An American woman living in the UK was left shocked after discovering that a common food practice in the US is considered a major faux pas by Brits.
Stacey Gaw, 36, moved from Oregon to Southampton in England over the summer to be with her British husband.
Since relocating across the pond she has been showcasing her experience and all the cultural differences that she’s discovered online.
But when she documented her first time trying the popular sandwich shop Greggs, she was slammed after she unknowingly committed what many Brits felt was a grave mistake and injustice to the chain.
It sparked a massive conversation online about how takeout is eaten in the US versus the UK.
In the now-viral TikTok video, Gaw was seen enjoying multiple sandwiches from the eatery.
And while she enjoyed many of the items she sampled, Gaw was trolled by many Brits for the way she chose to consume them.
It turns out, she took the food home, heated it up and served it on a plate rather than eating it right away out of the bag it was served in.
Stacey Gaw, 36, moved from Oregon to Southampton in England over the summer to be with her British husband
She documented her first time trying the popular sandwich shop Greggs, but was slammed after she unknowingly committed what many Brits felt was a grave injustice to the chain
And while many takeout food are reheated and consumed later in the US, many UK-residents were quick to tell her in the comment section that Greggs’ sandwiches must always be eaten fresh and from the bag.
‘Greggs has to be eaten from the bag!’ one exasperated user wrote.
Another commented: ‘Normally eat Greggs out the bag the minute you get out the shop.’
Someone else agreed: ‘Nobody puts Greggs on a plate.’
‘I’ve never seen anyone eat Greggs off a plate. Like ever,’ said another critic.
Another viewer added: ‘No no not on a plate.’
While defending herself against the backlash to What’s the Jam recently, Gaw admitted that she never expected the video to get such a big reaction.
‘I see tons of videos of people plating their [takeout], so I thought it would be fine – it was not,’ she joked.
Gaw was trolled by many Brits for the way she chose to consume the food; she took it home, heated it up and served it on a plate rather than eating it right away out of the bag
While many takeout food are reheated and consumed later in the US, many UK-residents were quick to tell her that Greggs’ sandwiches must always be eaten fresh and from the bag
Since relocating across the pond, Gaw has been showcasing her experience and all the cultural differences that she’s discovered online
‘A lot of people said it was silly that I put my Greggs on a plate, but I have seen so many people plate their takeaways, so I just did it.’
In the clip, she was seen tucking into some of the most famed items on the menu.
Speaking about the food, Gaw said: ‘Sausage here is different. Strange. Mushy.’
‘I give the bean and cheese melt a six out of ten and the sausage roll an eight out of ten,’ she added.
‘Not on video, I have had a chicken bake, and that’s a ten out of ten all day, and the sausage breakfast baguette, that was a solid eight out of ten.’
Stacey said moving to the UK has been like being in a “whole other world,’ but noted that the people have been welcoming.
‘It seems like they’re excited to tell me about their home and how things are done, how to eat things, and things I should try,’ she said.
‘That has been really fun and fulfilling. Sometimes when they’re unkind, I feel myself getting defensive, but I also remember that I am in another country and want to learn all I can.
‘There are so many snacks and meals that we don’t have in America. Honorable mention [is for] Sunday roasts – they’re so delicious and having them every Sunday is such a cozy tradition.’
