“Pandemic Has Thrown us into Accelerated Modernisation,” says Wetherby Whaler Boss
Updated: 23 February, 2024
Director of the successful fish and chip chain, The Wetherby Whaler, says that the pandemic has pushed the industry into ‘accelerated modernisation.’
Speaking to Women in Fish and Chips, Caroline Murphy, Director of the Group said, “Online ordering has been a revelation in my business.”
Watch how the pandemic has transformed a leading UK fish and chip shop
The group re-opened all six of its Yorkshire-based sites for cashless takeaway only, within six weeks of lockdown being imposed.
“It became apparent that we’d need to manage the amount of people that came to the sites – the only way to do that was with click & collect,” she said. “We were so traditional before.”
Caroline (pictured left) at the inaugural Women in Fish and Chips conference
The Group were fortunate to have their recently refurbished Wakefield drive-through open quickly too, where customers place their order at the first window, pay cashless at the second and collect it at the third. “The whole process taking just four minutes,” said Caroline.
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“We are serving customers faster than ever before either via click & collect or our drive through. The pandemic has accelerated the rate of modernisation in our industry, and we will not be turning back,” she added.
“The staff have been brilliant, adapting to change well during a very difficult and challenging time.”
The Wetherby Whaler has six restaurants and takeaways in Yorkshire and has grown steadily into a well-known brand in the area.
The WiFC video blog series was set up to help fish and chip shops share experiences and best practice during the lockdown.
About Women in Fish and Chips
WIFC is a free event organised by JJ Foodservice for female fish and chip shop owners and aspiring managers. JJ Foodservice is a food and drink wholesaler delivering key grocery essentials including big brands to the general public and businesses across 11 UK branches. Orders can be placed online via the JJ website or App for collection or delivery. A new same day delivery service is available for people in London. www.jjfoodservice.com.
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