A first-of-its-kind vending machine serves up chips at the touch of a button and even offers the option of salt or ketchup, with the company behind it promising to roll them out across the country
Britain’s first vending machine for chips has been unveiled – and you can get your dinner by just tapping a screen. Captain Chip say their £2.99 self-serve chip vending machine in Wrexham city centre will followed by others in London, with the treat served up in a box. But getting your chips in the same way as a bar of chocolate or crisps has split shoppers – with some labelling the new contraption “ridiculous.” It says in 160 seconds, customers can walk away with a pot of piping hot chips in hand – even having the option of getting them salted or with ketchup.
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Bosses at Captain Chip say that the response to the machine has so far been ‘brilliant’. A spokesperson added: “Wrexham felt like the right place to launch this concept.
“Eagles Meadow shopping centre is a hub for the community, and Captain Chip is designed to slot into moments where people want something hot, quick and satisfying without queuing or committing to a full sit-down meal.”
The Captain Chip installation in Wrexham marks one of the first public locations for the concept, placing the North Wales city at the forefront of a growing trend in automated food experiences that combine convenience with quality. The machine is fully self-contained and operates without the need for permanent staffing.
One shopper said the chips “seem expensive when you can get a cone in Jones Chippy for under £2”, while another added: “We got some a few weeks ago and they weren’t the best. But, a sort of good idea when shops are shut.” An enthusiastic local said: “We need a pizza vending machine, quite a long wait but so good!” But less impressed patrons said they would continue to buy their chips the ‘old fashioned’ way, as one said “‘I’ll be going somewhere where there is a person behind the counter” and another commented: “Ridiculous idea. Who thought of this when trade is already dying and these proper chippies and food places are struggling to make profit already?” Others saw the funnier side – with an imaginative shopper joking: “I feel sorry for the person all day sat inside it peeling spuds!”
It comes as rising energy bills and surging fish costs have sent the cost of Britain’s favourite dish soaring in recent years, forcing many chip shops to reluctantly up their prices.
The average price of a portion of fish and chips in the UK rose by 52% between 2019 and 2024 to an average of £9.88, soaring past £15 in some premium locations.
