas pudding which can be served with cream or coated in a little icing sugar.

[@TheSocialPlumber]

As a resident Geordie (from Newcastle), Greggs is not just food........ its a way of life!!

[@nadeansimmons226]

The difference is that in the US things are a lots sweeter than in the UK and other areas of the commnwealth

[@griswald7156]

The US isn’t in the commonwealth now..they left the trading bloc.

[@101steel4]

Bread being one example

[@jamesgornall5731]

Yessss a lot sweeter makes Americans taste buds go crazy, give them Cadbury chocolate to see this in action

[@viridia1526]

@@griswald7156they never said America was part of the commonwealth, they referenced countries that are.

[@griswald7156]

@@viridia1526 you’re right….but it was me that said america was part of the commonwealth…we had a revolution they went their own way..

[@lulusbackintown1478]

Back in the day when I was working I was a cheese specialist. To hear anyone say they don't like cheese is actually them saying I didn't like the cheese I have tried. There are hundreds of cheeses and there is definitely one for everyone. I like cheddar but only extra mature, to me mild cheddar tastes like soap. There are more than 750 British cheeses. Then there are the French, German, Dutch, Italian and Danish. These are the most common available in the UK. My nephew had tiered cheeses as his wedding 'cake'. Big hit with me As for Greggs I've only been once as I usually cook from scratch but the Steak bake was really good. Sausage roll was okay. I would use them again if I wanted something while travelling, so much better than the burger and chicken places.

[@Skraeling1000]

I'm a Brit in America with an American wife. After several years of a "cheese famine" (couldn't find any decent cheeses anywhere) I stumbled on a Wisconsin cheese that didn't bend like rubber in its packaging. Turned out it was a pretty good cheddar-a-like. My wife tried it. "This is cheddar?" she asked, shocked. "Yup". "OMG, now I know why people rave about it!" She'd been used to the processed Walmart junk, which was all she knew. Shortly after this I discovered a supermarket that imported food from around the world that has an EXCELLENT selection of cheeses. My wife is now a fan of Lancashire, Red Leicester, Wensleydale etc. Still can't persuade her to try blue Stilton though :(

[@xxSydneyFox]

How interesting and cool! That's an awesome job!

[@xxSydneyFox]

​@@Skraeling1000people think too much about what is in the cheese 😅

[@Skraeling1000]

@@xxSydneyFox She worries about what makes the blue lol

[@lulusbackintown1478]

@Skraeling1000 I not overly fond of Stilton, my favourite blue is Shropshire blue. St. Agur (French) Cambazola and Montagnolo (German, camembert type, mild, Montagnolo is grey) Yorkshire blue. If your wife won't eat the blue because its blue you can get white stilton. I'm glad you've been able to find a supply of decent cheese. Just dont tell her that bries and camemberts are categorised as white moulds 😅

[@CliveBilby]

In Bakewell you also need to try a Bakewell Tart (shortcrust pastry shell, filled with frangipane and Jelly/Jam, topped with icing and flaked almonds). As well as a Bakewell Pudding (flaky pastry base with a layer of jam and topped with a filling made of egg and almond paste).

[@Zentron]

£1.75 = $2.14 £1.15 = $1.40 I highly recommend the Steak Bake, it's juicy and meaty and just, oh so tasty! Also if you want a sandwich, you can take them up on their Meal Deal, which is a choice sandwich with a choice of drink for just £3.50 = $4.29! Lastly, donuts, another British creation 😁

[@lottie2525]

Mince pies are a very popular Christmas little mini pie - sweet not savory. Soft pastry filled with spiced dried fruit and suet in a sticky sauce. Mmmm love 'em.

[@mrgrumblebum7613]

'Sweet mince' is mixed dried fruit with sugar, nutmeg, apple and peel and spices and is often called, confusingly, 'Mincemeat'. Personally I hate it but it is a firm favourite with many people and is a traditional Christmas treat baked as a small pie, it's pretty much all the ingredients of a Christmas cake without the flour and eggs..

[@paulkitching1623]

I use Greggs occasionally but there are several smaller bakery chains in my area which are also very good. They’re ideal places for a quick lunch or snack while out and about.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yes, I'm sure a local place would be even better!

