What's the safest time to brave M&S?

[MilleniumMouse]

Safest in terms of not being too busy, and still having a decent amount of stock.

Do I go at 6am when the doors open? Or 9pm before it closes?

Thanks

My local food store was hell on earth at 8am

My ds works in m&s, this is true. Sadly he's not working Christmas eve but we gets lots of goodies and sometimes flowers! It's quite cute all these teen boys coming out with bunches of flowers.
I was in tonight around 8 and it was packed. Back again now to pick up ds and they're still trying to get customers out!

Went to our small medium sized one today that opens at 9am. Got there at 9am, was lots of people but was seen at the order pick up desk straight away, went to the food court, really busy, but when went to the tills there was only one person in front of us.

I remember this Twitter story fondly too. It was brilliantly written.

Ahhh was it Twitter? I looked and I couldn’t find it online anywhere.

I used to follow him but I can’t remember his name.

Back in the day when I used to shop in person, 5.40 to be in line for 6am doors opening. Now, I book Ocado as soon as the Christmas deliveries open. Never doing that mad supermarket dash ever again.

I went at 7.20 this morning to my big M&S and it was very well stocked and not too busy back at home by 8.30 to start work at 9 😊

A tip, you can't do much about the chaos in the food hall, but instead of joining the long queues to pay, go to one of the textile tills. There will be no queues there, and as long as you don't have anything that needs weighing, you will be able to scan, pack and pay for your food easily.

10:07am on January 19th 2026.

Good luck

Went to Tesco 11am today and it was busy but bearable.
Went to M&S 6pm again busy but bearable
Even popped to Tesco next door for iceberg lettuce and celery which M&S did not have and again busy but ok, home 7.30pm ish
Just the farm shop tomorrow now.

I left the husband in a corner in M&S with the trolley, grabbed a basket, went getting what I needed and returning to the trolley when the basket was full. And off I’d go again with an empty basket for more. Worked well as impossible to get up the aisles with the trolley.

My husband laughs at me, but 6am on Christmas Eve is the perfect time to go shopping. It’s quiet, lots of stock, and everyone is in a good mood. Honestly, it’s heart warming, and I love my little shopping trip.

As opposed to 12:30 yesterday in Sainsbury, which bloody carnage.

Found it @WonderfulSmith !
https://www.thepoke.com/2024/11/12/its-the-right-time-of-year-to-revisit-the-greatest-story-ever-old-by-a-christmas-part-time-shop-worker/

I went at 7:30 this am. It opened at 7am and it was very busy, as was the aldi nearby. Thankfully I only needed a few bits.

We opened at 7 this morning and it was like midday- everyone saying they wanted to get in and out. I think you just have to brave whatever time you’re able to get in. I’d guess by tonight everything will nearly be gone- we have no tubs of sweets or tins of biscuits left!!

eta not everything, that was a tad dramatic, but you’ll have to be open to what you want to buy!!

Was totally fine at 11.30 today in Bath- busy as it usually is , but perfectly ok - didn’t do a collection this year . I think one big difference isa lot more people have home deliveries these days and of course Ocado do M&S

I had to pop to M&S this afternoon for a couple of things I’d forgotten. It was easy to park, and it looked as though everything you would need for a Christmas meal was still available - there were loads of turkeys, gammon, beef joints etc. the queues were all short and it wasn’t too crowded at all.

I don’t know but I just went to Waitrose and it was carnage - someone had knocked over and smashed a bottle of mulled wine, there were no organic kumquats left and I had to actually queue - ok it was only for 3 minutes - but I never usually have to queue in Waitrose!!

The horror!