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Original poster

Why are fish and chip shops in England so tightfisted?

56 replies

Saltnvinegarnsauce · 10/10/2023 17:03

No free sauce? Always giving you these crappy little sachets of ketchup? Not even having decent brown sauce.

Cheapskates. Free the sauce

OP posts:
PumpkiPie · 10/10/2023 17:05

I guess it's about their overheads which are already sky high?

MintJulia · 10/10/2023 17:06

Anything like sauce bottles left on the counter are ideal for throwing, or get stolen.

You can't hit someone over the head with a sachet !

BoohooWoohoo · 10/10/2023 17:08

I imagine a lot of drunks or school children making a mess with the sauce bottles - knocking them over etc

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General food
Hellocatshome · 10/10/2023 17:10

Yes I think the mess or them being launched at people is the issue because fish and chip shops are notoriously not tight fisted when it comes to the size of a portion of chips!

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 10/10/2023 17:10

Does it even need 'sauce'??

WaxhamSeals · 10/10/2023 17:13

I don’t like “sauce” on my chips. Salt & vinegar only

PumpkiPie · 10/10/2023 17:13

I remember when Burger King use to put sachets out (not sure if they do) and you'd see people take handfuls, use a couple then leave the rest either unopened or opened but still full on the table.

cocksstrideintheevening · 10/10/2023 17:13

Our local McDonald's has started charging for sauce again - 15p a sachet. They're a franchise. I don't like fish so just putting it out here for comparison.

IDontHateRainbows · 10/10/2023 17:14

MintJulia · 10/10/2023 17:06

Anything like sauce bottles left on the counter are ideal for throwing, or get stolen.

You can't hit someone over the head with a sachet !

Nah but you can squeeze it from afar and hit them in the eye

Cowlover89 · 10/10/2023 17:17

I only like salt and vinegar

Wheredideveryonego · 10/10/2023 17:17

If this thread has taught me anything it's that people who don't put sauce on fish n chips do put sauce in inverted commas!

Wheredideveryonego · 10/10/2023 17:17

If this thread has taught me anything it's that people who don't put sauce on fish n chips do put sauce in inverted commas!

QuestionableMouse · 10/10/2023 17:19

A chip butty with thick white bread, proper butter and ketchup is amazing! And I don't even usually like ketchup!

OhNoForever · 10/10/2023 17:19

People nick them. Decent sauce is expensive! Overheads are sky high after the electricity increase and nmw increases especially. Make chips at home if you're so tight yourself!

dontgobaconmyheart · 10/10/2023 17:21

I can't say I object to a small business (or really any business) making a charge for something that they do not get themselves for free. I wouldn't expect the gift shop to bung me a free greetings card if I bought a present or throw me a free stamp because I bought a greetings card.

Besides, I drown my chips in mayonnaise anyway ( I know, I know) so just provide my own or am happy to pay a premium for it because going without is miserable.

gotomomo · 10/10/2023 17:23

I can't remember sauce ever being free at chippies, salt and vinegar is all you need anyway. It's 30p for a large tartar at our chip shop for take away (free for ear in which costs more!)

CesareBorgia · 10/10/2023 17:24

There's usually free sauce from vans, just not in shops.

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 10/10/2023 17:25

Wheredideveryonego · 10/10/2023 17:17

If this thread has taught me anything it's that people who don't put sauce on fish n chips do put sauce in inverted commas!

If this thread has taught me anything it's taught me that people like to repeat themselves

ShadowPuppets · 10/10/2023 17:25

When we have fish and chips they’re really generous with the chips so I was surprised to see this thread!

To be fair we only ever eat it at home so already have cutlery and sauces. I don’t blame them for charging for sachets in the shop as I remember we used to skulk down to the Wetherspoons and take handfuls when we were skint students and didn’t want to buy full bottles of ketchup and mayo…

We did spend a lot in Wetherspoons so I didn’t feel too guilty and now I know more about Tim Martin I feel even less guilt 😂

Chewbecca · 10/10/2023 17:52

I disagree (sorry). It costs them money so they have to either build it into the price (more expensive for everyone) or charge for it (only charging the animals who put sauce on their F&C) rather than just basking in the glory of simple battered cod, fat chips, salt and vinegar.

MrsMarzetti · 10/10/2023 17:59

More to the point why do English fish and chip shops leave skin on the fish and why do they only give you one piece of fish ?

pumpkinspicedbogroll · 10/10/2023 18:08

I thought this was going to be about proper sides like curry sauce mushy peas or gravy.
I don't know anyone who has ketchup or brown sauce on fish and chips.

BarbaraofSeville · 10/10/2023 18:08

Not all English fish and chip shops leave the skin on and the piece of fish they give you at a lot of them is enormous, so you wouldn't want more than one anyway.

BarbaraofSeville · 10/10/2023 18:10

pumpkinspicedbogroll · 10/10/2023 18:08

I thought this was going to be about proper sides like curry sauce mushy peas or gravy.
I don't know anyone who has ketchup or brown sauce on fish and chips.

I think it's very regional. We don't use ketchup for anything except fish and chips as we have brown sauce for cooked breakfast, sausages etc. We'd never put ketchup on something like a bacon sandwich, that's just wrong to us.

So the bottle of ketchup we have lasts around 2-3 years because it's only used on fish and chips.

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