[@bedrockraptor5534]

19:06 there are often one or more Greggs in each town in the UK, where I live (Newcastle) there are 29! There's not many streets that dont have a Greggs here

[@Ruthy-F]

The thought of going into Greggs makes my arteries clogg up 😂 I'm a Cooplands fan personally but they only exist up north. They don't sell half as much as Greggs but I absolutely love the way they make my cheese salad buns! 😂

[@audiocoffee]

cooplands available in the freezer section of large B&M/Heron foods. I have to admit, I do like their fake bake. bought loads of them in the last few years 😀 great with a big pile of chips smothered in hendersons relish.

[@sheilagalvin9342]

Yep, everything at Greggs is made with artery clogging palm oil! Disgusting muck.

[@duntalkin]

I also prefer cooplands but then I'm a Londoner living in the north east

[@lindagovan7195]

They have loads of delicious affordable snacks. As a nice bonus, you can also buy several of their items in frozen multipacks so you are not restricted to their opening hours.

[@Sophie.S..]

Greggs are in practically every town. I love their sausage rolls - a staple of a British snack. If you want to know the best lunchtime deal in Britain look into Tesco's Meal Deal (or any supermarket meal deal) they are brilliant!

[@reactingtomyroots]

Oh, yeah! I did a Tesco's reaction already if I remember correctly.

[@Sophie.S..]

@@reactingtomyroots Yes, I watched that but you have not covered The Great British Tradition of the lunch time Meal Deal. All supermarkets do them. You get three items from a choice of dozens. They include a drink ranging from bottled water, coke, smoothies etc. A choice of sandwiches, salad, pasta etc and a dessert, cake, fruit, yoghurt - all for the price of £3.49.

[@hippyshake29]

This is an education for me as I’ve never been in a Greg’s bakery ever. We have one in our town in U.K.

[@101steel4]

You can buy the sausages rolls and steak bakes (possibly others too) at iceland, a frozen food supermarket, and cook them at home.

[@needude7218]

I believe their entire savoury pastry range is available in Iceland. I've also bought frozen Gregg's cookies once before

[@lillipad70]

Everything I’ve ever had from Greggs has been amazing! One of my favourite places to pick up a quick lunch! And the pizza is super good and they have a fabulous vegan/veggie range!

[@JohnResalb]

I think you'll find that both cheese and baked beans are way more different over here. No-one, absolutely no-one, that I know doesn't like them.

[@lesdonovan7911]

I have eating baked beans in America and ours are by far the best even the cheap supermarket own bland.

[@zoggyzoom]

i hate baked beans, never have liked them and im uk

[@hammerhiem75]

And bread, UK bread way way way different to US bread.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@hammerhiem75 True. US bread has 6 times more sugar in it, than UK bread.

[@katashworth41]

I hate cheese, the smell of it (especially melted) makes me want to throw up.

[@Allthingswitchy106]

Iceland frozen food shops sell a big Greggs pastry variety that you buy frozen and bake at home.

[@gotmygoodelf]

over 2,000 greggs stores. our baked beans come in a savory tomato sauce. exchange rate is about £1/$1.20

[@urbanshadow777]

Is that what the exchange rate is these days? Dang I have been out of the loop for a while.

[@davidgrainger5378]

Minced Meat is what you call ground meat (usually beef). Mincemeat is mixed dried fruit often with suet served in a savoury pie at Christmas as a desert or snack.

[@xFODDERx]

Update, eating a steak bake while Steve says "steak bake" Greggs hot, to die for... Greggs cold, someone's going to get hurt 😂

[@zeltech-alpha]

The sausage rolls are fine cold.

[@audiocoffee]

have to admit, having an air fryer knocks that stone dead - unless you're not at home and only have access to a really bad microwave at the far side of the building you're in.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah...don't think I could do it cold

[@xFODDERx]

@@zeltech-alpha Noooo, lard needs to run down your chin, nom nom nom

[@xFODDERx]

@@reactingtomyroots could I add, before 11am they sell sausage or bacon butty and cappuccino £2.50

[@virusoverload1990]

pasties are basically pie type fillings in pastry parcels. The thing you said looked like a stack of cookies is a sausage roll (sausage meat in pastry), that one specifically was a vegan sausage roll, they use different patterns on the top of the pasties/sausage rolls to mark what flavouring is inside. You can also tell the vegan pasties apart from the others as they don't have a glossy look to the pastry as they don't have the butter on top. my favourite pasty is the steak bake or the corned beef bake (basically corned beef hash in a pasty) greggs is one of the most popular food shops in the UK, especially in the north. My local town has 3 in the town centre and a 4th about a mile out of the centre.

