Binley Mega Chippy : If you are like me, and you have been on TikTok many times, or watched the news in the past few weeks then you will have heard about the viral Coventry chip shop. We’re certain that you are aware of its popularity which has people from all around the globe queuing up for the opportunity to indulge in its latest hype.
Binley Mega Chippy was a regular chippy in a typical location in the West Midlands. Locals and commuters used to love it, but the story has changed. People from thousands of miles away are visiting Coventry to see a TikTok song about a chip shop and to view videos that have been viewed millions of times.
My colleague Kate and I were naturally curious. What the hell was it? What was the deal with the chips? We drove an hour from Nottingham to Phoenix Park, where we left.
We arrived just before the car park opened at 12 and were surprised to find that there was no queue. However, a few minutes later local workers arrived and cars began to pile into the parking lot.
A wide range of people showed up to take pictures outside the chip shop. This is a strange thing to see because it is a regular chip shop in a typical place. Unidentified man told us that he was in Coventry working and needed to take a picture or his son would be disappointed.
Although he only stopped by for a short time, it was clear that he was amazed at how one chip shop became so popular. We spoke with Trudy Hill (56), from Eastbourne, before ordering food. They were taking photographs outside.
Peter stated: “We were in Coventry for business and passed Binley Mega Chippy so we had to stop by. It’s been all over the news, and online. It was only 170 miles from Eastbourne and took us three hours to get there. The trip was definitely worth it…and the chip!
Kamal Gandhi, owner of Binley Mega Chippy, spoke with us via Facebook Live before he returned to work. He stated, “I’m really shocked. It [TikTok] has made the chip shop very popular in a matter of hours. It was quite shocking for me. “When I heard the news, my wife was recording it on BBC. I was shocked!”
He also described how people came from all over the country and from abroad to visit Gandhi. He stated, “I’m surprised – people wanting my photo.” One man from Australia asked if he could take a picture with him.
It was a must that we order our lunches – who wouldn’t? I chose my favorite: fishcake, chips and baked beans. Kate chose a traditional favourite: sausage, chips and curry sauce.
We had to eat our food inside the car because there was no seating outside. We were already quite warm and it was hot so a bench outside would have been a welcome addition. Perhaps there will be a few picnic tables left after Binley is transformed into a mega-chippy.
We had nothing to complain about when judging the food. The fish cake was perfectly cooked and the chips were light and fluffy. The most important thing to me about a chippy is the right salt/vinegar ratio.
Kate seemed to like hers, so it was a big thumbs-up. Can you really go wrong with traditional orders such as ours?
It cost us PS10.35 all together, and that was with no drink. This was a reasonable price for the amount of food I ate. However, I would have preferred that it came with a drink. Salty flavours can always be washed down by sweet drinks.
We were happy to see the ‘craze in action’ and, for the locals we get it, it is a huge success. But, if I want fish and chips again, it will be a ten-minute drive from my home, not an hour.
