Explain me the context of the cheapness of UK Chicken Joints

September 1, 2022 3:58 AM

Was reading an article about the UK chicken joints, and how their prices have increased. We were talking 4 pounds for a chicken burger, wings fries and drinks. These are McDonalds prices, or cheaper than! In urban carry-outs I've been in US, probably would be double the price for these things. I don't remember food being that cheap in the UK-- are these places that relatively cheap compared to other options?
posted by sandmanwv to Food & Drink (6 answers total)

Basically buying the cheapest possible ingredients and selling at modest pricing to a vast market including loads of kids.

It's ...not great quality.
posted by dowcrag at 4:42 AM on September 1, 2022 [5 favorites]

Have a look for the Pengest Munch a.k.a the Chicken Connoisseur on YouTube. He was quite the authority on this subject in his day.
posted by rd45 at 5:33 AM on September 1, 2022 [6 favorites]

Have a look for the Pengest Munch a.k.a the Chicken Connoisseur on YouTube. He was quite the authority on this subject in his day.

This may be the article you were reading, but he got profiled in the NY Times recently: link.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:34 AM on September 1, 2022

(The Pengest Munch previously.)
posted by scruss at 7:35 AM on September 1, 2022

I was thinking about fried chicken shops just the other day. There's a long tradition of very cheap takeaway food in urban areas in the UK. It's a niche that was historically filled by fish & chip shops in the days when pototoes and cod were both cheap ingredients. But the price of fish is very high nowadays, whereas (thanks to the miracle of factory farming) chicken is very cheap, hence the rise of chicken.

Honestly, I think one of the cheapest ways for a single person to reliably eat is at a fried chicken shop, and it's vastly easier than cooking for yourself.
posted by plonkee at 2:53 PM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: They are slightly cheaper than McDonalds and other chain fast food places. About the same as the ubiquitous triangle sandwich meal deal (typical lunch for workers). In supermarkets, a ready meal for one would be in the same price range.
posted by plonkee at 8:36 AM on September 2, 2022