[@phillwilkinson8319]

I have to admit being a Geordie, I love Greggs.. they have some really nice healthy stuff too. The festive bake is coming soon!

[@sheilagalvin9342]

Healthy???? I thought the only fat they use is palm oil

[@phillwilkinson8319]

@@sheilagalvin9342I don't think they use fat in salads and stuff like that.. on the palm oil thing it's got a sign in the windows of our Greggs they only use sustainable palm oil.. I only became aware of it because of the kit kat things a few years back

[@andrewbignall1239]

Coming from Geordie land I'm surprised you know what healthy is! Lol😅😅 (joke, honestly! )

[@phillwilkinson8319]

@@andrewbignall1239 cheeky twat I've got the body of an athlete.. she's in the other room 😆

[@sheilagalvin9342]

Point taken on the salad but all palm oil is 'sustainable' because, once the rain forest has been destroyed and the animals killed, then it can be harvested forever. It is the rainforest and all it contains which is not sustainable and the wretched oil is slowly killing us - it's now in everything because it's colourless, odourless, cheap and lasts forever. Sustainable is a scam. Also, palm oil growers enslave the indigenous people, including young children, to harvest the fruits and the government doesn't care as those forest dwellers have no voting power, money or voice.

[@archiestevens2411]

I work in greggs, all the cream products involve fresh cream brough in daily and all the sandwiches are made fresh in store daily also

[@davidcronan4072]

Also in the winter they do a hot tomato soup. Creamy and delicious.

[@PROJECTBEAST.]

I love your reaction to the prices. Dude seriously thats £1.10 and we've been complaining about the increase in prices for our food here. You guy's in the US are getting the shaft as we say here. A small snickers here is 69p, a king sized or duo as we call them is I'd guess £1.00 . A multipack with four in from a supermarket is £1.69.

[@mik99D]

Mince pies are fruit. Called mincemeat. Mainly at Xmas time. The mincemeat is raisins, sultanas, orange, blackcurrents etc. Very sweet. There is a Greggs in every town. Cities have several. They get very busy.

[@fayesouthall6604]

My town, approximately 140k people 3 Greggs in the town centre. Another is on a busy industrial estate. Lunch deals are good.

[@aidencox790]

@@fayesouthall6604 Ysssss - everything Gregg have ever done is great. I'm a "prisoner" in the backward US because I'm 80+ and have a terminal disease. The Americans will eat ANYTHING that is sweet sand doesn't run away when they try to pick it up with a fork. NO interest in what's inside it.

[@leo1314ok]

The chicken bake, as long as It's still warm, is to die for!

[@lyndapet1]

They are baking constantly in the stores so the pasties etc are crisp and fresh

[@joan783]

Gregg's is a must on a UK visit! UK doesn't have lots of Dunkin Donuts or Crispy Crème places, just not that popular. There's usually a line out the door at most Gregg's places at lunchtime.

[@robertcreighton4635]

Greggs sausage roll and stake bake are my go-to. I even like the vegan versions. Cheap hot drinks are a plus

[@chrisvargas4968]

First time vistor to the UK. Had the Steak bake. Life changing. Ive been missing out.

[@LiveForever13]

I got 4 sausage rolls for £3.20. Greggs is unreal. The pastry is always flaky and crispy and so good! Greggs is very popular all over the uk! Definitely in my city of Manchester, UK. More recently opened up too! Great for savoury pastries.

[@reactingtomyroots]

The prices are insane!

[@andrewbignall1239]

Greg's is VERY popular all o er the country, not just Manchester!!

[@LiveForever13]

@@andrewbignall1239 I know, I meant as well as in my city :). Sorry I wasn’t clear.

[@andrewbignall1239]

I knew what you meant , only joking my lovely!

[@LiveForever13]

@@andrewbignall1239 oh sorry 😂. It’s too early for my brain to have kicked into gear! No worries.

[@mrgrumblebum7613]

There was a Greggs in the shopping precinct just outside of the school I went to some 50+ years ago now, one of my biggest dilemmas in those days was choosing between a Greggs sausage roll or a saveloy dip from the pork butchers right next to it when peckish.

