£4.69 for a large portion of chips wtf...

[Meltinthemiddle]

and I definitely wouldn't say it is a large portion! I couldn't believe. I know prices have gone up but it's only potatoes fgs.

It's potatoes, oil, gas/electric for heating the oil and the shop, business rates/rent, insurance, staff salaries (which have probably also gone up so that the staff can afford to live), and maybe a tiny amount of profit.

Where from?

I would say that's cheap!

It’s potatoes, it’s cooking oil, it’s the cost of the fuel for heating the oil, it’s the increased wages of the staff who do the cooking, it’s likely increased rent and rates for the takeaway / pub / cafe. Expensive yes, but the cost of everything has risen dramatically rather than “only potatoes.”

It's not "just potatoes" though, is it?

Gas, electric, oil, staffing, rent, business rates - all prices that have skyrocketed recently.

Come off it, those things absolutely don't add up to nearly £5 for a measly portion of chips.

Some businesses are cynically cashing in on the "cost of living crisis" and committing daylight robbery. This is a good example. Really poor behaviour, particularly as those people actually struggling with the cost of living are the ones who won't be able to afford a portion of chips.

i am north west and it’s about £3 now for a large portion of chips so I can well imagine it reaching that price in other areas. Chippy tea isn’t a cheap meal anymore

If only they used locally caught fish 🐟 ho hum.

This!

I am fed up of people having a go at Fish and chip shops. Just for clarity our energy bill has gone from £7,000 per year to £28,000 per year. Potatoes from £8 to £20, fish prices have trebled.
We know of four local shops about to hand back their keys as they just cannot make it work.
We are lucky I have an unconnected job as my partner has cut his salary down to minimum (and working 90 hours a week atm) to ensure the business continues and staff are paid.
it is not profiteering, it is genuinely scary. We hope to limp along for a few years and then get out of the trade.
it was always a staple meal, now it is becoming a luxury but we have now choice. 😢

I paid £4.75 for a mediocre slice of takeout strawberry cheesecake yesterday.

Some portions of chips are quite large. I'd expect a large portion of chips to contain about a kilo of potato, which probably costs at least a pound on it's own.

Then you have all the other costs, including, shock horror, an income for the shop owner, who if it's a small fish and chip shop will probably work 70/80 hours a week and not even make NMW per hour.

So probably couldn't afford a portion of chips themselves if they had to pay shop prices for them.

I saw a photo of price increases a few days ago.

Increases in costs of oil, electricity and gas alone had gone up by tens of thousands of pounds for a small fish and chip shop. That's without the 10% increase in the NMW and huge increases in the cost of fish and potatoes.

You'd have to increase your prices substantially to keep making an income in those circumstances.

I shall tell my partner this when he comes home each night after 15 hours trying to keep the business afloat. Maybe you can give him some pointers as you clearly know more about the trade than he does.

Please give us the benefit of your knowledge and explain how the £4.35 is made up and how it is daylight robbery.

I think that's really cheap for a hot meal

A large portion of chips is about a 1000 calories, so yes - a good meal

ours is £3.79 for a large or you can buy from them a 25kg bag of the potatoes they use for £8.

The fish is ok. But if I want good fish and chips I have to order from somewhere the other side of town Lovely chips and they do a big munch box too, the cod is amazing and well priced. Much better than the one at the end of the road.

If this is at your local chippy, don't blame them. Blame our awful goverment who have let things get so dire that small businesses can't afford their running costs. I highly doubt your local chip shop owner is getting rich from this.

I can well imagine all those things coming to just under £5. Costs have soared for everyone - and that includes businesses.

Maybe this can answer your question.
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/20/a-funeral-for-fish-and-chips-east-neuk-fife-anstruther-scotland

I'd love some hot chips now to ward off this drizzle

I hope you've read the rest of this thread and noted the chip shop owner above saying their energy bills alone have quadrupled from £7k a year to £28k.

This is not a small business profiteering. This is a small business trying to stay afloat an a dire economy.

Potato prices have gone wild recently! Our local chippy has had to make changes to prices because of that. Plus everything else PP have said.

Costs of everything have gone up, chips are no exception.

You can buy bags of frozen chips or make them yourself if you're that outraged.

Your starting point is £3.90 because 79p goes straight to the Government for VAT.

Now work.out cost of potato, lactating, oil, power to cook, wages, and the overheads to be covered rent, rates, staff wages, water, insurances etc

Then perhaps there will be a little left over for the owner to live.on for kindly taking his time saving you time because you can't be borthered to cook.

Come off it, those things absolutely don't add up to nearly £5 for a measly portion of chips.

I mean it's probably not that far off and then the owner has to actually earn a living and feed their families on top of all the business costs. Now £8 for a wee tray of fries from a van at an event I was at recently, that's a bit ridiculous but £4 for a good portion of chippy chips seems fair

People pay more for a coffee!

Lactating???? Lol

Obviously it's not reasonable to adjust costs for that!

Packaging