A fish and chip shop in Birmingham has made history by taking Uber Eats’ billionth order. College Fish Bar, owned by Sukhvinder Dhillon, was stunned to learn that out of 70,000 stores across the UK and Ireland, it was their order that marked the milestone.
“My brain just froze when they phoned to tell me,” said Sukhvinder. “It’s amazing. Out of all the places, for the billionth order to come to us is just pure potluck.”
The historic order consisted of classic cod and chips with a battered sausage on the side. As part of the celebrations, the customer who placed the order received £5,344 in Uber Eats credit – equivalent to a year’s worth of takeaways – while Sukhvinder won an all-expenses-paid trip to London.
“It’s great for us and for fish and chips in general. Out of all the foods it could have been, it’s amazing that it was ours.”
Sukhvinder has been in the fish and chip business for 43 years, starting when he was just 17. He has owned College Fish Bar for 20 years and also runs Harley’s Fish Bar, which he has operated for the past eight years.
“It’s been tough – after Covid and Brexit, everything has become more expensive. But we focus on good service and high quality food, and our customers keep coming back.”
Despite nearing 60 years old, Sukhvinder still works six days a week and remains passionate about his trade. “If you don’t love what you do, you can’t do anything. Forty-three years is a long time, and I still love fish and chips. We use top-notch oil, potatoes and fish – we never compromise on quality.”
The shop partnered with Uber Eats in 2020 during the Covid lockdown. “We were closed for the first five weeks, but we couldn’t afford to stay shut,” explains Sukhvinder. “So, we went online and joined Uber Eats and it’s been fantastic. Since then, our trade has grown week after week.”
Online orders now make up around 50% of sales at College Fish Bar and up to 70% at Harley’s Fish Bar. Sukhvinder credits Uber Eats for its efficient service. “They have proper facilities – dedicated drivers, cars instead of push bikes, proper bags to keep food hot, and uniforms.”
Uber Eats launched in 2016 with 150 restaurants. Almost ten years later, 90% of the population in the UK can place orders from the app.
