McQueens Dairies Review: Is Doorstep Milk Delivery Worth It?

We first started having milk delivered to our doorstep during Covid, although back then it was less about nostalgia and more about making sure we actually had some groceries in the house.

There were periods when getting everyday basics wasn't guaranteed, supermarket shelves could be rather hit and miss, and having milk and a few essentials turn up at the front door took away one small bit of hassle.

As things gradually returned to normal, we drifted away from having regular doorstep deliveries. Supermarket shopping became easier again, there wasn't the same worry about whether we'd be able to get what we needed, and our old milk delivery routine eventually disappeared. It was one of those habits that had served a purpose at the time but didn't feel quite as necessary afterwards.

Earlier this year, though, we became foster carers and our household routine changed quite considerably. We suddenly found ourselves getting through more of the everyday essentials, and the convenience of having milk, eggs, bread and similar products arrive without needing another trip to the shops started to look rather appealing again. So we decided to give doorstep milk delivery another go, and this time we've been using McQueens Dairies.

Why We Started Using McQueens Dairies

The biggest reason we've stuck with McQueens is convenience. Milk seems to be particularly popular in our house at the moment, with the kids regularly drinking it, and I'm certainly not going to complain about them choosing a glass of milk. The only downside is that a bottle that looked perfectly full yesterday can suddenly be empty when somebody wants a cup of tea in the morning.

Having a regular milk delivery means it's one less thing we have to think about. McQueens deliver twice each week before 7am, (depending on the delivery round for your postcode), so fresh milk is often sitting outside before we've properly started the day.

There are other things you can add too, which makes the service considerably more useful than having somebody turn up with nothing but milk. McQueens currently offers products including eggs, juice, bread, yoghurt, cream, flavoured milk and dairy-free alternatives alongside its normal milk range.

For us, it's the sort of stuff we'd be buying anyway. We're not filling the order with random extras just because they're available, and that's probably why the service works so well for our household. What arrives generally gets eaten or drunk before the next delivery arrives.

There's Something Rather Nice About Having A Milkman Again

I know this isn't exactly hard financial analysis, but there's also something about doorstep milk delivery that I genuinely like. Hearing the milkman arriving in the morning and the clinking of glass bottles outside is wonderfully retro, and it reminds me of something that used to be a completely normal part of British life. There's a reassuring familiarity to opening the door first thing and seeing bottles of fresh milk waiting there.

McQueens itself has been around since 1995, when Mick and Meg McQueen started a single milk round in St Andrews. The family business has grown considerably since then, but its entire model is still built around bringing back that traditional doorstep delivery service.

Of course, nostalgia isn't enough on its own to justify paying for something every week. I wouldn't keep using a milkman simply because I like the sound of glass bottles arriving at the front door. The important thing is that the service is genuinely useful to us as well.

Is McQueens Dairies More Expensive Than The Supermarket?

This is The Penny Pincher, so we do need to talk about the price. If your only goal is buying milk for the absolute lowest possible price, you'll probably be able to find cheaper options in a supermarket, particularly if you're buying larger plastic containers. Doorstep milk delivery is partly about paying for convenience, so I wouldn't pretend otherwise.

That said, we've found the difference isn't particularly dramatic for what we order. We're not spending a huge amount each week, everything gets used, and there are no delivery fees being added to the order. McQueens offer free doorstep delivery and no minimum order, which means you don't have to pad your basket with things you don't actually need just to qualify for delivery.

I think this is where it's important to look at the real cost rather than simply comparing the shelf price of one bottle of milk. If you already happen to be in the supermarket, then picking up the milk there may well be cheaper. If you've run out and need to make another journey or place a separate delivery order, the calculation starts to look rather different.

How It Compares With Ordering Groceries On Just Eat

We actually make quite a lot of use of food delivery apps for groceries when the deals are worthwhile. Mondays can be particularly good for discounted fruit and vegetables, and Wednesdays can sometimes be useful for discounted grocery essentials, so I'm certainly not against having supermarket shopping delivered through apps such as Just Eat.

I've written separately about how I use Monday grocery deals on food delivery apps to reduce what we're spending on certain products. The offers can be excellent when you choose the right items and combine them with other savings, but you still need to look at the final checkout price rather than getting distracted by the headline discount.

