Christmas is coming

It will be here before you know it, so why not get ahead and start planning for the festive season?

By the time the first mince pies hit supermarket shelves in July, it was clear Christmas had crept in earlier than ever. Since then, the seasonal tide has been rising steadily, with shelves filling with selection boxes and novelty snacks such as Gingerbread Doritos – yes, you read that right! By next month, trees and tinsel will be everywhere. For fish and chip shops, that means one thing – time to start thinking about your festive menu.

Dave Carpenter, national account manager at Kerry Foods, recommends operators pay particular attention to late-night shopping days in the run-up to Christmas. He comments: “After the stress of Christmas shopping, there’s nothing better than stopping off at the local chippy for a treat on the way home. Offering special deals, doing a leaflet drop and promoting those offers on social media or through advertising boards can really help draw people in and remind them that fish and chips are a simple festive pleasure.”

Festive following

John Molnar, owner of The Cod’s Scallops, which has four chippies in Nottingham, has built something of a festive following and will be bringing back some of its favourites from last year. John comments: “The battered sprouts with cranberry dipping sauce were our best seller so we’ll definitely do those again. We’ll be bringing back battered mince pies too, and this year we’re adding battered stollen cake.”

John’s approach is simple: add to the menu, don’t cannibalise it. “Pigs in blankets have been very popular in previous years, but rather than do one giant one, we’re looking at doing cocktail sausages and having five or six per portion so that people buy it as an add-on rather than instead of something else. It’s about creating options without taking away another sale.”

He’s also toying with turkey, adding: “We might consider a turkey pie again, or even a turkey burger. It’s just a point of difference, isn’t it? A talking point for customers and we generally get some local publicity out of it too.”

It’s a philosophy shared by Strad Kyriacou, owner of Chris’s Fish & Chips in Barwell, Leicestershire. His festive tweaks last year paid off so he will be repeating some of those again this year. “We’ll do pigs in blankets and battered mince pies but I’m also looking at doing a cranberry and brandy batter this time. We see a direct correlation between putting these things out there and sales. When people have something to talk about on social media, it works.”

Strad isn’t exaggerating as a post he did last year reached a quarter of a million views and they were all local customers. “It’s about keeping your business on people’s minds, giving them something to share,” he adds.

It’s not just the menu that’s turning festive. Suppliers are rolling out their Christmas ranges too. Pepsi has launched a limited edition Gingerbread flavour cola – a spiced twist on the original said to resemble the much-missed Pepsi Max Ginger.

For those who’d rather not tinker with their food offering, presentation can do the talking. Vegware has unveiled its Northern Lights winter cups inspired by the aurora borealis, with rich purples and a soft glow. Available in 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz, they’re ideal for everything from hot chocolate to mulled wine to gingerbread lattes – a simple way to add a touch of magic to your counter.

BD Signs and BD Digital has expanded its customer resources this Christmas to help businesses make the most of festive trading. The new offering includes ready-to-use templates and imagery for print, digital, and social media — from editable opening hours graphics to a fresh image library featuring snowflakes and 3D Christmas effects for menus and posts. There are also direct advert options for promoting seasonal specials, from pigs in blankets to deep-fried stuffing bagels and southern fried chicken and stuffing baps. Founder of BD Signs and BD Digital Barry Dickman adds: “You don’t need to push Christmas, you need to celebrate it. Too bright for the grinch, just right for you customers! Steal the show this Christmas with special offers and the sales will look after themselves.”

Keeping it simple

Not everyone wants to reimagine Christmas dinner in the frying range. Graham Kennedy of Bell’s Fish & Chips, which operates four restaurants and takeaways in County Durham, prefers to keep his focus on what they do best.

“We’ve done pigs in blankets before, and we might again this year,” he says. “But mostly, people come here to get away from turkey. We’re a fish and chip shop — what are we going to do, deep-fried turkey?”

What Graham does invest in is atmosphere, with the Christmas music playing from 1st December. He adds: “We used to have a company come in and decorate all the shops, but they went out of business so we bought all their decorations. Now it’s up to us. We’ve got a Christmas tree covered in seafood ornaments, topped with a ship’s wheel instead of a fairy – we’ve even got seagulls on it.”

The festive spirit extends to his team, too, who finish at around 7pm on Christmas Eve, and who don’t return until 27th December, giving everyone time with their families. “Anyone who works Christmas Eve gets New Year’s Eve off,” explains Graham. “Also, before Christmas, we close one Sunday and take the whole team – about 100 of us – out to a hotel for food and drink. It’s our way of saying thank you.”

Giving back

For some, Christmas isn’t just about business, it’s about community. In Cardiff, Victoria Fish Bar has been a fixture for 20 years, run by the Nazakat family. Though they don’t celebrate Christmas themselves, they’ve built a tradition of opening on Boxing Day for a different reason.

“We stay open just to help the homeless and people in need,” says Jawad Nazakat. “We’re Muslim, so we don’t celebrate Christmas, but this isn’t about religion – it’s just about doing the right thing.”

The family and volunteers cook and deliver hundreds of meals across the city to shelters, hospitals, and those sleeping rough. “Over the years, we’ve done anywhere from 500 to 900 meals each Boxing Day,” he says. “We offer fish and chips, sausage and chips — just normal, simple food. But it means a lot.”

For shops looking to dress up their tables without going overboard, there are festive options that do some good by supporting those who work hardest to make the season happen.

Heart & Sole Studio has developed Christmas charity crackers made from eco-friendly materials and filled with plastic-free contents, including reusable wooden decorations in the shapes of robins, stars and Christmas trees. For every box of 50 crackers sold, £1 is donated to the Burnt Chef Project, which supports mental health in the hospitality industry. Kris Hall, founder of The Burnt Chef Project, comments: “A cracker may feel like a small detail on the Christmas table, but this one helps provide vital support to the very people who bring those celebrations to life.”

Whether it’s battered sprouts, a tree topped with a ship’s wheel, or a hot portion of chips handed to someone in need, fish and chip shops are in the unique position of being able to offer something unique at Christmas which no supermarket shelf can ever replicate.