A fish and chip shop is a form of restaurant that specialises in selling fish and chips. Usually, fish and chip shops provide takeaway service, although some have seating facilities. Variations on the name include fish bar, fish shop and chip shop. In the United Kingdom, they are colloquially known as a "chippy" while, in Ireland, they are known as "chippers". Fish and chip shops may also sell other foods, including variations on their core offering such as battered sausage and burgers, to regional cuisine such as Indian or Chinese food.
History
A blue plaque at Oldham's Tommyfield Market in England marks the 1860s origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries. By 1910, there were more than 25,000 fish and chip shops across the UK, and in the 1920s there were more than 35,000 shops. In 1928, Harry Ramsden's fast food restaurant chain opened in the UK. On a single day in 1952, his fish and chip shop in Guiseley, West Yorkshire served 10,000 portions of fish and chips, earning itself a place in The Guinness Book Of Records. Now the 'Corner Fish-n-Chip Shop' has become staple throughout the western world, as well as making inroads into the Middle- and Far-East.
Etymology
The word "chip-shop" is first recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary in 1953. "Chippy" or "chippie" was first recorded in 1961. Occasionally the type of fish will be specified, as in 'Cod-n-Chips'.
Operations
Many British villages, suburbs, towns and cities have fish and chip shops, especially near coastal regions.
Fish and chip outlets sell roughly 30Â % of all the white fish consumed in the United Kingdom, and use 10Â % of the UK potato crop.
See also
- List of fish and chip restaurants
References
External links
- Media related to Fish and chip shops at Wikimedia Commons
