A former Greggs employee has lifted the lid on what really goes on behind the counter, sharing tales of customer nicknames, staff food fights and creative ways to bypass rules on giving away food. Shaun Staff, who worked at the bakery chain for four years until 2008, says he will never eat there again due to what he witnessed.
Staff revealed that regular customers are often given nicknames based on their order or appearance, with comments made about them from the moment they enter. Working the till is described as the least favourite job, as 'people are horrible and hungry people are worse'. Employees reportedly employ tactics such as slow trips upstairs, fake dizziness or ducking down to avoid serving customers.
The generous staff discount is not the only perk, as workers found ways to feed friends for free despite rules against giving away food. One method involved stuffing a sausage roll into a paper cup and pretending it was a coffee, while another – a hollowed-out loaf loaded with cakes – was intercepted by management. Food fights using wet tomatoes and baguettes as swords were also common, with the author noting that any food ordered 'has previously been used for violence'.
Other insights include a 'civil war' between weekend and weekday staff, the mythical beard net, and the near-inevitable three-stone weight gain for all employees. Staff now says he is '13 years clean' and will never eat at Greggs again, though he admits his 'heart yearns for a steak bake'.
