When Greggs announced they were creating the three musketeers of pastry in the form of a chicken roll alongside it's sausage and vegan brothers - the Glasgow Times had to give it a try.
The city after all is host to more of the beloved bakeries than London, meaning we hold the deciding vote over whether the item is to be a success.
After grabbing some of the new delicacies from a Sauchiehall Street branch we presented the golden pastries on a plate and passed them out for review.
What followed was a very mixed verdict.
I tried Gregg's new chicken sausage roll - is it better than the original? (Image: NQ)
Three categories were assessed by the team: Quality of the pastry, taste of the filling, and overall experience.
First off, the pastry. The renowned flaky coating that, in my opinion, forms the basis of their tastiest treats.
With a strong median score of 4.3/5, it was clear that there was no budging over this aspect of the roll.
I tried Gregg's new chicken sausage roll - is it better than the original? (Image: NQ)
I tried Gregg's new chicken sausage roll - is it better than the original? (Image: NQ)
One reporter who gushed over the doughy wrapping said: "No complaints about the pastry, was nicely cooked and flaky. "
A second added: "The pastry is very good as you would expect."
However, one in the team did remark that the pastry made for a "messy lunch option" with it's flakiness.
I tried Gregg's new chicken sausage roll - is it better than the original? (Image: NQ)
Onto the main event. The chicken filling.
"Had I not been told the filling was chicken, I would still be guessing this time next week," was the words of our of our reporters who tarnished the roll with a 1/5 rating.
With a median score of 2.6/5, it was clear the office didn't take well to this menu addition.
Remarks over the quality of the chicken, the smell and colour all led the list of comments on the filling.
One reporter said: "It wasn't terrible, but I don't see me ordering this again. The filling was a little salty with an artificial chicken flavour - similar to roast chicken crisps or chicken-flavoured instant noodles. I'm not used to chicken also being such a grey colour, which was off-putting."
However, lifting it's score was one staff member who said they found it rather nice, "The flavour of the chicken with the flaky pastry compliments each other well. I could certainly see myself purchasing one of these bad boys in the future."
The overall verdict was a 3/5. A strong score but clearly not a favourite amongst the team.
Many said their heart remained with the normal sausage roll. Maybe this change was just too much for the fans of the pastry.
Giving their final thoughts, one reporter said: "It was decent enough. However, I would not choose it over the humble sausage roll."
Another reporter, who recorded the highest scores for the chicken roll said: "Overall, a great option for people growing tired of the same old sausage roll. I would pick this one over the original."
Have you tried this yet?
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