The retailer has replaced the promotion with a new offer that gives a third off a range of mains, sides, desserts and wines.
The switch is certain to hit customers in the pocket. LoveMoney calculated the price of the cheapest main, side, dessert and wine, claiming it comes to £13.02 – £3.02 more than consumers would have paid just a few months ago.
And if people go for the most expensive options it will set them back £16.70 – a 67 per cent price hike.
While it is now more expensive to get the full “Dine In” experience, the new offer does give buyers more choice.
Customers can now choose to save money by only buying a main and a side, for example, and some of the mains have increased in size.
A Marks & Spencer spokesperson said: “Each month the theme and offer will change, inspiring and allowing customers to discover great quality, innovative new products and to try something new for dinner.”
They added that while the fixed price offer is gone for now, it could still return in the future.
Despite promising to offer innovative and inspiring meal choices, there doesn’t appear to be a vegetarian option among this month’s main courses.
The range includes chimichurri beef steaks, a beef and roasted vegetable pie, chicken in red wine, slow cooked aromatic duck, pancetta carbonara, slow cooked Mexican pork shoulder and slow cooked peppered beef.
The sides on offer are: peas, spinach, spring greens and samphire, tenderstem broccoli, carrot, spelt and quinoa, and creamy mushrooms.
And the desserts are a chocolate peanut tart, apple frangipane tart, billionaire’s dessert, carrot cake cheesecake, and triple chocolate cheesecake.
Fans of the old offer have criticised Marks & Spencer on Twitter. Angi Holden wrote: “Can’t help feeling this is a huge mistake @marksandspencer. The last few times I’ve bought things in an M&S store it’s because I originally went in to pick up a dine-in meal deal.”
And Sophie Rose added: “This was literally one of the only reasons I was buzzed to start dating/seeing someone. Now I finally am, @marksandspencer have announced this travesty!”
The original version of the story first appeared on the i news.
