Popular fast-food bakery Greggs is expected to expand its opening hours and offer a 24-hour drive-thru to selected stores across the country.

Greggs, which has been in operation since 1939, reported a jump in sales in 2022 of 23%.

Sales are up from £1.2 billion in 2021 to £1.5bn in 2022, marking an upward trend for the brand.

With this success, Greggs is expanding its opening hours, opening new stores and set to trial a drive-thru service for those on the move.

Greggs to open 150 new stores amid expansion of opening hours

Greggs has announced that it will open 150 new stores across the UK this year, saying there is a "clear opportunity" to have more than 3000 locations.

The chain already has around 2330 stores after opening a record 186 shops last year while closing 39.

This comes after hundreds of locations were earmarked to open until late at night.

Greggs to expand opening hours as brand announces prices will not rise further

300 stores will have their opening hours expanded until 9pm this year in a move sure to please steak bake and sausage roll fans across the country.

While inflation, the price of energy and staff costs are higher, the brand has signalled that it will not raise prices further.

Roisin Currie, the chief executive of Greggs, said that are no current plans to increase prices for customers but stressed that the company had to keep prices under review.

In recent years, the price of popular products like the sausage roll has had price increases with the item costing £1 at the start of 2022.

By the end of last year, the price of sausage rolls had risen to £1.20 after being subject to several price rises.

Greggs has 'an exciting, ambitious plan for the years ahead' says company chief executive 

Ms Currie said: "2022 has been a year of strong progress for Greggs, the result of committed efforts to deliver our strategic growth plan.

"The significant opportunities on which the plan is based will remain centre stage in the year ahead as we make Greggs more accessible to even more customers.

"Although consumer incomes remain under pressure, Greggs continues to offer exceptional value to people looking for great tasting, high-quality food and drink on-the-go.

"We have an exciting, ambitious plan for the years ahead and, by continuing to nurture what makes Greggs special, I believe we are extremely well-placed to realise the opportunity to become a significantly larger, multi-channel business."