A burger stand in Blackpool, England, has consistently offered its signature burger for just over $1 for nearly 20 years, even amidst rising food and energy costs. Chris Higgitt, the owner of Higgitt’s Las Vegas Arcade Blackpool & £1 Burger Bar, has maintained the price at £1, roughly $1.34, since he launched the business in 2006, according to news agency SWNS.
The iconic burger comes with a bun, an English beef patty, onions, and sauce. The affordability of the burger has become a significant attraction, leading to long lines of eager customers, especially during the bustling tourist season.
“I am very proud of being able to keep the price for this long,” Higgitt shared with SWNS. “It is more popular than ever,” he added, pointing out that some customers don’t mind waiting over an hour for their turn.
Before entering the burger business, Higgitt served as a processing and quality engineer. Together with his wife, Karen, they previously ran a bed-and-breakfast before purchasing an arcade in 2006. “The arcade wasn’t performing very well, and Karen and I were discussing what we could do, and we came up with the idea of a burger bar,” Higgitt revealed.
“So from this off-the-cuff conversation, I sat down and did the math, and figured out I could sell them for £1,” said Higgitt.
The burger offering gradually transformed from a side business to the couple’s main source of income. Currently, the burger operation accounts for about 90% of Higgitt’s earnings, running daily from March through November.
Higgitt attributes his ability to maintain low prices to operational efficiency, bulk purchasing, and social media exposure. He estimates the cost to make each burger, including ingredients and electricity, at about 50 pence, or approximately 68 cents. Bulk buying and ensuring a constant flow of customers are critical to keeping prices down.
Social media has played a vital role in attracting customers. Creators on platforms like TikTok and YouTube often feature the burger, drawing new visitors intrigued by its reputation as potentially Britain’s cheapest burger.
“I am always welcoming toward food YouTubers or TikTokers who come along and record themselves trying the burger,” Higgitt noted. “This in turn brings people to try it themselves, or just to see me and enjoy the buzz of the place.”
Besides burgers, the stand also offers hot dogs, Spam sandwiches, and sausage sandwiches. Kelly McGreal contributed to this article as a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.