A Birmingham takeaway was inundated with customers after a £1 chicken and chips offer spread rapidly on social media, drawing comparisons to prices from years gone by.
Queues Spill Onto Coventry Road
From midday on Sunday, January 18, 2026, a constant stream of hungry patrons formed a lengthy queue outside Hajees Original Fish & Chips on Coventry Road in Small Heath. The line, which at one point contained around 40 people, stretched out of the door as staff worked tirelessly to meet the demand until the offer ended at 4pm.
A Deliberate Nod to Nostalgia
Director Mohammed Hashim explained that the viral deal, viewed over 76,000 times on TikTok, was a conscious throwback. He stated it was designed to tap into local nostalgia for a time when a hot meal could genuinely be bought for just a pound.
"The intention is simple and genuinely community-spirited," Hashim said. "At a time when everything from bills to groceries feels expensive, the team want to give local families a chance to enjoy something nostalgic, fun, and affordable."
He described the Sunday event as a gesture of appreciation to customers and a reminder of an era when children could buy food with their pocket change.
Community Reaction and Similar Trends
One father waiting in the lengthy queue told reporters his primary reason for being there was to get his children fed, rather than the bargain itself. BirminghamLive reporter Harry Leach queued for over 50 minutes, noting the line moved "painfully slow, understandably," and he missed out as the 4pm cutoff approached.
The event follows a similar trend of 'nostalgia pricing' in the city. Just the week before, 'Uncle Nas' (Nassar Iqbal) at the Hot Spot on Yardley Wood Road in Billesley caused a rush by selling cones of chips for just 20p.