If we've simply forgotten milk, eggs or bread, ordering just a couple of items through a delivery app isn't always particularly attractive once service fees, delivery charges and any other costs have been added. That's where having the McQueens order already scheduled can work better for us. The things we'd otherwise forget simply arrive at the house without us having to place another order.

It also reduces one of those annoying little top-up shops. Going into a supermarket because you've run out of milk can very easily become a £15 shopping trip once you spot several other things you suddenly decide you need. I've talked before about some of the ways shoppers accidentally spend more than intended in supermarkets, and avoiding unnecessary visits is one way of removing some of that temptation.

How Does McQueens Dairies Work?

McQueens works as a regular subscription-style doorstep delivery rather than an on-demand grocery service. You enter your postcode to check whether the company covers your area, build the order you want and then choose from the delivery options available for your local milk round. McQueens says most household customers receive deliveries twice a week, usually on Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday depending on their postcode.

One thing I like is that you're not necessarily stuck with exactly the same order forever. The McQueens customer portal allows customers to change quantities, add or remove products, see upcoming deliveries and pause or resume deliveries when necessary. That makes it useful if you're going on holiday or suddenly realise you're getting through far more milk than usual.

Payments are currently collected by Direct Debit, with McQueens saying household customers are billed weekly in arrears. In other words, this isn't the old-fashioned version where somebody knocks on the door and you hand the milkman a handful of coins on a Friday morning. The delivery might feel nostalgic, but the account management is considerably more modern.

What Can You Order From McQueens Dairies?

Milk is obviously the main reason most people will look at McQueens, and you can choose between reusable glass bottles and other packaging options depending on the product. The range isn't limited to standard whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk either, with milk alternatives and flavoured products also available.

We've found the ability to add things such as eggs and bread particularly useful because they're exactly the sort of products that disappear quickly in a busy house. McQueens also currently lists products including fresh juice, yoghurt, cream and dairy-free milk alternatives. The exact products and prices can change, so I'd check what's available for your postcode rather than assuming everything will be offered everywhere.

I wouldn't use McQueens as a substitute for our full weekly grocery shop, and that's not really what we're trying to achieve. For us, it covers a small group of basics that we know we're going to need and saves us having to remember them every time we go shopping. That's where the service earns its place in our weekly spending.

What Happens To The Empty Glass Milk Bottles?

The glass bottles are probably my favourite part of the whole thing. Rather than throwing another plastic milk container into the recycling, we put the empty glass bottles back outside and the milkman collects them when the next delivery arrives. It feels like a very old-fashioned system, but in this case old-fashioned actually makes plenty of sense.

McQueens glass bottles are collected, cleaned and reused as part of its delivery system. The company says a glass bottle can be reused multiple times before eventually being recycled, so leaving the empties out for collection is an important part of making the system work.

You do have to get into the habit of remembering to put them outside, of course. Once it becomes part of the routine, though, it's no more complicated than remembering which night the recycling bin needs to go out. For us, the bottles are also part of what makes having milk delivered feel that little bit nicer.

Can You Pause Or Change Your McQueens Order?

Yes, and this matters with any recurring service because the last thing you want is milk piling up outside your house while you're away. McQueens says customers can use its online portal to pause and resume deliveries, update the weekly order, amend personal or payment details and see what is due to arrive next.

That flexibility is useful in a family household because the amount you get through isn't always predictable. Some weeks everybody seems to be drinking milk constantly, while other weeks you can suddenly find you've got more than you need. Being able to adjust the order helps prevent the convenience from turning into food waste.

One point worth knowing before signing up is that completely closing a McQueens account currently requires contacting the company rather than simply pressing an online cancellation button. McQueens says this is because customers are billed after receiving their products and it needs to check that any outstanding account balance is settled before the service ends.

I think that's worth making clear because I'd rather you know before signing up than discover it when you decide to cancel. It wouldn't personally stop me using the service, but I would prefer every subscription company to make leaving as easy as joining. Being able to pause and alter the normal deliveries online does at least mean most everyday account changes don't require a phone call.

Get 50% Off McQueens Dairies With Code Penny50

If you're curious about having milk delivered but aren't sure whether you'll stick with it, I've got a McQueens Dairies promo code that lets you try the service for less. Use the affiliate code Penny50 when signing up to get 50% off the qualifying offer. Make sure you check that the discount is showing correctly before completing your order, as promotional offers can change.

