American tourists Amber Kacherian and Jared Gregersen spent a month in England, experiencing everything from the bustling London Underground to Wetherspoons. However, it was not Wetherspoons that left the biggest impression on their taste buds – it was the quintessential British coffee chain Costa.
The duo had been eager to try Greggs, but due to it being nearly 1am, they struggled to find an open outlet. After an unsuccessful Uber trip to a supposedly 24-hour Greggs, they stumbled upon a Costa at a service station that was still serving.
To their delight, they found the food there to be some of the best they’d tasted during their UK visit. In a video posted on Amber’s TikTok page, they shared their culinary adventure.
Amber enjoyed a Cheese and Tomato Toastie, which she described as “actually really good”. “It was pretty much a grilled cheese with tomato sauce on it, it was delicious,” she elaborated.
Jared, on the other hand, opted for Sticky Toffee Bread, declaring it the “best food he’s eaten in the last 48 hours”. Amber also sampled it and agreed it was “actually delicious”, noting the caramel sauce inside.
They were taken aback by the availability of only “low calorie Sprite”, but conceded it “probably wasn’t a bad thing”. Amber was further impressed by the bottle caps, which are attached to the bottles for combined recycling – a practice she noted is not common in America, but “actually makes a lot more sense”.
Summing up their Costa experience, Amber said: “I have to agree with Jared. This is probably some of the best food we’ve had since we’ve been here. So our random 1am gas station food is the best food we’ve had on this trip so far. If this isn’t authentic, eating at a gas station at 1am, I don’t know what is. This is the most authentic UK experience we could possibly have.”
Many Brits were shocked at that they had gone to a service station to eat, with one person saying: “Service stations petrol stations aren’t usually our go to places to eat out.”
Another wrote: “We don’t generally go eat Costa at a petrol station at 1am, I wouldn’t say it’s an authentic experience. That would more be going out on a rainy day, buying Greggs, bringing it home while rained on.”
The Americans went on to try other British staples such as Wetherspoons, where she had an “All Day Brunch,” while Jared opted for steak and kidney pudding. Reflecting on their experience, Amber noted how different British culture felt compared to the fast-paced lifestyle in the U.S. She said: “In America, we are always in such a hurry. We’re always in such a rush… But here it just feels so nice and laid back that people can just come and relax and have a good time.”