'I tried M&S's new Dine In for £10 steak deal - but something didn't add up'
![Dianne was particularly impressed with one aspect of the meal (Image: MEN)](/upload/news/2023/03/07/25115.jpg)
Taking advantage of supermarket deals is something many of us are doing amid the rising cost of living. Popping out to a restaurant for a midweek meal isn't an option for many, so impressing our loved ones with a home-cooked meal is the only option - and the cheaper the better.
Manchester Evening News reporter Dianne Bourne tried the M&S deal where you can get steaks, chips, and a sauce for just a tenner. Since launching them back in 2008, they have sold an eye-popping 200 million of them - and it's not hard to see why.
!['I tried M&S's new Dine In for £10 steak deal - but something didn't add up' eiqrtireidzuinv](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29398066.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_DBR_MEN_060323Steak_05jpeg.jpg)
Dianne wrote: "At first glance, £10 seems like a bargain for what is promised to bring "restaurant quality food to your dinner table for less." But when I went to check it out a couple of things didn't quite add up to me.
"So the deal itself is to make your choice of steak cut - ribeye, rump or sirloin, with two steaks in a pack, or you can go for a rotisserie chicken or salmon fillets. You then have a choice of just ONE side - so that's either veg or chips - and a choice of one sauce to share from a list including peppercorn, Diane and bearnaise.
"And that's your lot for £10. Now, I don't doubt that this is cheaper than a steak meal for two if you went to most restaurants.
!['We tried Hello Fresh and Gousto - they're tasty but we instantly regretted it'](/upload/news/2023/02/06/1932_m.jpg)
"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.
"Also, it doesn't seem all that long ago (2020 to be precise) when the M&S steak deal was priced at £12 which was for two steak and chip dinners, a dessert each AND a bottle of wine. And only last month the M&S roast dinner deal included a meat joint and THREE sides for £10.
"We all know supermarket prices are on the rise, but it just feels a bit stingey 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."
!['I tried M&S's new Dine In for £10 steak deal - but something didn't add up'](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29398158.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_DBR_MEN_060323Steak_11jpeg.jpg)
She then went on to explain that social media users had left comments on their Instagram page questioning why the meal had been reduced in size.
Someone wrote: "Needs two sides included for it to be a full meal. My husband and I never think there's enough", and another said that there were cheaper available, commenting: "Aldi's is still cheaper."
People defended the M&S deal though, with a fan saying: "Try and find a restaurant where you can get one steak and chips for a tenner, let alone two. Some people are so greedy."
Dianne continued: "The first thing I noticed when I visited by local M&S food hall on Saturday afternoon was that the deal had clearly been flying out. There was only a couple of sauce options left on the shelf and when I asked a staff member if there were any others she said: 'No, all that's left now is what is on there'.
"However I did manage to pick up my preferred cut of steak - rump - as well as peppercorn sauce. 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 I chose was £8.50 for the steak, £2.50 for the sauce, while the 600g box of fresh frites were priced at £4.50. So the overall cost of the items was £15.50, making a saving of £5.50 by doing the meal deal.
"But in reality, if you were buying items for a meal for two, I have to question who would buy a £4.50 large box of frites for four had it not been in the meal deal. Especially considering you can buy a regular box for two for around £2.60.
![OnePlus Buds Pro 2: Slick-looking and sounding buds for film and gaming](/upload/news/2023/02/23/8663_m.jpg)
"And when I got it all home to cook it up I have to say that it was the frites that were the biggest disappointment. They tasted no better than frozen oven chips I usually deploy on a meal like this at home.
"However, 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 in Aldi, Dianne worked out it would cost £9.57, so it would be marginally cheaper, but after tasting both, she said: "M&S won hands down on the steak and sauce quality."
Will you be trying the M&S meal deal? Let us know in the comments.
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