Cheap Pies and Packaged sandwiches at a price you never see for anything in Toronto!

The cheapest lunch options here are Subway and Tim Hortons.

I have an affinity with Greggs in the same way I did for the good independent sandwich shop one would find in the UK when I was a travelling Salesman.

Maybe things have changed! When I lived in England I missed Hooters and sweet potato fries. You can find the latter no problem nowadays.

That is a latte!

Aren't they two different types of places? Bit of overlap but I don't see the two as similar. I like Tim's for breakfast bagels and their dark roast is ok. Greggs was great for pasties etc. and coffee had improved. Both are horrible for the sweets though... waaaay too much sugar, but I would go Greggs on this as well if pushed.

Once Tims do a sausage roll or a corned beef pastie, we can compare better.

I was not happy to see either of the two in Norn Iron. Give me a local bakery any day of the week.

Absolutely. That's the main thing that struck me when I read it.

But they are arguably icons for each country though. Tim Hortons definitely is for Canada and while Greggs (in name) may not be as British as TH is Canadian, it's because there are others - like those mentioned. I've been racking my brains trying to remember the name of a similar place by Bristol Bus Station many years ago and it just came to me. Devon Savouries. There were other branches too.

For this it's the idea of readily available pasties and pies (even if called a steak bake ) be it a specialist shop or just sold in a regular baker's shop, pub or chip shop just as a Timm Hortons is found almost in any direction you look in.

Or a steak bake, chicken bake, bacon and cheese bake, cheese and onion bake cheese pasty, beef and veg pasty.....

I lived in Geordieland for 15 odd years so it is certainly an icon up there.

I could murder a nice sausage roll right now.

Us posh UK southerners go to Starbucks for coffee.

Just gave my ears a blasting

I can't even remember if there was a Greggs in Chorley in 1988 before I left. Lots of local pie shops though as it is only about 9 miles from the pie capital of the world Wigan and its famous pier. Over 30 years since I have walked into a chippy and ordered a Hollands steak pudding and chips and mushy peas or devoured a butter pie or proper steak and kidney/ meat and potato pie.
I did find the potato and bacon soup at Timmies OK at first but it now seems to be watered down somewhat as it used to be. There are much better places serving coffee than Tims and for baked sweet treats I prefer the local outlets.

Tim Hortons Fruit Explosion muffins saw me through the day on hospital visiting a few years ago. But I recently discovered some great muffins at Sobeys, including a greek yogurt berry thing which was heavenly.

Very into Greek yogurt lately. Usually that Total brand which is now called Fage. It's very, very morish.

Before Greggs came to Gloucestershire i used to regularly go to the Little Chef for the all day breakfast, was excellent.
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Little Chef. Excellent. Didn't expect to see those two words on the same sentence.

OOOO CHEESE AND ONION PASTIES - NOM NOM NOM NOM......