GAIL's BakeryReviews 

1,018
TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

2.3

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 259 reviews, most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Many customers expressed dissatisfaction with the service, citing issues like unfriendly, inattentive, or unhelpful staff, and a general lack of engagement in maintaining cleanliness. People frequently encountered problems with product quality, including bland or tasteless food, items with inedible fat, or products that seemed stale or burnt. Several reviewers also noted concerns about hygiene, such as dirty tables or issues with food preparation and service areas. Some customers reported issues with lukewarm drinks and the use of paper cups for dining in, which they found disappointing for a higher-end establishment. Conversely, a small portion of people felt satisfied with the staff, describing them as polite, helpful, and attentive, particularly at certain locations. These customers also praised the quality of the coffee, pastries, and other food items, finding them delicious and consistently good.

What people talk about most

Staff

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of staff, with many customers praising the staff for being kind,... See more

Product

Consumers find product quality to be ambiguous, with some reviewers expressing extreme dissatisfaction,... See more

Quality

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with quality, with some reviewers expressing satisfaction... See more

Service

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about service, with some customers consistently reporting positive... See more

Location

Clients share ambiguous opinions on location, with many reviewers expressing disappointment with specific... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

(Tunbridge Wells) Food and drink were fine (as usual at a Gail’s) but although the café was quiet the unoccupied tables (and in one case the benches) were covered in crumbs/sticky mess/spilt liqui... See more

Company replied

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Staff attentive but coffee overpriced £4.30 for a (very) small flat white.The main bug bear is the other customers, one person taking up a double table with a laptop and one empty coffee cup. All tabl... See more

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

As a tourist i love this place foodwise and seatingplaces wise. There is choice in healthy food and pastries, coffee is good, personel friendly, BUT apparently cleaning does not have a priority. I hav... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The pastrami sandwich was the worst i have ever had. The meat has great lumps of inedible fat, while the dressing tasted chemical. I was so horrrified I asked for the ingredient list. And no wonder! H... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Bakery
  2. Brunch restaurant
  3. Cafe
  4. Caterer
  5. Coffee shop
  6. Meal Delivery

Written by the company

Dedicated to the craft of baking. Available to buy in-bakery, online at https://order.gailsbread.co.uk and on Waitrose, Ocado, Deliveroo, Gorillas and Amazon Fresh.


Contact info

2.3

Poor

TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

1k reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 45% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 24 hours

How this company uses Trustpilot

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2.3

All reviews

(1,018)

253 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Not impressed

I've walked past Gail's in Harpenden high st many times, today I thought I would sample their coffee.
I wasn't impressed, typical Starbucks quality, my flat white was awful, no distinct coffee aroma, flavour was bland, tasted of coffee flavoured milk!
The ambience is too much like a kitchen. Bright lights and the sound resonates which doesn't make for a relaxing experience.

7 December 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Paul, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy your visit: please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Unpleasant experience this morning..

Unpleasant experience this morning..
I was about to mske my order just the appnwas taking me somewhere else. I ask for help as i never expiriance that before and what i got is no knowledge, the lady with short grayish hair and a round glasses made me feel like i am a inconvenience for her as the next customers where waiting.
I left with unpleasant feeling and will not return.

3 December 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Dominika, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry to learn we missed the mark during your visit: please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,] quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further. 

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Not clean

Went to the Gails in Cheshire oaks while the food was ok the place needs a dam good clean.
Not enough staff cleaning tables the metal trays with grim .

28 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Chris, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry to learn we missed the mark during your visit: please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,] quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Different prices but not for everyone.

Ugh; Can I have my food as take away & eat in?

I thought you had an eat in price & a takeaway price?

But your staff seems to think that others can eat in without paying the eat in price.

Peter's Hill, London EC4V 4AU.
By Millennial Bridge

18 November 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Way over priced

Way over priced , average food and dirty tables
Waterloo

27 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Patrick, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Gail’s in Hove and also in north st…

Gail’s in Hove and also in north st brighton are spot on great staff and the food is great well done Gail’s.

26 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello there, thank you for the positive feedback, the team will be thrilled. We are happy to hear you enjoy visiting us and we look forward to seeing you again soon. 

