Plans were approved for the north-east’s first-ever Greggs drive-thru back in December. I remember when the news broke.
Fans of the British bakery chain waited in anticipation for the site, which sits between the existing McDonald’s and Starbucks drive-thrus in Westhill, to officially open.
It’s taken Andy and I a while to stop by to try it out, but better late than never, eh?
We visited on a Thursday lunchtime and it was fairly busy, unsurprisingly, inside.
However, there were only two other cars making use of the drive-thru when we arrived, making our experience short and sweet. No complaints there.
Steak bake
Pulling up to the first screen – where our order was taken – the first thing we requested was a sausage roll. There weren’t any, can you believe it?
We were told that there would be a fresh batch ready in 10 to 15 minutes if we were willing to wait, but decided against it and went for arguably the next best thing at Greggs – a steak bake.
We split the £2.25 bake in half and got stuck in. Unfortunately, it was cold.
The diced beef and gravy did have a nice flavour, albeit rather salty. And while the golden-brown pastry certainly looked the part, it fell flat.
Ratings:
- Andy: 2.5/5
- Karla: 2/5
Vegan Mexican chicken-free bake
The second item on the agenda was the vegan Mexican chicken-free bake. I was super intrigued by this one as I hadn’t seen it on a Greggs menu before.
Also priced at £2.25, it consisted of mixed vegetables, vegan chicken and Mexican-style tomato sauce encased in pastry with a cheese crumb.
While we were unsure after taking our first bite, we came to enjoy the texture. There was a nice (yet subtle) tanginess coming from the sauce too.
However, it would have been even better if we had got a hot one. Andy agreed.
Ratings:
- Andy: 2.5/5
- Karla: 2.5/5
Pepperoni pizza
The appearance of our £2.65 pepperoni pizza slice in pictures differs a lot, to say the least, in comparison with what it looked like in person.
It was a decent size, so some would argue it’s great value for money. Andy and I would not.
While the pepperoni itself was smoky, the rest of the dish was sad. Very sad.
The dough was stodgy, the cheese was slimy – or the word Andy used to describe it, congealed – and the slice as a whole was coated in grease/oil.
Maybe we visited on the wrong day because I’ve heard great things about Greggs’ pizzas from pals, but our experience was enough to put us off ordering one again.
Ratings:
- Andy: 2/5
- Karla: 1.5/5
Jam doughnut
We definitely saved the best for last on this occasion.
Keen to opt for something sweet as well as savoury, Andy and I also ordered a jam doughnut. It was an easy pick given that there weren’t many sweet options on the drive-thru menu.
Nevertheless, I would have likely chosen this anyway.
The £1.05 doughnut was soft, fluffy and had plenty of filling. In my opinion, it was far tastier than the same style of doughnut you can bag at supermarkets.
It’s perfect for those with a sweet tooth. I’d return to Greggs in a heartbeat just to order another (and try my luck at tasting a sausage roll too).
Ratings:
- Andy: 4/5
- Karla: 4.5/5
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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