Waitrose has launched a new meal deal for two, which includes a main, side and dessert for £12. We take a closer look at the menu and explain whether the deal offers good value for money.
Supermarket meal deal fans have another upmarket option to choose from after Waitrose announced its own discounted food offer.
Much like the hugely popular M&S meal deal, the Waitrose version will feed two people for a price of £12.
It marks the first time since 2019 that Waitrose has offered such a deal, although it is notably less generous this time round.
Back then, the price was the same but included a bottle of wine, pack of beers or box of chocolates in the deal.
So, is it the new offer worth going for? Let's look at how it compares to rival alternatives.
Is the Waitrose meal deal for two good value?
Waitrose's deal for two is very similar to the M&S Dine In offer as it costs the same and you can get a main, side and dessert – although M&S includes the option of a starter instead of a dessert.
If you choose the most expensive options in Waitrose’s meal deal – a fish pie, cauliflower and broccoli three cheese gratin and lemon tarts – you’ll save £5.25 compared to buying the items separately.
This is slightly more than the maximum savings of £4 with the M&S Dine In deal, but not as much as the £7 you could save when buying Tesco’s Finest meal deal (which includes a bottle of wine).
That means the Tesco deal comes up trumps in terms of value-for-money, but it perhaps lacks the upmarket appeal of the M&S and Waitrose options.
Let's take a closer look at what's included on the Waitrose menu to see what you can get for your money.
What’s in the Waitrose £12 meal deal?
There are 11 mains to choose from, including beef bourguignon, parmigiano reggiano and truffle chicken kievs, and veggie options such as tomato and mozzarella gnocchi bake.
On the sides menu, you can choose from six options including triple-cooked chips, cauliflower and broccoli three cheese gratin and triple-cooked chips.
You can choose from five desserts such as salted caramel brownie, lemon tarts and melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings.
Here's the full list of dishes available under the £12 meal deal:
Mains:
- No.1 three cheese macaroni
- No.1 tomato and mozzarella gnocchi bake
- No.1 beef bourguignon
- No.1 steak and red wine pie
- No.1 fish pie
- No.1 chicken pie
- No.1 beef lasagne
- No.1 parmigiano reggiano and truffle chicken kievs
- No.1 cottage pie
- No.1 lamb moussaka
- No.1 chicken and prawn paella
Sides:
- No.1 green vegetable medley
- No.1 truffle mash
- No.1 cauliflower and broccoli three cheese gratin
- No.1 potato crush with spring greens
- No.1 potato dauphinoise
- No.1 triple-cooked chips
Desserts:
- No.1 chocolate and salted caramel profiteroles (six pack)
- No.1 salted caramel brownie
- No.1 salted caramel and chocolate tarts (two pack)
- No.1 melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings (two pack)
- No.1 Sicilian lemon tarts (two pack)
Meal deal alternatives
If the Waitrose offer simply isn't for you, you could always try the £12 M&S Dine In deal or the £12 Tesco Finest meal deal that we mentioned earlier.
Or if you're looking for even more inspiration, head over to our sister site loveFOOD for loads of amazing recipes.
Save more at Waitrose
If you regularly shop at Waitrose, be sure to check out our handy tips on how to save on your next shop. You should also keep an eye out for our weekly supermarket deals roundup, which includes the latest deals and discounts from Waitrose.
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