An American woman shared her 'honest review' of Greggs after trying some of its most popular items - and she wasn't impressed with one of the most iconic items.
15:38, Fri, Nov 21, 2025 Updated: 15:40, Fri, Nov 21, 2025
The woman was disappointed by one Greggs menu item (stock photo) (Image: Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)
Greggs remains one of Britain's most cherished bakery chains, with millions regularly enjoying its sausage rolls and various bakes at lunchtime, whilst the doughnuts and sweet treats also prove tremendously popular.
The affection Brits hold for Greggs runs so deep that many become fiercely protective of it, ready to challenge anyone who dares suggest the pastry lacks perfect flakiness or that a freshly prepared hot sausage roll isn't amongst life's greatest simple pleasures.
Therefore, one American woman was taking quite a gamble when she uploaded a TikTok video offering her "honest review" of what she termed "British fast food" - which proved to be Greggs. Karissa's footage showcased numerous favourites from the Greggs range, including a sausage roll, a steak bake, a Tottenham cake, and a pizza slice.
Whilst Karissa complimented various elements of the items she sampled, there was one particular aspect she found intolerable - awarding one of the most legendary foods a disappointing 4/10.
The woman began with the famous sausage roll, which received a rating of 7/10. She characterised the pastry as "pretty flaky" and commended the sausage for being warm and "decently seasoned", concluding it was "pretty buttery and fresh for fast food pastry".
Next, she sampled the Southern-fried chicken goujons, explaining to her American followers that goujons are essentially what they'd call "tenders". She awarded these 7.5/10, complimenting them for being "not too breaded" and appreciating the "free sauce" provided for dipping.
Karissa then tackled a Tottenham cake following requests from her TikTok audience. This traditional traybake features simple vanilla sponge covered with distinctive pink icing. Whilst often nostalgic for British people, especially those living in London, Karissa wasn't impressed.
She said: "Everyone told me to try their Tottenham cake, which is basically just a sponge cake with pink icing. The icing was fruit-flavoured or something - it was kind of artificially sweet. And the cake was a bit dry. Maybe it's more for kids."
However, the traditional item Karissa genuinely disliked was the steak bake. A favourite amongst Britons seeking something more substantial than a sausage roll, Karissa maintained "something in the gravy tasted off" to her, and she objected to the flavour being "almost a little bitter".
She awarded the steak bake merely 4/10, commenting that the steak was "pretty chewy", which disappointed her alongside the other flavours she found unappealing. Nevertheless, she did commend the pastry for being "flaky and warm", similar to the sausage roll.
Finally, Karissa sampled a slice of pepperoni pizza and some cookies. She rated the pizza 5/10 as it wasn't warm and was "a bit dry", while the triple chocolate cookies scored a 6/10 for having a "ton of chunks" but still being "super dry".
Viewers of Karissa's video were quick to clarify that Greggs is not a fast food outlet, but rather a bakery. Greggs does not keep food hot post-cooking, as food kept and sold above room temperature incurs a 20% VAT, which would inflate the price of Greggs' products.
While this strategy helps keep prices low, it does mean that customers need to time their visit right to get a freshly baked, piping hot sausage roll. This explains Karissa's lukewarm pizza, which would have been hotter had her timing been better.
One viewer commented: "Greggs is a go-to for mostly for cheap comfort food. It's not the best quality, but it's cheap and good for on the go!"
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Another chimed in: "Calling Greggs fast food feels wrong... like, that's a chain bakery."
Even the official TikTok account for Greggs joined in, posting: "Justice for the steak bake!"