The best-value lunchtime meal deals have been revealed - and there's a few surprises. A recent study highlighted that just under 70% of Brits admit to spending more on lunch options when they’re in the office compared to when they’re working from home.
A firm favourite across office lunch culture in the UK is the humble meal deal, but as this continues to divide opinion, just which is the UK’s favourite and how can you ensure you’re getting the most for your money?
London office consultancy, Making Moves, conducted a blind taste test of 2,000 office workers to conclude the UK’s most-loved and best-value meal deal retailers.
Through analysing factors such as the flavour, portion size, presentation and nutrition levels, Making Moves concluded that Boots has the UK's best-value meal deal.
The cheapest lunchtime meal deals
- Boots £3.75
- Sainsburys £3.95
- Tesco £4.25
- Co-op £4.50
- Waitrose £5.00
- Greggs £5.14
To ensure reliability, the same items were chosen for each of the retailers - a ham and cheese sandwich, an egg-pot, which controversially tops Tesco’s latest Clubcard Unpacked report, and for a drink, a regular bottle of Coke.
At £3.75, Boots takes the title for the cheapest meal deal, while Greggs comes in as the most expensive at £5.14, making it 14 pence more expensive than Waitrose.
Although the price differences may seem small, they can quickly add up. With regular meal deal buyers spending hundreds of pounds over the course of the year on the humble meal deal, price rises across the high street show how inflation continues to shape even the smallest everyday choices.
The best meal deal for flavour, portion size and presentation
Making Moves chose Waitrose as their top meal deal retailer, which scored highly across blind taste tests for taste and flavour, freshness and quality, presentation, appeal and overall enjoyment.
The meal deal by Waitrose, which contained oat-smoked ham, mature cheddar, and creamy mayo on malted bread, came out top in every category analysed, with participants praising the consistently high-quality ingredients, satisfying portions and well-balanced flavours.
Boots and Tesco ranked closely behind, high contenders in the race for the UK’s most-loved meal deal retailers.
A surprising result, however, is how low Greggs ranked – an especially popular chain across the North of England. With its high cost (£5.14) making it more expensive than Waitrose, the Greggs meal deal scored among the lowest across all analysed for taste and flavour, presentation and portion size.
- Waitrose
- Boots
- Tesco
- Sainsburys
- Greggs
- Co-op
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Sally Evans, Managing Director at London office consultancy, Making Moves, says: “Our research of 2,000 office workers highlights just how important lunchtime choices are in the office. With prices continuing to rise, finding a lunch that balances value, taste and nutrition has never been more important.
"A good lunch should energise people for the rest of the day without making them compromise on quality or their budget.
"Employers can also support wellbeing and team spirit by offering regular nutrition-focused lunches, which are a simple yet effective way to boost morale and encourage team bonding”.
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