10 hacks to get cheap and free Greggs

Greggs has been a student-favourite chain for as long as we can remember. We've found ways to get their hot treats and sweet things for free (or as good as).

Credit: Ceri Breeze (background), The Stock Pot (bottom left), DenisMArt (cup), Makistock (doughnut) – Shutterstock

We couldn't imagine uni without the option of getting a hot Greggs instead of a supermarket meal deal. After all, it costs a lot less and can be more filling.

The breakfast baps, sausage rolls or that classic jam doughnut – Greggs has something for everyone. The hard part is deciding what you want when you get to the till. What if they don't have any sausage rolls fresh out of the oven? Nightmare.

As cheap as Greggs already is, we still want to give you our tips and tricks to get as much cheap (or even free) food as possible. Why wouldn't you use them?

How to get free Greggs

Here's how to make the most of everything Greggs offers:

1. Free bakes

   One of the best freebies we've ever had is a free slice of pizza and a doughnut from Greggs.

   You can sometimes get offers like this through the Greggs app, so look out for these.

   In the past, we've also received vouchers for a free Lucozade or cookie as we hadn't used the app in a long time. Offers like these are best used when you're out and about and super hungry... nothing better than a free, tasty snack.

2. Pay 72p for a sausage roll

   What if we said you can get a Greggs sausage roll, hot from the oven, for around 72p? Keep reading... we're going to save you that cash.

   Iceland sells four and eight packs of Greggs (yes, actual Greggs) sausage rolls.

   Usually, we'd roll our eyes (a bit like you want to do now) and say it's not the same. But honestly, give us a blind taste test with these fresh out of the oven and one from Greggs directly and we wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

   Of course, you could also get a Greggs sausage roll for free...

3. Get a free Greggs sausage roll, vegan roll or sweet treat

   

   Make the most of student discount while you can. At Greggs, flashing your student card equates to a freebie.

   Buy an eligible sandwich deal at Greggs and you can claim a free sausage roll, vegan roll, cheese & onion bake or a sweet treat. Every. Time.

   We'd also suggest claiming your freebie when any family members or friends buy a sandwich deal. That's an easy way to get totally free Greggs.

4. Get 50% off your Greggs order

   It's a big saving, and one we all wish we had...

   The staff discount at Greggs is 50% on own-produced goods and 25% off bought-in products (like Coca-Cola or Walkers crisps).

   So, we suggest making friends with someone who works there. We're not saying to ask them to bring the whole shop home, but hopefully, you'll be able to ask for a few bits.

   If you work at Greggs, let us know if there are any more perks by messaging us on Facebook or Instagram. We'd love to know more.

   A Greggs employee has previously told us they have a 'Fix it now' policy. If they don't have the item you want, they can sometimes offer you something else for free.

5. Get free Greggs coffee

   At the time of writing, you can get a free coffee just for downloading the Greggs Rewards app. Or, if you'd prefer, you can ask for a tea, hot chocolate or iced drink instead.

   There's a chance you might also get offers like this randomly afterwards. They're great to use when you're out running errands and need a pick-me-up.

   Make sure your notifications are turned on. That way, they can send you a push notification when a freebie becomes available. Otherwise, it may be hard to know when they've added something to the app. Or, like us, you may forget to check.

   Check the expiry date of your freebies too. There's nothing worse than getting your phone out to redeem a freebie, only to find that the code expired the day before. Classic money mistake.

6. Discounted Greggs with O2 Priority

   If you're an O2 customer, count yourself lucky. You can get a hot drink and a Greggs savoury treat for just £1 each through the Priority app.

   You can't claim both at the same time, but you can redeem each offer once a month, which is a pretty sweet deal if you ask us. They’re valid all day throughout the month (while stocks last), but you'll need to double-check that this offer is redeemable at your local Greggs.

   All you have to do is log onto the O2 Priority app, tap 'USE NOW' and display your code at the till. Easy peasy.

   To stay up to date with what freebies you can get, look at the student deals section of our website or sign up for our weekly deals newsletter or Telegram updates.

   See our guide to the best life hacks for ways to save time, money and energy in day-to-day life.

7. Make cheap bakes at home

   You might think this is a bit of a stretch, but we've tried to make sausage rolls and other baked goods at home and they've turned out great.

   The more treats you make, the cheaper they will become. Although we'd suggest getting good quality ingredients for the best possible taste.

   For example, making sausage, bean and cheese melts at home is super cheap. All you need is puff pastry from Tesco (about £1.30), half a tin of beans (about 14p), a small amount of grated cheese (pennies) and some sausages (Iceland sells 10 for £1).

8. Collect rewards on the Greggs Rewards app

   Let's get this straight... you can be rewarded for every delicious purchase you make at Greggs? Yes! You can collect rewards for every transaction. Plus, you'll get exclusive app-only gifts.

   In the Greggs Rewards app, you'll have six different stamp cards (for each category of tasty treats). Every time you purchase a delicious product, you'll gain a stamp on the corresponding card – cool, eh?

   Once you've collected nine stamps in a single category, your 10th will be free.

   We're the masters of food hacks. Read these tips on how to get a free Burger King to learn more.

9. Get 25p off when using a reusable cup

   

   Love a hot drink? Grab your reusable cup and use it at Greggs to get 25p off your hot drinks.

   This way, they won't have to give you a disposable one that you'll only use for about 20 minutes and you get to save some money. You'll do your part in cutting your carbon footprint at the same time.

10. Cheap eats after 4pm

    Feeling peckish on your way home from uni? Greggs has you covered.

    After 4pm, they do a pizza and drink deal from just £2.85 in participating stores. It gets you a slice of pizza and a regular hot or cold drink. Ideal for a late-afternoon pick-me-up on a budget!

    The same items would cost at least £3.50 before 4pm, so it pays to wait.

Now that you've managed to get these sweet treats for less, have a look at the best Domino's hacks.

Prices were accurate at the time of writing (using Iceland and Tesco prices as guidelines).