Installing a two pan Allegro wall range to supplement its Kiremko island range has allowed The Oyster Shell in Bath to expand into new menu items, grow deliveries and improve profitability
For many fish and chip shop owners, rising costs have created a difficult balancing act. Fish remains the bread and butter of the business, but margins are under pressure and there is only so far prices can go before customers say ‘no’.
At The Oyster Shell in Bath, owner Dan Meredith believes the answer lies in creating additional revenue streams around a strong fish and chip offering, rather than relying on fish alone. “Chip shops really have to look at their menu and go, are we just keeping the door open, or do we want to make a profit from this?” he says. “You’ve got to double down and offer a wider range that you can make more profit on to balance out the profit you’re not making on your fish.”
The challenge was finding capacity as their five pan island range was already stretched on Friday and Saturday evenings, with deliveries regularly being switched off to maintain standards.
Dedicated vegan and chicken menus
Investing in an additional two pan Allegro wall range has provided that solution, enabling the takeaway to launch a dedicated vegan menu, including battered banana blossom, tofu and chips with crispy nori seaweed, and cauliflower tenders. In the second pan, Dan fries the chicken tenders and burgers, previously cooked on standalone fryers, which were struggling to keep up with volume.
According to Dan, these products not only appeal to changing customer tastes but also offer healthier margins than fish. “There’s only a certain amount of money people will pay for fish and chips,” he says. “With chicken and the veggie items, people will pay what it’s worth, and it’s significantly cheaper to buy in as well.”
He points to cauliflower tenders as an example, adding: ”You can buy a large cauliflower for a couple of pounds and get three or four portions of tenders out of it. Sell it with chips for six or seven quid and everyone’s happy.”
Situated beneath a canopy, the Allegro integrates easily with the existing kitchen equipment. Dan adds: “If you’re someone who hasn’t got the money to go for a full range upgrade right now, having an option like this for the price is fantastic. It’s allowed us to offer a wider menu without sacrificing the quality of any of the products we serve, and we’re able to take more delivery orders as well. A lot of the demand for the chicken, vegetarian and vegan options comes through Deliveroo, and now we can cater for that without affecting our normal service. When you add in the oil savings, reduced waste and efficiency gains, the investment is going to pay for itself very quickly.”
For Dan, the investment has helped secure The Oyster Shell’s future in Bath, adding: “The chippy tea today needs to appeal to everyone. Whereas before we used to get the parents ordering two fish chips then going to the chicken shop for the kids, now they’re all coming for their family tea here. We want to be here forever and, to do that, you’ve got to offer more.”