Wales’ top takeaway choices revealed in new study

IT’S FRYDAY! Wales’ top fish and chip shop orders revealed 

The nation opts to keep it simple with battered cod and chips with salt and vinegar

• More than 200k people ask Google for recommendations on the best fish and chip shops to visit each month and searches are up 172% since March. 
• 14.8k people across Wales search for chip shop recommendations every month
• Almost a third of Welsh chip shop customers (30%) prefer a battered sausage to a fish dish, while nearly a quarter (23%) would opt for a regular sausage.
• Download a map of the UK’s favourite takeaway from: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmdpa9so9sb3mur/AADeEnS2dfmcnNDodbXRuIBua?dl=0
• Further information can be found here

   

While the cost of a ‘chippie tea’ is rumoured to be on the rise, the nation’s love for fish and chips runs deep, and new research reveals it is the UK’s favourite takeaway meal – beating Indian, Chinese, Thai and even pizza!  

According to the study by Jackpotjoy, fish and chips is also the top takeaway choice across Wales by a landslide, with 14.8k searches for local chippie recommendations every month, compared to 6.6k for Chinese takeaways and 2.4k for Indian takeaways. 

Passion for a chippie tea unites almost all the UK’s major cities, with just a few exceptions. While Wales as a nation remains loyal to a chip supper, an Indian takeaway narrowly curries more favour in Cardiff, with 880 monthly searches compared to 720 for fish and chips. 

Across the UK, more than 200,000 people ask Google for recommendations on the best fish and chip shops to visit each month and searches are up 172% since March.   

With the Wales’ top takeaway identified, Jackpotjoy set out to uncover what menu items have the nation’s hearts.

Battered cod came out as the Welsh nation’s god tier ‘chippie’ order by a landslide, with over half (53%) choosing this as their typical order. 

Almost a third (30%) prefer a battered sausage to a fish dish though, while nearly a quarter (23%) would opt for a regular sausage. 

One surprising dish the Welsh aren’t keen on is battered haddock. While only 16% of Welsh people surveyed named it as their dish of choice, a third of Brits (33%) chose haddock above all else. 

In fact, people across Wales would sooner order a fish cake (19%) or a steak pie (17%).

There are a few other dishes the Welsh would rather steer clear too. Those surveyed from Wales firmly rejected indulgent Scottish classics, the deep fried mars bar and deep fried pizza, with just one in fifty claiming these items as their go-to order.  

Vegetarianism isn’t popular among chip shop goers either, with one in a hundred opting for vegan fish or ‘vish’, and just 6% ordering a cheese and onion pie. 

Wales’ top ten chippie orders   

1. Battered cod (53%) 
2. Battered sausage (30%) 
3. Sausage (23%) 
4. Fish cake (19%) 
5. Steak pie (17%) 
6. Battered haddock (16%) 
7. Donner kebab (15%) 
8. Chicken burger (13%) 
9. Beef burger (13%) 
10. Chicken nuggets (11%) 

  Feeling salty?  

Jackpotjoy also asked another all-important question – what’s the best topping to stick on your chips?   

Those surveyed from Wales like to keep things simple, with nearly two in five (39%) sticking to the classic combo of salt and vinegar.  

The most popular saucy condiment is curry sauce, with over one in ten (12%) drizzling it on their chips. Meanwhile, just one in a hundred Welsh people surveyed wanted the classic mushy peas on their chips. 

 Wales’ top five chip toppings   

1. Salt and vinegar – 39% 
2. Curry sauce – 12% 
3. Just salt – 9%   
4. Ketchup – 8% 
5. Gravy – 7% 

The map below marks out 20 major cities’ top takeaway cuisines, showing just how deep the nation’s love for deep fried potatoes runs. 

Birmingham was the only city in our study for which pizza was the top takeaway of choice, with 9,900 Brummies’ searching for ‘pizza takeaway near me’ every month. Meanwhile, Stoke-on-Trent residents would take a chow mein over chips any day (880 searches). Whilst Glasgow (3600), Leicester (1900), Coventry (1600) and Cardiff (880) would all rather tuck into a tikka masala.  

 Alex Fagelson, Head of Brand at Jackpotjoy said: ”Looking at our research, it is clear that people up and down the UK can agree on one thing – there’s nothing better than a chippie tea with salt and vinegar for bringing people together. Keeping things simple and classic is a huge preference!” Further information about this study can be found at: www.jackpotjoy.com/uk/uks-favourite-takeaways