It's 3am and after a night of pubs and clubs comes to an end with the word "takeaway?".
We've all been there. The warmth of the club makes the chilly air outside feel absolutely Baltic. Mind you wouldn't think it with the attire worn by revellers in Newcastle.
Feeling peckish, many head to local takeaways for a pizza or kebab. For my mates and I, McDonald's is always high on the agenda - and it has been throughout our adult lives.
READ MORE: I visited all 31 Greggs in Newcastle in a single day and it took nearly 11 hours
But since moving to Newcastle I’ve realised I've been doing it wrong all my life. I'm aware not everywhere has this luxury, but in Newcastle there are multiple Greggs that remain open until 4am to cater for those particularly pining for a pasty.
While the post-night out classics will always remain popular, I can't help think that the whole process of queuing for a pizza feels like it takes forever.
Let’s face it, takeaways at kick-out time are heaving and when everyone’s a bit worse for wear it can be absolute carnage.
I know from too many trips to early-hours trips to McDonald's that you face the queues to access the touch screens to place your order before it being almost guaranteed you won't get a receipt with your order number on.
I feel for the staff because it can be absolute chaos. And, of course, it feels like there’s never a milkshake - something a friend of mine insists on trying to get. Although the thought doesn’t sit right with me after a night in the pints.
Safe to say a trip to Maccies or a takeaway can easily be around half an hour to get the grub you're craving.
But after being introduced to a 3am Greggs I can safely say it has changed my life. Walking into the Grainger Street shop there were only a few people being served in front of me in the queue.
There was a mouth-watering selection of pastries available including the classic sausage rolls, steak bakes and my personal favourite - the corned beef bake. For £1.80 it's a fraction of the price of a pizza or a McDonald's meal and is, for me, the perfect amount of food. I've always found a meal so late can lay heavy on you but you certainly don't get that with the Greggs.
The corned beef bake is only available in the north - which is a travesty for those not able to access one. The warm corned beef, potato and onion filling is always wonderfully seasoned and enclosed in the puff pastry which simply melts in the mouth.
It’s just the right amount of unhealthiness that we all crave to help wash down the alcohol - and try to ease the looming hangover the next morning. It's also an opportunity to scan your Greggs app - which I only just discovered recently - giving you access to rewards such as free pasties, sandwiches and sweet treats.
In the space of a few minutes I had my food in my hand to consume before getting a taxi home.
I've been in taxis when they refuse anyone with food or even make sure you don't open it during the journey - leaving a pizza or McDonald's to go cold as the smell almost makes it too tempting to dig in.
On reflection, having a Greggs in the early hours was a dream and the way every night out should end. It's certainly changed my mind on post night out scran. I won't be waiting about for an average pizza again. Come to think of it, Greggs even has that covered with its margherita and pepperoni pizza slices. What's not to love?
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