We tested every Christmas sandwich from Pret to Sainsburys – which one came out on top?

In high streets across the country, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Shops are brimming with gifts, chocolates, decorations and champagne. But one festive favourite reigns supreme: the Christmas sandwich.

Each year, Britons eagerly await the return of this seasonal staple to brighten chilly lunch breaks in the countdown to 25 December.

With so many options now on offer, choosing where to go for your cranberry sauce fix can be overwhelming. Thankfully, The Independent reporter and high street sandwich aficionado Athena Stavrou has done the legwork – sampling the top picks so you don’t have to.

Turkey Feast, Boots, £3.30 or £4.99 in the meal deal

I had high hopes for this one, being a longtime fan of Boots’ meal deals, but it fell flat. The filling was poorly distributed – everything crammed into the middle, leaving one half noticeably fuller than the other. Cranberry sauce enthusiasts will be disappointed too, as there was only the barest smear. On the plus side, the bacon was plentiful and tasty.

Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆

A meal deal favourite falls short – uneven fillings and a cranberry sauce drought might leave you reaching for the snacks aisle (Boots/Athena Stavrou)

Turkey Feast, Sainsbury’s, £3.35 or £3.75 in the meal deal

This was a top-notch Christmas sandwich at a great price. No fancy extras, just the classic combination of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce done right. The balance of ingredients was spot on, making it the standout traditional option on this list without breaking the bank.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Proof that simplicity wins – this affordable classic nails the festive formula (Sainsbury’s/Athena Stavrou)

Christmas Lunch Sandwich, Pret, £5.99 (eat in)

The priciest sandwich on the list turned out to be one of the most disappointing. While it had some nice touches – crispy onions and a rare addition of fresh spinach – it fell short where it mattered most. The turkey and stuffing were sparse, leaving the overpowering port and orange cranberry sauce to dominate every bite. To make matters worse, the bread was thin and dry, making the steep price tag even harder to justify.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Premium price, underwhelming bite – Pret’s festive special struggles to live up to its promise (Pret/Athena Stavrou)

Turkey Feast, Marks & Spencer, £4

The price point of this sandwich matched its quality pretty well. It was what I’d call a classic Christmas sandwich – with all the essential ingredients and nothing more – but all the elements were executed well. You can’t get this in a meal deal – but for £4, I think it was just about worth it. Special mention to the great quality crispy bacon and the really good gravy mayo in this one, which definitely helped its case.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Gravy mayo and crispy bacon save the day – a reliable choice for your £4 (M&S/Athena Stavrou)

Turkey and Trimmings, Tesco, £3.40 or £3.60 in meal deal

This was, overall, a good Christmas sandwich at a great price. It uses vegetarian sage and onion stuffing but includes sliced sausages – a nice touch, in my opinion. There was plenty of turkey and just the right amount of cranberry sauce. That said, a bit more stuffing could have helped it feel slightly less dry, but it was still a solid sandwich.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Sliced sausages and sage stuffing give this solid contender a merry twist, though it’s a little on the dry side (Tesco/Athena Stavrou)