It’s the go-to lunch spot of the middle class, and, if one opens in your neighbourhood, an indicator that house prices will soon rise. Gail’s, the upmarket bakery and coffee shop, which now has 185 stores nationwide, feels like an elevated choice compared with other high street options such as Pret or M&S. This brings with it an expectation that it’s probably also a better choice — one kinder on the waistline than cheaper alternatives.
But cast an eye over the calorie counts on some of the items and you may be surprised. With one chicken sandwich coming in at over 1,000 calories — half of a woman’s daily needs — it’s a little eyebrow-raising.
Of course, calories don’t tell you a great deal about a dish’s nutrition. Some foods, like nuts or olive oil, are energy-dense but also nutrition-dense. Other foods are energy-dense and nutrient-poor — so this must be taken into consideration when making choices about what to eat.
But for people who want to lose weight, calories can make a difference — of course, the basic physics of it is that if you eat a calorie surplus over a period of time, you’ll gain weight and vice versa. And if you’re consuming 1,000 calories in a single sandwich without realising it, your daily total could be stacking up to more than you think.
So here’s a look at items from the bouji Gail’s, compared with its competitors, looking at calories and other elements of nutrition.
Chicken club
Table of Contents
M&S The Club Sandwich: 541 kcal
A club sandwich with chicken, bacon, tomato and mayo is a popular choice for lunch. But calorie counts can vary dramatically between stores. This Gail’s option is over 1,000 calories but does have an extra slice of bread compared with the others. It also has 39g of protein, compared with Pret’s 27.1. It also contains approximately 2g more fibre than the Pret and the M&S versions.
• Gail’s Smoked Chicken Caesar Club Sandwich: 1,067 kcal
• Pret Classic Super Club: 542 kcal
• M&S The Club Sandwich: 541 kcal
Sweet potato and grain salad
Salads are normally my lunch of choice if I’m not at home and all of these options, with their array of vegetables and wholegrains, are nutritious. However, the Gail’s version is higher in calories than the others. This is probably because it contains nuts and dried fruit, whereas the other options don’t. While nuts are high in calories, they’re not associated with weight gain. In fact, studies consistently show that people who eat nuts regularly tend to weigh less than those who don’t. Something to think about.
It’s also worth pointing out that the dressings that come with Pret salads tend to contain colourings and ultra-processed food (UPF) ingredients such as xanthan gum.
• Gail’s Roasted Sweet Potato & Freekeh Salad: 667 kcal
• Pret Humous & Falafel Mezze Salad: 566 kcal
• Leon Falafel Super Salad: 438 kcal
Almond croissants
Pret Almond Croissant: 382 kcal
We all know that almond croissants are a treat and not a nutritious meal, but you might be surprised at how much they can vary in calories. The Gail’s one is nearly double the Pret version — but again, also almost double the fibre — and let’s face it, tastier. Personally, if I’m going to enjoy an almond croissant, I want the best almond croissant I can find.
• Gail’s Almond Croissant: 751 kcal
• M&S Almond Croissant: 395 kcal
• Pret Almond Croissant: 382 kcal
Chicken buns
Here are two options for chicken buns — the Gail’s more calorific than Leon’s. However, it’s also less processed. Gail’s bread and buns are made fresh daily with real ingredients, whereas this Leon burger contains UPF ingredients such as dextrose and emulsifiers.
• Gail’s Parmesan Chicken on a Cream Bun: 716 kcal
• Leon Chargrilled Chicken Burger: 432 kcal
Breakfast buns
Leon Bacon & Egg Muffin: 431 kcal
These three breakfast buns demonstrate that they’re not all made equal. The Gail’s version with egg, cheese, bacon and spinach is nearly 1,000 kcal, which seems a lot for a single sandwich. The Pret version, which also contains sausage, as well as bacon and egg, is just over 500 kcal, and the Leon bacon, egg and spinach muffin has 431 kcal. If calories are what matters most to you, Leon should be your breakfast bun provider of choice.
• Gail’s Breakfast Bacon & Egg Slider: 934 kcal
• Pret Ultimate Breakfast Ciabatta: 503 kcal
• Leon Bacon & Egg Muffin: 431 kcal
Ham and cheese croissants
Ham and cheese croissants are one of my go-to treats. I realise that adding cheese and ham to a pastry that’s made almost entirely of butter is rather extravagant, but given that I don’t eat them every day it doesn’t trouble me. If you do eat them often, then it might help to be aware that the Gail’s version contains more than double the calories of Pret’s — probably because, as well as the ham and cheese, it contains béchamel sauce (why not eh?). However, it also contains a surprisingly high 30g of protein — which is higher than the average protein bar. I know what I’d choose.
• Gail’s Ham & Cheese Croissant: 768 kcal
• Pret Ham & Cheese Croissant: 312 kcal
Sausage rolls
Gail’s Sausage Roll: 563 kcal
Yet again the calorie count of the Gail’s sausage roll is significantly higher than the other two options. It also has nearly double the protein content — probably because it contains more meat. However, no one is really eating a sausage roll for its nutritional content, so if you want to carefully control your calories, Pret or the nation’s guilty pleasure Greggs offer lower-calorie options.
Gail’s Sausage Roll: 563 kcal
Pret’s Sausage Roll: 376 kcal
Greggs Sausage Roll: 348 kcal
Blueberry muffins
These ones are relatively close but if you want to maintain a calorie deficit, 100 kcal every day could make a difference. Interestingly, the Gail’s muffin only has 2g of fibre, whereas the Pret version has 7g. Adults need 30g of fibre a day, though most people in the UK take on just over half that amount. While of course there are better sources of fibre than a blueberry muffin, it’s nice to know that your sweet treat also offers a fibre hit.
Gail’s Blueberry Muffin: 550 kcal
Pret Blueberry Muffin: 430 kcal
M&S Blueberry Crumble Muffin: 391 kcal
Lower calorie options at Gail’s
Four Beans, Roasted Squash & Tenderstem Broccoli: 452 kcal
It’s worth pointing out that while there are some calorie bombs at Gail’s, it’s not the whole menu. In fact there are plenty of lower-calorie options that are filling and delicious. Here are some of my lunch picks, all under 500 kcal with plenty of fibre, protein and nourishing ingredients.
Four Beans, Roasted Squash & Tenderstem Broccoli: 452 kcal
Smoked Salmon Bagel, Gail’s Schmear, Pickled Pink Onions: 460 kcal
Chicken, Remoulade & Salsa Verde: 399 kcal
Harissa Chicken Sandwich: 497 kcal
All in all, the nutritionist Dr Federica Amati says that food choices should be based on more than just calories. “It’s important to think about satiety,” she says. While the Gail’s options may generally be more energy-dense, they’re also likely more filling since they use “real food” ingredients rather than ultra-processed shortcuts and contain more fibre and protein.
“So if you’re eating a 500-calorie sandwich, but then you’re hungry 45 minutes later, and then you eat another 500-calorie packet of crisps, you may as well have had the 1,000-calorie, more nutritious sandwich that keeps you full for two to three hours,” Amati says.
• Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing
“What we see is that people who eat reduced-calorie foods tend to feel hungrier and eat more over the course of the day anyway.”
When assessing food, we should consider nutrient density, satiety as well as calories.
It’s also important to look at the bigger picture, she says. “Weight gain only happens when energy is unbalanced over months so it’s not really about individual meals, it’s about balance over the long term.”
date: 2026-02-10 00:37:00