ChrisBan

Maybe Canada does, if they do... you can bet they aren't allowed to prepare without gloves

Piff Poff

I wasn't adverse to buying sandwiches from Boots/M&S etc, a lot quicker than going to a made in front of you place during the lunchtime rush, where you spend 20 minutes queuing and then 10 minutes waiting - oops late back to work for your 30 minute lunch break.

The amount of times I hankered after a M&S ready made style deal when I worked at the mall is uncountable, you stand there, looking at the shortest line in the food court because you actually want to be able to to sit down for five minutes.

Super happy I no longer work in a mall - makes me smile so much.

withabix

Canada needs Greggs.

Although perhaps the version of Greggs that existed about 30 years ago!

Piff Poff

When did this Greggs place bombard the UK? It's not something I am overly familiar with, I did see some shops there on our last visit though.

Shard

A long time! Founded 1939, rapid growth in the 80's after going public. Says Google.

magnumpi

Their Vanilla slices are worth the flight across alone

Oink

Along with Tesco's bakery counter its hallowed ground. Their pie and chips fed me and my mates lunch all through secondary school.

BristolUK

What's the difference? I remember a shop opening in Bristol near the bus station. It might even have been when Virgin Records was still a small shop!!

There were two shops I used at various times 2000-04 and I don't think they were much different other than things being added.

Piff Poff

I remember Dorringtons in Harlow and Gunns many years later, have also lived in Cambridge, Norwich, Bedford, and other parts of Beds and Herts, OH lived in the Welwyn/Hertford area and neither of us recall Greggs at all, apart from what we have seen on Forums, which made us notice a shop or two on our trip back last year

Shard

How odd. Perhaps just off your radar ? They are usually tiny shop fronts and quite non descript. The food is pure stodge. I've had the odd curry puff from Greggs, but that's about it.

Oink

Giggity.

withabix

Greggs was good quality in the 1980s when it was pretty much just oop north. They are now mass-market stodge with some hidden gems I would say, but they serve a market.

The quality of the sausage rolls isn't anything like it used to be. They used to do an excellent corned beef and potato pasty and indeed their vanilla slices are pretty good.

The latter however is beaten by a bakery in Langley. I'm not telling you where or which one, as the damn things sell out as it is....

Shard

Pasties. Don't lead me astray withabix...!

jimf

I remember them as "Greggs of Gosforth" years ago. A pasty or sausage roll for lunch now and again was good. M&S, Tesco, Boots etc ready made sandwiches would also be on the rota - far better than any of the offerings in Canada. I think I will make a Coronation Chicken filling this week...

I remember having a summer job in the 80s working in a bakery "factory" which would have been one of Greggs local competitors in Newcastle at the time. One memorable task was stacking crumpets coming down a conveyor belt into threes for someone else to put into packaging! The mixer for the meat pie must have been the size of a small bathroom.....This particular factory closed down a number of years ago and there are houses/flats on the site now. All these sorts of jobs will be done by eastern europeans nowdays. I wonder what jobs the displaced indigenous population do now? I expect Greggs will be supporting UK staying in the EU.

withabix

Greggs have their own TV series on Sky: 'Greggs: More Than Meats the Pie'.

The factories are reassuringly full of Geordies.