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

CHRISTMAS 6 PACK OF MINCE PIES

Hi, I HAD NEVER BOUGHT FROM THIS COMPANY HAVING BEEN SCARED OFF BY THEIR PRICES BUT HAVING READ A REVIEW ON MINCE PIES I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE A LUXURY SIX PACK OF MINCE PIES A GO.
AN ASTONISHING £16.00 PAID FOR THEM. WHEN TASTE TESTING AND THIS INCLUDES MY MOTHER WHO HAS BEEN A BAKER.... WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY LOOKED DARK,OVER BAKED WITH DEMERARA SUGAR ON TOP WHICH IS UNUSUAL. MY MOTHER SAYS SHE ALWAYS USED A DUSTING OF ICING SUGAR. HAVING READ THE FILLING CONTENTS WHICH INCLUDES BOOSE BUT NOT A SIGN ON MY TASTE BUDS OF IT. THE FILLING ITSELF IS A BLAND,LACKLUSTRE PASTE MADE OF GROUND CURRENTS WHICH IS A CHEAP VERSION.
NOT THE VARIED CHRISTMAS MINCE ONE WOULD EXPECT. THE BOX WAS THE ONLY NICE THING ABOUT THEM...

22 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Peter, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy the mince pies: please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Ridiculously overpriced

Ridiculously overpriced,
Slightly condescending pompous service

25 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Robert, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We always try to price our food and coffee fairly, with accordance to the high-quality ingredients we use and the craftmanship of our bakers and baristas. If of interest, you can find a little more about us here: https://youtu.be/6OoB6x4u_JI?si=N3oHd4TB9LVC6nye [https://youtu.be/6OoB6x4u_JI?si=N3oHd4TB9LVC6nye]. We hope this gives you some insight into what we are trying to do here at GAIL’s. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Gail’s in Thame

Our visit to Gail’s in Thame was very disappointing.

Initially we ordered 2 hot chocolates and 2 pastries, specifically asking if the hot chocolate could be made with milk and be extra hot. However the hot chocolate was warm and appeared to be watered down. In order not to make a fuss, I ordered another specifying it should be made with milk but this time it was even more watered down and looked and tasted like dirty water!!!

This time I asked them to remake my hot chocolate (having already paid for four drinks). The lady said they had to add water which is the reason it was so thin and said they are restricted on the amount of chocolate they add.

Surely Gail’s know that a hot chocolate should be chocolatey and creamy.
4 drinks and 3 pastries came to just under £35.00.

The hot chocolates were a waste of money, the pastries were nice but grossly overpriced. The tables were dirty. We had to clean ours. The overall service was appalling.

19 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Emma, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry to learn we missed the mark during your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,] quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Poor customer experience

We visited Gail's at Liverpool St station. We ordered scones. The butter was so hard we couldn't spread it with the functionally useless cardboard knives supplied. We had to eat off of a dirty table with serviettes as no plate was supplied either. Will not patronise Gail's again.

23 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Anna, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Gails refuse cash customers.

Gails, since the time of lockdowns and covid-mania have enforced a refusal of cash. Each time I ask for the reason for this, a different spurious excuse is offered. Sadly, in view of this Draconian, non-inclusive policy I'm no longer willing to visit Gails.

6 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Bonnie, our decision to go cashless was made to streamline our operations and enhance safety for both customers and team. It's also in line with our sustainability efforts, as we no longer have to transport cash (by car) from our 100+ locations. We appreciate the inconvenience and hope you can understand we are doing this for what we believe are the right reasons. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience team via gails.com/pages/contact quoting this review.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Excuse …

Your answer is just an excuse doesn’t make you less discriminatory towards only cash users in this country

20 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hi Robert, our decision to go cashless was made to streamline our operations and enhance safety for both customers and team. It's also in line with our sustainability efforts, as we no longer have to transport cash (by car) from our 100+ locations. We appreciate the inconvenience and hope you can understand we are doing this for what we believe are the right reasons. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience team via gails.com/pages/contact quoting this review.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

One word- DIRTY !

