M&S has another viral hit on its hands, this time in the form of a £4 sandwich that’s suddenly taken social media by storm. The item made a comeback to shelves this summer and has since caused a stir among shoppers online, with new fans discovering it seemingly every day.
The item in question is M&S’s Spanish Cheese & Serrano Ham Pan De Cristal, which has been picking up a wave of glowing reviews from shoppers recently. It features ham and cheese served on pan de cristal, an ultra crispy style of bread originating from the Catalonia region of Spain, known for its light, glass-like crust and airy interior.
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To enjoy it properly, it needs to be toasted, either in the oven or an air fryer, rather than eaten cold straight from the packet. This extra step seems to be part of the appeal too, turning what could easily be a grab-and-go lunch into something that feels slightly more like an actual meal. It returned to shelves this summer after originally launching as a seasonal item the year before, and its second appearance has proven even more popular than its first, suggesting the item may be heading toward becoming a permanent fixture rather than a fleeting seasonal treat.
Shoppers have been raving about it online.
New fans of the snack have been taking to social media in droves to share their enthusiasm. One food lover described it as “stunning,” adding that anyone who even slightly enjoys cheese would love it, and arguing it’s worth the hype rather than dismissing something untried.
Another shopper praised the quality of the ingredients, calling the sandwich moreish, while a third agreed it lived up to the hype entirely, describing the taste as phenomenal. The consistency of the praise across different platforms suggests this isn’t simply a one-off viral moment either, with plenty of shoppers actively recommending it to friends and family rather than just posting about it once and moving on.
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Long-time fans are worried about it selling out.
Not everyone reacting online is new to the sandwich, though. Some shoppers who’ve been quietly enjoying it for a while expressed a bit of concern that its sudden viral popularity could lead to it selling out more regularly, or disappearing from shelves altogether once demand ramps up.
One shopper acknowledged those who’d been enjoying the pan de cristal well before it went viral, seemingly bracing for a rush of new customers now that word has spread. It’s a familiar pattern with M&S viral food moments, where a product’s popularity online can quickly outpace how much stock individual stores actually carry, leading to frustration for regular shoppers who suddenly find their usual pick has vanished from the shelf.
Not everyone is convinced it’s worth the fuss.
Despite the wave of praise, not every shopper has been won over. Some have described the sandwich as overrated, with a few dismissing it as little more than a pricier version of standard ham and cheese on toast, questioning whether the Spanish bread and imported ingredients justify the price tag compared to making something similar at home.
This kind of split reaction isn’t unusual for viral food items, where enthusiasm from some shoppers tends to be met with scepticism from others who feel the hype has been overblown, particularly once a product’s popularity reaches the point of appearing repeatedly across social media feeds.
Whether you’re keen to see what the fuss is about or remain sceptical until you’ve tried it yourself, the sandwich is available to pick up at your nearest M&S store, or online through Ocado if you’d rather order it for delivery.
Given the concerns already being raised about stock levels, you’ll want to check availability at your local store sooner rather than later, particularly if the viral attention continues to grow in the coming weeks.
