McCain: Let’s start at the beginning; how did you get into owning the shop?
Jason: I was born into it, my mother and father owned the shop and i have followed suit. It’s all i really know, it has been in the family for over 40 years and i have been a partner in the business with my mother since 2009.
McCain: What do you believe makes your business successful?
Jason: Customer service and going the extra mile such as table service, no corkage which is important to my customers. My dad was such a big character in the business which was key! I am slowly getting his charisma and getting the customers laughing. We rely heavily on our regulars through winter, who keep coming back because of the consistency of our food. Our customers know they are going to get nice, thin crispy battered fish and fries that are always hot and crispy with a great flavour.
McCain: What is currently your trending signature dish on the menu?
Jason: Battered fish and chips are always our biggest seller. People just love quality fish & chips. It’s an aussie tradition.
McCain: You currently have on your menu McCain cream flesh 13mm, what made you select these fries for your business?
Jason: I personally love them, they have an amazing potato flavour they are also consistent in quality, and have a nice crunch to them. I trialled them for two weeks and the customer reviews i got back were amazing, so i had to stay with them. That was over 7 years ago now!
McCain: Are you aware how much profit you make on fries per serve/plate?
Jason: I am aware, but i’m not overly concerned with that, i’m more focused on getting volume of customers through our doors. For me it’s more about quality of fries over profit to grow the business and keep customers coming back for more.
McCain: There are a lot of fish & chips outlets everywhere, how do you deal with all the competition? What do you do differently to stand out?
Jason: I cook everything to order. People will wait longer, but they will come back because they know it’s fresh. I cook fries from frozen and it gives better end product every time.
McCain: What do your customers want in terms of fries?
Jason: Good value, crispiness and consistency.
Do you sell loaded fries? If yes, what do you currently have on the menu?
Jason: Yes, we sell cheesy loaded fries in winter with a mornay style sauce which are very popular. The McCain cream flesh 13mm work very well for this.
McCain: What advice do you have for fish & chips business owners when it comes to selecting fries?
Jason: There is no substitute for quality, that’s why i use McCain premium fries. A long time ago, before McCain we did try to use a lower grade fry but ended up losing a lot of business. We then switched to McCain fries and have grown since!
McCain: How do you get new ideas for your menu?
Jason: I look at market trends and what is working with competitors, or sometimes great ideas just come to me.
McCain: What inspires you as a fish & chips business owner?
Jason: In all honesty i love what i do and its good money. It’s definitely hard work, you wouldn’t do it if the money wasn’t great.
McCain: Tell us about your relationship with McCain, why do you choose to stay with the product and brand?
Jason: It’s the quality, i have been approached to change many times over the years, but McCain has the superior quality that the others simply don’t have. So based on that i choose to stay and sell McCain fries.