A former Greggs employee has revealed the ideal time of day to visit the bakery chain for hot, fresh food, explaining that the lunchtime rush offers the best chance of getting a piping-hot pastry.
Greggs is a well-known North East icon, with over 2,700 branches across Britain. The writer, who spent much of her university time working at the bakery, noted that the most common customer complaint was that food wasn't as hot as expected.
Why Greggs food isn't always hot
The simple reason relates to VAT. In the UK, cold baked products and items permitted to cool are zero-rated for VAT. By letting freshly baked pasties and sausage rolls cool on displays, without heated cabinets or heat-preserving packaging, Greggs is able to maintain its competitive pricing.
Despite this, the food tastes considerably better when hot. After years of working with customers, the former employee confirmed there is one specific time of day when customers have the greatest likelihood of getting a freshly warmed pastry.
Best time to visit Greggs
Arriving first thing in the morning is not necessarily the best approach. While mornings at Greggs were predominantly focused on hot breakfast rolls and coffee, only a small batch of pastries is prepared at opening time to avoid food waste. Customers may face a wait of around 15 minutes while a fresh one is baked.
The lunchtime period, roughly between 12pm and 2pm, is the best time to visit. Despite a possible queue, a steady stream of customers means freshly baked, piping hot pastries, sausage rolls and bakes are constantly brought straight from the oven to be served.
Cakes are best in the morning
The most in-demand items, such as sausage rolls, steak bakes and chicken bakes, were always given priority, improving the chances of getting them while still hot. However, as it is the busiest time of day, there is a chance the person in front is ordering for an entire office. If so, customers can ask for what they'd like, and staff should be able to put fresh ones in the oven, provided they aren't already cooking.
For cakes, it's best to visit first thing in the morning for the freshest selection. Cakes arrive each day and are displayed in cabinets alongside sausage rolls, so the earlier the visit, the softer they'll be. All cakes arrive pre-made, meaning there is no chance of staff preparing a fresh one should a preferred choice no longer be in stock.