Went for light lunch with family. Very disappointing visit.Dirty tables - had to clean ourselves. Sat near the one toilet and observed queues for most of the time. Daughter did go and said it needed a good clean. Think it needs more than one toilet for the size of the cafe. The staff also use the toilet. The food is very expensive so one does expect a clean environment. It has certainly gone downhill since it opened. Will probably avoid going back.

15 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hi there, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Marvellous Christmas bun!

A really hot latte, just right, and Gail’s gave me a loyalty voucher for a Christmas bun, totally calorific but absolutely wonderful, perfect treat for a walk on Wimbledon Common, will be having more and highly recommended!

15 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hi Pauline, thank you for the positive feedback. We are happy to hear you had a great experience and hope to see you again soon. 

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Beckenham’s Gail’s.

The decor is not conducive to a relaxing stay with bright lights glaring into your face and the blue furniture .
The scone was tasteless and the green tea was bland despite being tea leaves. The carrot cake was exceptional.
The staff were polite and very good at exchanging the oat milk latte that had lumps in it . It was a very average experience and disappointing as we looked forward to a Gail’s coming to Beckenham. With a few modifications it could be made much more welcoming .

11 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello there, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't thoroughly enjoy your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

The Baked goods are gorgeous but the…

The Baked goods are gorgeous but the coffee is abysmal,we had coffee and pastries in Gail’s at Millennium Bridge this Morning and then had lunch in Gail’s at Liverpool Street station again coffee horrible,I got their spiced cafe au lait 1st tasteless and bitter coffee ,then I tried the Mocha ,no better ,couldn’t even taste the chocolate and coffee bitter again ,also big tables at Millennium Bridge one were disgustingly dirty ,staff can be quite rude

10 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Louisa, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy the drinks: please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I’d like to give a huge shout out to…Lucas

I’d like to give a huge shout out to Lucas for his outstanding customer service at the Kennington Park Road) location. I walked in, it was clear that Lucas goes above and beyond the usual level of service you’d expect.

He wasn’t just serving customers quickly and efficiently he was also helping his colleagues, managing the till, keeping customers informed about their orders, and even jumping in to help make coffees and assist in the kitchen when needed. His communication with customers was friendly and professional, making everyone feel welcome and valued. I come in to this store regularly and always have to wait longer than today. This is the first time I’ve met him and felt the difference.

It’s rare to see someone so dedicated and proactive. Lucas’s professionalism and teamwork really stood out, and it made my experience exceptional. You can tell he takes pride in his work and genuinely cares about providing top-quality service.

10 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Fouad, thank you for the positive feedback, the team will be thrilled. We are happy to hear you had a great experience and are genuinely grateful for your kind words.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful service

Wonderful service, attentive staff, especially when making my coffee, a lovely ambiance and delicious food!!

6 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hi there, thank you for the positive feedback. We are happy to hear you had a great experience and hope to see you again soon. 

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Never again

I try to avoid Gail’s as a rule, for their exorbitant prices, very average food and surly staff.

I just needed a place to sit and a snack, but I instantly regretted it. I spent well over £20 for a minuscule cake and coffee for myself and my friend. There are so many amazing independent coffee shops in London, with cheaper, better coffee - won’t be making that mistake again..

16 April 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Alex, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry you didn't enjoy your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,]  quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further. 

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Rude service poor product

Couldn’t understand what the server was asking me- she repeated it twice and then slowly asked my whether I’d like regular milk in my coffee yes was the answer.
The grumpy barrister (Euston branch) slapped down two flat whites in mugs with no handles. I gingerly approached one expecting it to be too hot to wrap my hands around but no - the coffee was luke warm. I asked if I could have a hot coffee - well… that certainly stirred things up. The server was called over and I was told that if I had wanted hot coffee I should have asked for it! Who knew!!
The barrista was so grumpy that I said not to bother, we would drink the like warm ones.
Never again!

1 November 2025
Unprompted review
GAIL's Bakery logo

Reply from GAIL's Bakery

Hello Lisa, thank you for taking the time to review our bakery. We are sorry to learn we missed the mark during your visit, please get in touch with our central Customer Experience Team via https://gails.com/pages/contact [https://gails.com/pages/contact,] quoting this review so that we can identify your feedback. We'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further. 

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