I think a discount makes particular sense with a service like this because you'll only really know whether doorstep delivery works for you after you've actually tried it. You might discover that having fresh milk waiting outside twice a week is something you never knew you needed, or you may decide you'd rather keep picking it up during your normal supermarket shop. Either answer is perfectly reasonable.

The important thing is to judge the service on what it will cost once any introductory discount has finished. A 50% discount can make trying McQueens much cheaper, but don't keep any subscription purely because the introductory price was good. Look at what you're actually ordering each week, whether it's all being used and whether the convenience is worth the normal price to you.

My McQueens Dairies Review: Is It Worth It?

For our family, yes, McQueens has been worth using. We've now built the deliveries into our normal week, we're not spending a huge amount on them, and the milk and other essentials we order are genuinely getting used. It's one of those relatively small conveniences that makes managing a busy household a little easier.

It's not necessarily the cheapest possible way of buying milk, and I'm not going to pretend that it is. If you pass a cheap supermarket every morning and never forget to buy milk, paying somebody to bring it to your house may make no financial sense whatsoever. Money saving isn't always about choosing the absolute cheapest individual product, though, because sometimes the wider cost and convenience matter too.

For us, having the basics arrive means fewer emergency top-up shops and less chance of paying delivery and service fees because we've suddenly realised we're out of something. Add in the fact that I rather enjoy hearing the bottles clinking outside in the morning, and I've become a bit of a convert to having a milkman again. I don't see us giving it up anytime soon.

Having milk delivered isn't suddenly going to transform your household finances, and for some people it will make far more sense to keep buying it from the supermarket. For us, though, McQueens has found a permanent place in our week because it's convenient, reasonably priced for what we use it for and saves us making extra trips for basics we've forgotten. The fact that I also get to wake up to the unmistakably British clink of milk bottles outside the front door is a pretty nice bonus.

McQueens Dairies Frequently Asked Questions

Is McQueens Dairies A Subscription?

Yes, McQueens operates a recurring doorstep delivery service rather than requiring customers to place a completely fresh order every time they need milk. You choose your regular products and receive deliveries according to the milk round operating in your area. You can then make changes or pause deliveries through the customer portal when needed.

Does McQueens Dairies Charge For Delivery?

McQueens currently says its household doorstep deliveries are free and there is no minimum order. This is particularly useful if you only want a relatively small amount of milk or a couple of other essentials each week. Always check the current terms when signing up in case the service changes in future.

What Time Does McQueens Dairies Deliver?

McQueens says household orders are delivered before 7am, with the exact arrival time depending on where your home falls on the local milk round. Most household customers currently receive two deliveries each week. Your available delivery days are shown after you enter your postcode.

Does McQueens Deliver Milk In Glass Bottles?

Yes, McQueens offers milk in reusable glass bottles alongside other packaging options. Empty glass bottles can be left outside for the milkman to collect, after which McQueens says they are cleaned and reused. For me, the traditional glass bottles are one of the nicest things about having milk delivered.

Can You Get More Than Milk From McQueens?

Yes, the current range includes products such as eggs, juice, bread, yoghurt, cream, flavoured milk and dairy-free alternatives alongside regular milk. The products available can change, and availability may depend on where you live. Check your postcode and the current McQueens shop before deciding what you'd like to add.

Can I Pause McQueens Deliveries When I Go On Holiday?

Yes, McQueens allows customers to pause and resume deliveries through its online customer portal. You can also change the products and quantities in your normal order. It's worth checking your upcoming deliveries before going away so you're not paying for products you won't be there to use.

How Do You Pay McQueens Dairies?

McQueens currently collects payment by Direct Debit and says household customers are generally billed weekly in arrears. This means you're paying for products that have already been delivered rather than paying the milkman at the door. Your account and payment information can be managed through the customer system.

How Do I Cancel McQueens Dairies?

You can change or pause normal deliveries online, but McQueens currently asks customers who want to close their account completely to contact its customer service team. The company says this allows it to check whether any balance remains because orders are billed in arrears. If you're considering signing up, it's worth being aware of this from the start.

What Is The McQueens Dairies PENNY50 Code?

PENNY50 is a promotional affiliate code available to Penny Pincher readers who want to try McQueens Dairies. Enter PENNY50 during sign-up to receive 50% off the qualifying offer, and check that the discount appears correctly before completing your order. Promotional terms can change, so the checkout information should always take precedence over an older article or social media post.