M&S Simply Food

Having a small branch of M&S in a train station is definitely an advantage. Today I popped in for flowers and a bottle of wine but I’ve been in a few times before for sandwiches and snacks.
I think it’s especially handy that it’s in a train station because, especially if you have a long journey, or a late journey, sometimes the last change to buy groceries is in the station before you leave. I think this branch of M&S is more or less set up with that in mind, as well as catering to commuters and to those visiting friends and family (hence the flowers and wine).
Although on the whole M&S is a bit pricey and I would find it hard to justify shopping there regularly, they do have some great offers on from time to time, which are particularly good to take advantage of if you can buy in bulk. They have lots of 3 for 2s on certain product lines. I also like to treat myself and the other half to the occasional meal in for two, which is always a fantastic deal (I have it on good authority that M&S usually sells these at a loss and hopes to make up the money elsewhere).
They pack a lot in to a little store and, while I’m sure the space is planned very carefully, this brings me to my main issue with this branch. The aisles are really narrow. I recognise that they don’t have a lot of space but, seeing as this is in Glasgow’s largest station, the main station for services out of Scotland, you’d think they’d anticipate customers with bags and suitcases. If you have much stuff to carry it can quickly become very difficult to get around the store.

As the 4 star rating of Unilocal would say– «yay! I am a fan» of M+S simply food Glasgow Central. why though, you may ask? This is a great shop for picking up «the odd thing» on the way home or pre-​journey. That «didn’t know you needed it until you saw it» thing, or the «salad for a super long train journey cos I forgot to make it before I left the house» thing, or the «what is that? It sounds nice» dessert thing.
For some reason, the drinks selection at this store is really good; they have interesting ‘own brand’ beers made by the Greenwich Brewery in London, some big bottles and some smaller ones. The one I bought tonight was a salted caramel porter. it sounds so odd that I had to try it. They even sell wine in a glass with a little silver foil lid (like a crazy version of San Pellegrino?!) and mini cans of pre-​mixed cocktails. Their soft drinks selection is quite wide, with unusual flavours (like passionfruit), and larger cartons of smoothies available.
The bakery range is quite small, but has breakfast treats (good for tourists staying self catering, I guess). Their selection of ready meals is good if you are looking for something to take home on the way back from work; the ranges available include some of the Gastropub specials, pizza and thai. The vegetarian range is generally not as available here, need to go to larger stores for that (or stick to the rather extensive pre-​made salads).
This branch has a huge flower stall (generally just outside), so I think this is a good place for a last minute gift of good quality; it appears that they seem to look after the flowers and remember to water them as they are always healthy looking, even when reduced. The healthy snack selection (and Percy Pigs) by the till are always worth a look, and I have bought chorizo for a very appreciative and discerning taste friend (and her dog!) from here too.
I love the M+S Simply Food cheese selection, as it has a huge variety of regional cheeses and speciality options (currently 3 for £6, which sounds a lot, but not if you want to make a cool cheeseboard). I don’t notice their items being any more expensive than other M+S like some smaller versions of main shops can be, but their range is more compact than a larger store, as one would expect.

Very handy little M&S food, which manages to cram an awful lot of tasty goodies into a small space. Well, all of the things I like anyway!
Being in such a central point, it’s great for when I’ve not been organised enough to bring lunch in to work, or for when I need emergency chocolate or emergency crisps. M&S have the best crisps — my favourites are the reduced fat plain crinkle cut. Boring to most perhaps, but there’s just something so comfortingly carby about them!
This teeny branch has lots of their usual salads, juices, and lunch type items, and surprisingly for a small shop, often carries new products too. It has those ubiquitous ‘protein pots’ consisting of two boiled eggs and a couple of spinach leaves that seem to be the in-​thing right now, and today they had a vegan version! A protein pot consisting of edamame, houmous and miso toasted seeds. Nice one M&S!
It’s also super duper useful for when you’re getting on a long train journey and need a Mojito in a can, or a singular glass of wine to soothe your travels.
It’s always busy, but queues go down very quicky — they have the contactless machines which really helps when you’ve got your hands full with luggage and chocolate/​crisps/​mohitos.
It has long been my personal view that it should be compulsory for all large railways stations and airports in the UK to have an M&S Simply Food, and this little store is testimony to why.