[@cazwalden1497]

Greggs have the best sausage rolls, bakes and pasties. If you ever come to the UK, you MUST try them ❤ Most people stop in Greggs for lunch and you can see why. All the fillings are quite thick so they dont run out. You place them in puff pasty, seal it up and cook for about 30 mins.

[@frankdux5693]

Barry bakery sausage rolls in Gateshead are better than Greggs.

[@RosinaEmilyW]

Greggs is definitely really popular. The first day the festive bakes come in, people wait at 6am for the local shop to open because they sell so fast. And there’s a dozen stores within a thirty minute drive of me.

[@tamsinp7711]

Mincemeat (as used in the mince pies) these days is sweet and mostly fruit with spices and some fat, but was originally savoury and made with meat.

[@dasy2k1]

Traditional mincemeat has suet In it But modern stuff is generally vegitarian suet

[@tamsinp7711]

@@dasy2k1 I should have specified suet rather than just saying "fat"

[@reactingtomyroots]

Oh okay!

[@joeasher2876]

Mincemeat is still just minced meat, you guys are thinking of mince pies which used to contain mincemeat but no longer does.

[@tamsinp7711]

@@joeasher2876 You can still get mincemeat which contains meat, but it is very rare these days. Since the 19th century the meat has been increasingly replaced by just fruit and suet. Unless, of course, you are saying that only mincemeat which contains meat is actually mincemeat.😀

[@diannegreenshields7421]

You said that you can't even get a small Snickers bar for £1.10?! WOW! Here, in Scotland, my local shop has a deal: 3 Snickers bars/3 Mars Bars (OG size!) for £1.00!! OH and Greggs is tasty AF!

[@neilgayleard3842]

As far as I know it's the only nation wide bakery chain/ franchise. They have become popular because many British bakeries have gone out of business because of supermarkets.

[@FuzzyHippy]

Steve, you ask : Is there one in every town? There is one every "3 blocks" ,as you'd say, in most town and city centres, villages will usually have an Independant family bakery .As you said there are over 2000 Greggs bakeries where McDonalds has around 1300 branches

[@alisonrodger3360]

Pasty = savoury and (a) Pastry = sweet. Although there different kinds of actual Pastry eg: Short Crust / Puff etc. We say One Pound Seventy Five. We specify it's pounds but assume the smaller number is pence.

[@Neil457]

According to Google Greggs has 2,269 stores in the UK

[@adyt225]

Greggs is good but you can’t beat the local small family bakery shop you get in most towns, some traditional bakeries have been around in the family for years and are superb and the aroma is the best part when you get near ! I’m really into London cheesecakes at the moment , puff pastry with jam inside with coconut strands on top ! I’m off to bakers I’ve made my own mouth water 😂

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha yeah that sounds delicious!

[@GoldenBoots77]

Gregg’s vegan Mexican “chicken” slices are mouth watering !

[@janewilson8676]

Their vegan sausage roll and their Christmas vegan cranberry bakes are good too for us non meat eaters!

[@angeladormer6659]

Greggs are great. Up in the North East you can also get Stottie which is a bread that is a NE specialty. I do miss their Lemon Muffins. Everything is delicious, and a must try is a Belgian bun. Mince Pies used to be a Christmas Sweet Treat, but has now become an all year staple. Mincemeat is a jam made with dried fruit, candied peel, spices and suet cooked up to a thick jammy consistency with added alcohol for Christmas indulgence. Yum Yums can be bought in Supermarkets and can have more flavours. Highly recommend for a reasonable lunch and drinks. We do not put sugar in pastry and that is puff or flaky pastry which is a pastry made to have lots of layers and it puffs up when cooked and the outer crust is crunchy and flaky and never soggy.👵🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@ollielowe7534]

Morrisons do a lemon muffin - if youre quick enough !!

[@angeladormer6659]

@ollielowe7534 Thank you Ollie, but unfortunately my nearest Morrison is 18 miles away. I do love Morrison though.

[@beverleyringe7014]

It’s a shame we don’t have stottie in our East Anglian Greggs, loved it when I went to Sunderland..

[@louisemanley4388]

Greggs normally have huge queues snaking out of them between 12 noon and 2pm. The one in my town centre is always very busy. I had no idea there were now over 2000 stores in the UK!! I remember when it was just 2, one in Gosforth and one in Newcastle city centre. I love their pasties and haven't had one for ages - so I'm off to my local Greggs tomorrow. Never heard of a yum yum but I might have one of those too. 😂

[@louisemanley4388]

I can deffo recommend the Yum Yums!!

