Meals out a luxury that many people are looking to cut back on as the cost of living crisis rages on. Therefore many Marks & Spencer shoppers may be drawn to a deal that promises to deliver “restaurant quality food to your dinner table for less”.
The retailer launched its offer of steak, chips and sauce for a tenner back in 2008, since when it has sold a whopping 200 million. But the deal has changed over time, with customers not getting quite as much for their money as they used to.
To test out if the offer is still worthwhile, Manchester Evening News reporter Dianne Bourne tried it out. She was highly impressed with the quality of the meat, but took issue with other aspects of the deal.
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She wrote: “At first glance, £10 seems like a bargain... but when I went to check it out a couple of things didn't quite add up to me.”
The deal offers shoppers their choice of steak cut – ribeye, rump or sirloin, with two steaks per pack. Alternatively, you can opt for rotisserie chicken or salmon fillets.
But you can then choose from just ONE side – either veg or chips – and one sauce, with peppercorn, Diane and béarnaise all options. Dianne felt this wasn't enough, as most people would like to have both chips and veg with their steak.
“And that's your lot for £10,” she wrote. “Now, I don't doubt that this is cheaper than a steak meal for two if you went to most restaurants
“But you would probably be pretty miffed if a restaurant served up your steak and chips without any kind of greenery alongside it. And I personally like a bit of a crunch of veg to go with a juicy rump and frites.”
She also pointed out that as recently as 2020, the M&S deal was priced at £12, for which customers could get two steak and chip dinners, a dessert and a bottle of wine. And just last month, the M&S roast dinner deal included a meat joint and three sides for £10.
Dianne continued: “We all know supermarket prices are on the rise, but it just feels a bit stingy to me to just have one side and not to throw in some veg on this one. And I'm not the only one to notice it.”
She then went on to highlight comments on social media from people similarly disappointed with the deal. Tinalouiser said: "Where's the wine? Sainsbury's is £12 but you get wine and a pudding."
Debbie_Scarbs wrote: "Needs two sides included for it to be a full meal. My husband and I never think there's enough." And Llornareilly added: "Aldi's is still cheaper".
But some people backed M&S, with Thejoyofseconds writing: “Try and find a restaurant that you can get 1 steak and chips for a tenner, let alone 2. Some people are so greedy." Louise_akie added: “You have these meal deals spot on, such good value. Your steak sauces are the best.”
The Manchester Evening News has asked M&S for comment on the meal deal pricing.
Dianne then wondered whether the “restaurant quality” of the food would make the deal worthwhile. So she headed to her local M&S to try it out.
She found that the deal had clearly been popular, as there were only a couple of sauce options left on the shelves. However, she was able to get her favourite cut of steak – rump – as well as peppercorn sauce.
She continued: “I particularly like a steak frites so I went for the slimmer chip, although I was surprised to see there was only the option of a giant box of frites which 'serves 4' even though this was a meal for two.”
The individual prices for the items she chose were £8.50 for the steak, £2.50 for the sauce, and £4.50 for the 600g box of fresh frites. That means the overall cost would have been £15.50 if it weren't for the £10 deal, giving her a saving of £5.50.
But, Dianne pointed out that if it wasn't for the deal, you would be unlikely to buy the £4.50 large box of frites for four, as the deal is for two. There is also a regular box for two available for £2.60.
Dianne then said that when she got the food home to cook, “it was the frites that were the biggest disappointment”. She complained: “They tasted no better than frozen oven chips I usually deploy on a meal like this at home.
But, she added: “I have to hand it to M&S with the steak and sauce. The rumps were both exquisitely tender cuts, and as good as anything you would expect to be served up in a restaurant. So too was the peppercorn sauce - a beautifully rich, creamy base with the punchy hit of the whole round peppercorns in there too. A real treat.”
For the equivalent meal from Aldi, Dianne worked out it would cost £9.57, so it would be marginally cheaper. But having tasted both, she said: “M&S won hands down on the steak and sauce quality.”
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