M&S Christmas Dinner so expensive it should come with a mortgage advisor.

It’s that magical time of year again: mince pies, sparkly jumpers, and the annual ritual of wondering whether M&S has lost the plot entirely when pricing its Christmas centrepieces. Spoiler: the plot seems to involve “£195 Beef Wellington” scribbled in invisible ink, such that only the very bold (or very clueless) spot the price before their jaw hits the floor.

The Wellington that costs as much as a weekend away

Yes, you read that right. The six-portion Beef Wellington from M&S is being waved around in online chatter (Reddit, food forums, butcher pages) at a whopping £195. That’s not just dinner — that’s a dinner that demands its own holiday.

One butcher compared it to their own six-portion Wellington for nearly half the price. “M&S got you for the packaging and prestige,” one commenter quipped. 

Another Redditor sniped:

“What about the serves 6 – £195 M&S beef wellington? that works out to something like £32.50 per serving — truly haute cuisine or comedic theatre?” 

In short: it’s a Wellington that might come with its own trust fund cushion.

The turkey that thinks it’s an NFT

If a Wellington at dinner did not prep you for the nuttiness, wait until you see the turkey menu. M&S’s 2025 seasonal catalogue includes a British turkey crown with stuffing for about £70, and an “Oakham slow cooked turkey complete with trimmings” for £80 (yes, that includes roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, carrots, cabbage, and even gravy). 

And for those who like to live on the edge (or overdrawn), the British turkey and stuffing Wellington is sitting pretty at £110. 

In online forums, skeptics are doing the gobble-gobble math:

“Would you raise a turkey, slaughter it and prep it for £150? I wouldn’t. That is an absolutely insane turkey price.” 

So many folks are eyeing their Christmas budgets as though they’re auditioning for The Price Is Right: Luxury Edition.

So is it worth it — or just brilliant marketing?

To be fair, Marks & Spencer appears to be doubling down on its “treat yourself” strategy this Christmas. The retailer’s festive campaign celebrates indulgence — a once-a-year occasion where shoppers might justify paying extra for premium cuts, artisanal preparation, and limited-edition centrepieces. If the quality meets expectations, the brand seems confident that customers will forgive the higher prices.

Yet, consumer trust can be fragile. On social media, many shoppers have accused M&S of applying what they call a “Christmas tax” — an extra mark-up attached to the festive label. One Facebook user described paying £7.50 for a small box of modest festive treats, only to have a refund request refused.

Elsewhere, online forums have been flooded with incredulous reactions to flagship dishes such as the £195 beef Wellington — a price point that, as several users joked, “costs more than a weekend away.” Others mocked the brand’s luxury positioning, asking whether “the pig walked itself to the bakery” or “the gravy came with its own butler.”

Behind the humour lies a growing sentiment that M&S may be testing the limits of customer loyalty. As the brand pushes its gourmet credentials harder than ever, shoppers appear to be weighing up whether they are paying for culinary excellence — or for a well-crafted story wrapped in Christmas packaging.

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