Greggs has introduced the 'Quicknic' meal deal this week, a £4.75 offer that combines a sausage roll and a cold baguette, saving customers 40p. But the deal is not available everywhere: only regions that hit a score of 24 on the company's new weather formula will see it activated.
The formula, developed with the help of artificial intelligence, is based on two years of weather and lunchtime behaviour data. It weighs lunchtime temperature, cloud cover, rain, pollen and how much Britain wants to eat outside.
How does the scoring work?
The Greggs Forecasting Office calculates scores for 12 UK regions every week. Once a region reaches 24 points, the £4.75 Quicknic deal unlocks. Greggs says this could mean the offer appears in Manchester while London has to wait for its numbers to add up.
Temperature carries most weight in the formula, while cloud, rain and pollen reduce the score. Regional baselines adjust for the different temperatures at which people in different parts of Britain change their lunch habits, and a separate 'Lunch Outside Index' tracks the nation's appetite for eating outdoors.
Zoe Harris, customer and marketing director at Greggs, said: "Nobody has ever put mathematicians, scientists and sausage roll makers together to create a lunch deal before, but that’s what we’ve done. Determining who gets the Quicknic deal isn’t based on just one weather forecast. Our formula crunches six important factors, from temperature and cloud cover to pollen levels and chance of rain, before deciding whether our new deal becomes live in each region. It may be the most scientifically advanced sausage roll and baguette deal ever created."
What the research shows
The launch comes as research from Greggs indicates a widespread desire to get outdoors at lunchtime. The average Brit has four lunches a week at their desk, and 66% say they regularly regret staying inside when the sun is out. More than half (57%) would support a mandatory 'Sunshine Law' requiring people to take their lunch break outside in hot and sunny weather.
The study also found that 73% of people would leave their desk for lunch if a discounted meal deal were available only on locally declared good-weather days.
How to catch the Quicknic
Every Sunday until the end of summer, the Greggs Forecasting Office will publish its Quicknic forecast on social channels for the full seven days ahead, with a separate call for each of the 12 regions. The deal allows shoppers to pair a sausage roll, chicken roll or vegan roll (pork free) with any available cold baguettes.
Greggs is urging customers to keep an eye on their local shop and social media channels to see when the Quicknic has been activated in their area.