I pop in here on occasion to and from work. They stock a really good selection of their salads which are perfect to grab on your way to work in the morning and they have a big selection of sandwiches, fruit and juices. They also have a good selection of wines in the back. Where I think they fall down on is their other ranges. Recently they’ve drastically reduced the number of items they stock from their vegetarian range. I was really upset to discover this as previously I could guarantee getting a nice meal for my tea from here. Additionally, their Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Mexican ranges do not appear to have any vegetarian options. A big shame for my fellow vegetarians and I but I doubt that’ll stop many people going in.
Another down side to this store is the space, or lack of it! Very cramp and difficult to manœuvre if you have luggage. Have seen numerous customers knock over displays!

3 stars because it is just super cramped and hard to navigate around, I know its a station and people have bags etc but they could shift things about to make more walkway space but not lose stock space. It doesn’t have a massive range of stuff but its good to nip in for a buttie and a wee bottle of wine for your train trip (the longer one for the visit back home not the daily commute I hasten to add :)
I do only go in here when I have to — i’d rather walk to Tesco for a bigger selection of stuff if I have the time but its handy to nip in for work tea and biscuits and the staff are always really friendly too.

I have always found Marks and Spencer’s very handy and useful for all sorts around the house from utensil holders to knife magnet’s. Probably one of the better shops for buying grocery’s l am a firm believer in spending that little more for quality ingredients.

Will Marks and Spencers save your life.
Yes!
Forgot something for dinner — get your butt in here.
Need a sandwich or you will pass out — avoid newspaper shop sandwiches — M&S lunchy stuff will suit you better.
It is tight and tough to get around when busy. Get some attitude and stomp through it.
The lines will look evil but you will be through it in no time. They have fast checkouts down to science in this place.
Don’t expect everything in this place. If you are desperate for the non-​express items head out to Bothwell Street. The bigger M&S store will probably have what you need.

Damn you, Mr Marks and Mr Spencer. You are robbing me blind this week.
I am trying (and failing) to eat healthily this week, and have been in and out of Glasgow a lot for Uni. This M&S in Central Station is probably the only healthy-​ish place to grab a bite around the area.
It is always mobbed, with commuters and office workers coming here for their lunches and snacks, probably thinking along the same healthy lines as yours truly.
My particular faves are the sushi, which comes in a small snack size to a large dinner size, for £6.50. I hate Mayo, so M&S is great because it caters for fussy bams like me. They have a new range of wraps out, and I particularly like the King Prawn and sweet chilli one, but at £3.50, its blummin’ extortionate. For those days when you only have a couple of quid left over, you can get a ‘Simply’ range of sandwiches, which only cost £1.
A lot of Mark’s stuff is expensive, but I always feel it’s pretty justified. It tastes great, and I still feel quite posh buying stuff from there! I know, I am a bit pathetic. However, because they know people love the brand, I think they tend to go a little overboard with the prices. The new Chinese lunch range they have brought out is a good example of that, with three tiny, and I mean teeny, weeny, tiny portions of wrap stuffed with duck and chicken coming in at £2.50. There isn’t enough in it to feed a bird. Especially not a starving burd like me!
Fab, fab, fab. I just can’t say a bad word about M&S Simply Food really. By far the nicest place to grab lunch in Central, and although it’s a bit pricey, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for!

I’ve always been a fan of Marks and Sparks, specifically their food, and with it’s location in Central Station, the benefit of convenience becomes another string to this store’s bow.
However, while M&S food is almost always good, a few bad eggs can still slip through the net, as the frankly revolting chicken ceasar wrap I got the other day showed. It’s rarely I describe a food item as «gross», but it’s truly the most befitting description for this lunchtime disaster.
99.9% of their stuff is still excellent so don’t let it put you off.

Sometimes you just want some carrots. An apple. A sandwich. And a bottled beverage. Or a cookie. Answering that call: Marks and Spencer Simply Food. Where else, within Glasgow Central, would cater to all my gastric whims, while still allowing me to catch a soon-​to-​depart train?
Were it not for M&S, I would be a writhing, starving mess huddled alone in a corner with an expired travel visa. But thanks to them, I was able to grab a sandwich sampler, some fruit and veg, a drink and dessert (all for well under 10 pounds) and eat my bounty on a train bound for Edinburgh. My food was delicious and reasonably priced, given the food court/​train station prices as a benchmark.