“The ready meals just never end.”
So say American tourists Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis as they film their first-ever trip to an M&S foodhall, which they describe as “unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before” in their YouTube video of the expedition.
As they stroll the aisles of the Chester store, the couple are amazed at the sheer volume of “heat and eat” meals on offer.
“How would you choose dinner?” asks Cara. “Because there are just so many things that sound wonderful.”
You will find the descriptions in it delightful.
American tourists Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis (above) film their first-ever visit to an M&S foodhall, which they describe as “unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before”.
Cara and Jeremy visit the M&S Foodhall in Chester (above)
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Cara notes the “hearty and generous” shepherd’s pie and the “tender and comforting” cottage pie.
She separately told Web Travel: “I think the biggest surprise we’ve had.” MS was the large number of ready meals that exist.
“The food descriptions are part of the experience.” I don’t think there are many foods in the US that say things like ‘calming sauce.’
Other offerings the pair are tempted by include beef-stuffed Yorkshire pudding (“Yes, please!”), salmon fillets (“You look decadent”), Percy Pig ice cream (“Woah!”) and packaged fruit (“so much better than what you can find in the US”), the Danish pastries (“they look amazing”) and the “cheese and onion deli filling.”
Cara says, ‘You mean you can just take two slices of bread and put some of the cheese and onion mixture in there and have a cheese and onion sandwich?’ That sounds like a good thing to me.’
“How would you choose dinner?” asks Cara. “Because there are just so many things that sound wonderful”
The Percy Pig candies are a big hit with Cara and Jeremy
They end up buying “a selection of random items” — including M&S Collection chips (Prosciutto and Formaggio), Percy Pig candy, Colin the Caterpillar softies, a toad-in-a-hole ready meal, and a “steak and an old weird one.” Beer”. Cake’ main for one.
However, before they get to the checkout to pay, there is some confusion.
Topped with the “Tuna and Sweetcorn Delicatessen Filler” as an appetizer. When Cara sees it, she says, “How’s that?” We don’t add corn to our tuna. And I’m very curious about it.’
Cara is also amazed by the jars of goose fat. “It’s a cooking medium,” says Jeremy.
“Have you seen that in the US?” asks Cara. “No, but it makes sense,” says Jeremy.
After all, the steak and old Peculier ale pie is one of the most valued purchases
Cara and Jeremy said of their visit, “The experience was better than we expected.” There was a wide range of items to choose from and the staff we came into contact with were friendly and helpful.
The pair are also annoyed by the location of the shopping trolleys, which are “hidden down a strange alleyway” in the store.
And that’s not all.
We asked her how “alien” the experience felt.
They said, “The strangest feeling about shopping at M&S is the fact that the grocery section is in the department store.” .”
Which items they had never heard of did you find most enticing?
They said, “Some of our viewers told us about Toad in the Hole, but we hadn’t really investigated what it was.” In the US, there’s something called “Toad in the Hole,” but it’s a play Bread with a hole cut in it to boil an egg. After seeing it at M&S we bought it and tried it and it turned out to be one of our favorites.”
What did the couple end up buying? “A Selection of Random Things”
THE VERDICT ON THE M&S FOODHALL TRANSPORT…
At an after-store taste test, Cara and Jeremy enjoy Percy Pig’s candy (“fruity and sweet and delicious”), Colin the Caterpillar’s softies (“really nice, so good”), and the old, weirder ale pie (“that is beef”) so tender it melts in your mouth’).
Cara tries a Percy Pig candy in a post-trip taste test
Cara and Jeremy’s Steak and the Old Weird Beer Pie (left) and their Toad in the Hole (right)
The Toad in the Hole is also declared the winner – “a really nice mix, for something that’s just been in the oven for 20 minutes, pretty good, well done M&S!”
They added in an email to Web Travel: “The dish we both liked best was the ‘steak and old beer pie’.
“We had tried a Sainsbury’s heat and eat cake before and it was ok, but M&S’s cake was of a much better quality and tasted more like something you would get in a restaurant or pub.”
In a post-store taste test they film, they also enjoy Percy Pig’s candy (“fruity and sweet and delicious”), Colin the Caterpillar’s softies (“really nice, so good”), and old, quirky ale Pie (‘the beef is so tender it melts in your mouth’).
They added in an email to Web Travel: “The dish we both liked best was the ‘steak and old beer pie’. “We had tried a Sainsbury’s heat and eat cake before and it was ok, but M&S’s cake was of a much better quality and tasted more like something you would get in a restaurant or pub.”
Would you recommend M&S Food to other American visitors?
They said, “The experience was better than we expected.” There was a wide range of items to choose from and the staff we had contact with were friendly and helpful. Especially the quality of the food there was really good. We would recommend M&S to other Americans. It’s probably the most different supermarket experience than what we have in the US. There are so many interesting options for quality food. But it’s more expensive.’
Cara and Jeremy post on social media as The Magic Geekdom. You can find them at www.instagram.com/themagicgeekdom; twitter.com/magicgeekdom; www.tiktok.com/@themagicgeekdom; and www.facebook.com/themagicgeekdom. The original M&S Foodhall video can be found here.