[@thepickledpixie9052]

I remember when Greggs opened in my hometown in Scotland in the 80s. Half the secondary school kids went there for lunch, we could get a sausage roll, packet of crisps and a can of ginger for £1. You have to try the Yum Yums!

[@tanyaabram8336]

Personally I'm not a huge fan of Greggs, but the way your eyes lit up at the Chicken Bake made me chuckle 😊

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha glad to hear it!

[@wendywilson858]

Also we have 7 in our city so in each area. X

[@janescott4574]

Medieval mince pies used to have meat and fruit in them. Traditionally eaten over the Christmas period they are now just fruit. Sultanas raisins currants sugar and suet. I’m not a fan of shop bought mince pies, I make my own and add grated apple and brandy or whisky to the fruit mix, shop ones have too much filling, too sweet, and I prefer short crust pastry. I make at least 15 dozen every Christmas for the family and sometimes they go so quickly I have to make more !!!

[@Kanbei11]

Greggs breakfast is divine and it's always popular with a massive queue from 1030 until 1100

[@manchestertart5614]

Chocolate eclair is choux pastry ,topped with chocolate fudge icing and filled with whipped cream. Profiteroles are the posher version,but they all taste the same.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Sounds delicious!

[@cutoutpunk]

It's nearly time for the Greggs festive bakes!

[@janescott4574]

If you haven’t had a greggs hot sausage roll you haven’t lived!

[@neilfinnemore5933]

The Coffee and Hot Chocolate are very good too - they do meal deals on most of their range too, where you can get pasty, or sandwich etc with a bottle of fruit juice or a coffer etc. for just over £3 together, they are everywhere you go - all their produce is very good

[@lth1072]

Greggs apparently sells 2 million sausage rolls per week. Most large towns have a Greggs

[@niknax25]

I'm in Falkirk, there's 5 Greggs within a 2-3 mile radius of me.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

And they're all mine 😂

[@lth1072]

We have one in Prestwick, too

[@wendywilson858]

You can get the savoury thing's frozen in one of our cheap supermarkets. They work out cheaper. X

[@richardworonowicz9076]

In UK , we have alot of cheese in our food. But we have so many different cheeses than what you have in the US.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah, that might make a difference!

[@Skraeling1000]

@@reactingtomyroots Its like - when you walk into a walmart bakery and see the long cabinet full of chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, eclairs, etc - well, that's about the size of the cheese section in a good UK supermarket. I may have exaggerated a bit, but you get the idea, lol

[@calamityh.6684]

Greggs has 21,500 Employees {2023} . I'm originally from Newcastle and loved going to Greggs. I moved to Belfast and missed Greggs. I was delighted when Greggs opened its first store in Northern Ireland in 2016. Yummy, nice for a treat.

[@Yeshua888Lord]

Nothing can beat a piping hot Greggs sausage roll when you're out and about shopping etc. Makes me smile just thinking about it. ❤

[@broughy23]

The steak bake and sausage rolls are my go to. You honestly cant beat them for the price

[@steven54511]

Once upon a time I worked in the next building to the Greggs factory where they made their entire product range - funny thing was at all times, day and night, the air smelt of burnt toast. It was totally weird. The food by the way, is fantastic quality for the prices they charge - I don't think there's another independent bakery that could/can do that - though I stand to be corrected if you know different people!

[@TheNoobilator]

Mince pies were historically made with minced meat, but in modern times they are filled with minced dried fruit and nuts, warm spices, and some kind of fat (e.g. butter). They are a huuuge traditional Christmas food here in the UK!

[@bethanybrookes8479]

Sweet mince pie is basically just a mince pie. I don't know how else to describe it. They're everywhere at Christmas, they're little tiny pies filled with mince made with fruit and stuff, and the pastry on top is normally dusted with sugar, and often cut into festive shapes like starts and Holly leaves.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Spooky, I just ordered some Greggs steak bakes, and Chicken pies, from our local Iceland frozen food store today 😂. Yum yums are.. yummy and moreish.

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha that's crazy

[@mermcd8899]

Their coffe and breakfast roll is a comfort food, under three quid, and their vegetarian options are popular