Shaw’s Fish & Chips of Dodworth has turned to technology to keep its business moving forward, installing an online ordering system and kitchen display screen from SwiftOrder while also exploring the possibility of the company’s self-serve kiosks
For over 45 years, Shaw’s Fish & Chips in Dodworth, Barnsley, has been serving traditional British fare, but owner Mike Shaw has had to adapt to an evolving market.
“My father started the business in 1979, and I took over about 15 years ago,” Mike explains. “Back then, it was all small portions served in newspaper – very traditional, very simple. Now, we’re dealing with a lot of technology with EPOS systems, click and collect and deliveries, and a broader menu to stay relevant. The industry has changed massively.”
Despite modernisation, Shaw’s remains committed to tradition, adding: ”We’ve tried to keep it traditional. We don’t want to compete directly with every other takeaway cuisine. Instead, we distinguish ourselves as a proper British chippy, but with a few extras like chicken and scampi to keep families and the younger generation happy.”
Like many fish and chips shops, Shaw’s added online ordering during Covid, but the system he was using was a one-size-fits-all, built for various industries. Mike comments: ”What I liked about SwiftOrder was that they built their system from the ground up so it is focused on fish and chips. Before I even had to ask for certain features, they were already being worked on.”
SwiftOrder provides Shaw’s with an online ordering platform that Mike says is “simpler, cleaner, and much more user-friendly” than his previous one. Mike comments: “Online ordering is the main area of growth for us now – that and deliveries – and it’s only going to go more in that direction.”
Another area that has seen a huge improvement is the kitchen thanks to new SwiftOrder’s kitchen display screens. “We used to rely on paper tickets, which were passed around a busy kitchen in a hot, greasy environment,” says Mike. “Now, a big screen shows all active orders, colour-coded to indicate urgency. It’s much more efficient.”
The system has also reduced mistakes. “It’s there in front of you in black and white – you look up, see the order, and get it done. No miscommunication, no lost tickets. Once the order is ready, you just press a button and it disappears off the screen. It’s streamlined everything.”
Looking ahead, Shaw’s is exploring self-serve kiosks to address staffing challenges and appeal to younger customers. “It’s a bit nerve-wracking,” he admits. “A lot of our older customers like to chat while they wait, but younger ones just want to order and go. Kiosks could help with that.”
Shaw’s is starting with one kiosk from SwiftOrder and if it proves successful can see itself extending to three or four kiosks with fewer tills. “We’ll still keep the counter service for traditional customers, but we need to adapt to modern expectations,” says Mike.
Mike praises SwiftOrder’s responsiveness and customer support, adding: “Nothing works perfectly 100% of the time, but what matters is how issues are handled. I can message Richard or Kate anytime, and they jump on it. They never leave us with downtime.”
SwiftOrder 0117 325 9310 www.swiftorder.co.uk
