Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips still seems to be the British public's favourite meal according to a survey conducted by MORI on behalf of the Seafish Industry Authority between 14-20 August. Just over half have eaten fish & chips in the last month, with more than half of these in the last week.

Fish & Chips still seems to be the British public's favourite meal according to a survey conducted by MORI on behalf of the Seafish Industry Authority between 14-20 August. Just over half have eaten fish & chips in the last month, with more than half of these in the last week.

Other findings revealed by the survey include:

  • Women are more likely than men to add salt to their meal before applying vinegar
  • The British tradition is definitely to put salt on their fish & chips before the vinegar
  • People who live in the North are more likely to have eaten fish & chips in the last week: 37% compared to 19% in London and the South East
  • Women prefer to eat their fish & chips separately
  • Women are twice as likely as men to separate the batter from the fish

Q When was the last time you ate fish & chips from a takeaway? Base: British adults aged 16+ (1,065)

Less than one week ago 28%
One to four weeks ago 26%
Over one to three months ago 10%
Over three to six months ago 7%
More than six months ago 18%
Never 9%
Don't know 1%

People who eat fish & chips with their fingers classified themselves as "aggressive", though this would more likely mean that they were "go-getters" who enjoy an active lifestyle. However, older people of either sex are also more likely to use a knife and fork than use their fingers.

Q When you buy fish & chips from a takeaway, do you usually eat them with a knife and fork or with your fingers? Base: All who have eaten fish & chips in the last 6 months (762)

With a knife and fork 59%
With your fingers 34%
Some other way 1%
Have no set habit 6%

Q Before you begin eating your fish & chips, which, if any, set routines do you always follow? Base: All who have eaten fish & chips in the last 6 months (762)

Salt before vinegar 39%
Vinegar before salt 15%
Salt & vinegar at the same time 4%
Salt before sauce 5%
Sauce before salt 1%
Salt & sauce at the same time 1%
Sauce before vinegar 1%
Vinegar before sauce 4%
Sauce & vinegar at the same time 1%
Other 13%
None 25%
Don't know 1%

People who classify themselves as extrovert are more likely to eat fish & chips, and they are also prone to dousing them with salt. The survey also revealed that fish & chip eating middle-aged and older men are less likely to call themselves extrovert than women of the same age.

Q Which, if any, of these things do you do when you eat your fish & chips? Base: All who have eaten fish & chips in the last 6 months (762)

Pour a neat pile of salt onto your plate / paper 2%
Pour salt all over your fish & chips 63%
Pour a neat dollop of sauce onto your plate / paper 20%
Pour sauce all over your fish & chips 15%
Separate the fish and batter and eat them separately 8%
Separate the fish and batter and eat only the fish 8%
None of these 16%
Don't know *%

Q And do you eat your chips separately from your fish, or do you eat them combined? Base: All who have eaten fish & chips in the last 6 months (762)

Eat chips separately from fish 43%
Eat mouthfuls of the two combined 52%
Neither 3%
Don't know 1%

Technical details

A nationally representative quota sample of 1,065 adults aged 16+ was interviewed by MORI face-to-face at home in 152 constituency-based sampling points between 14-20 August 1997. Data have been weighted to reflect the national profile.

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