Orders of fish and chips rise more than 200% during lockdown

Sales of fish and chips have more than doubled during the lockdown, and the owners of one of Wigan’s most popular chip shops are not surprised one bit!

Data from online takeaway delivery platform, Foodhub, revealed the traditional dish has doubled in popularity with a massive 208 per cent uplift in orders since lockdown began, as the uncertainty calls for familiar comfort food.

This was followed by quarter pounders, (158 per cent) and donner kebabs (156 per cent) as Brits look for ways to satisfy their taste for fast food.

Other foods on the up since lockdown include Chicken Nuggets (146 per cent), sausage and chips (152 per cent), chicken burgers (147 per cent) and Garlic Bread (148 per cent).

But foodies haven’t just been taking to the internet for their favourite takeaway fix. The Trawlerman, which was voted 2019 Chip Shop Of The Year by Wigan Post readers, has had queues all the way down Woodhouse Drive since it reopened following a five-week hiatus. Owners Steve Westhead and Vicki Booth were not surprised to learn that orders of fish and chips had surged during the lockdown.

Steve said: “There’s been a massive boom. We’ve had bigger queues than we’ve ever seen, ten fold! People have been queueing to the end of the road. We’ve never seen anything like that. We shut for five weeks during the lockdown, and we had people knocking on our door asking when we were reopening! It’s been booming. We only reopened on Thursday to Saturday, and we’d been doing a week’s worth of normal trading in three days! Then we started running from Tuesday to Saturday.”

Steve added: “It’s been fantastic seeing people social distancing outside. They have been phenomenal, it’s been good to see everyone out. Even the chit chat, and the general spirit of people, has been great to see.”

The duo have been making sure customers adhere to safety precautions such as only allowing two people inside at a time and having plenty of hand sanitizer available.

Vicki said: “Since opening, week by week we have seen an uplift in customers. It’s been a pleasure to see and hopefully we’ve seen the worst of those pandemic. It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve our well loved borough with delicious fish and chips, which us Brits just love to enjoy. We have made lots of new customers who are now our friends along this journey.”

Philip Mostyn, Foodhub spokesperson, said: “For many of us, takeaways have provided us small moments of joy and a break from the monotony we’re all experiencing in lockdown. It’s interesting to see how, as a nation, we’re turning to the old favourites and seeking comfort in familiar nostalgic foods, such as Fish ‘n’ Chips.”

Overall, orders through Foodhub have increased over 50% since lockdown.

Foodhub is an online food website and app launched in 2017. There are more than 12,000 takeaways currently featured online at foodhub.co.uk and through the apps available for iOS and Android.

Foodhub is unique in that it does not take a commission from the food establishments for each order placed. This enables them to offer better prices and deals to customers than other online food platforms.

Top 10:

- Fish and Chips (up 208%).

- Quarter Pounder Burgers (up 158%).

- Donner Kebabs (up 156%).

- Sausage and Chips (up 152%).

- Garlic Bread (up 148%).

- Chicken Burgers (up 147%).

- Chicken Nuggets (up 146%).

- Cheesecake (up 129%).

- Pizza (up 115%).

- Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream (up 113%).

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