A burger stand in Blackpool, England, has managed to offer its signature burger for a little over $1 for nearly 20 years, despite rising food and energy costs. Chris Higgitt, owner of Higgitt’s Las Vegas Arcade Blackpool & £1 Burger Bar, has kept the price at £1, or about $1.34, since launching in 2006. This burger includes a bun, an English beef patty, onions, and sauce.
Higgitt, 58, believes the low price is a significant attraction, drawing long lines during the tourist season. ‘I am very proud of being able to keep the price for this long,’ he said, adding that people often wait over an hour to purchase one.
Before entering the burger business, Higgitt worked as a processing and quality engineer and later ran a bed-and-breakfast with his wife, Karen. The couple bought an arcade in 2006 and, facing poor arcade performance, considered starting a burger bar.
‘The arcade wasn’t performing very well, and Karen and I were talking about what we could do, and we thought of a burger bar,’ Higgitt recounted. After calculating costs, he found he could offer the burgers at £1. The burger bar eventually became their primary income, with about 90% of revenue coming from it.
Higgitt credits efficiency, bulk purchasing, and social media for keeping prices low. Each burger costs around 50 pence, or about 68 cents, to produce, including ingredients and electricity. He emphasizes the importance of bulk buying and maintaining customer flow.
Social media plays a crucial role in attracting visitors. Videos by TikTok creators and YouTubers routinely draw new customers eager to sample what some call Britain’s cheapest burger.
‘I am always welcoming [toward] food YouTubers or TikTokers who come along and record themselves trying the burger,’ Higgitt said. ‘This, in turn, brings people to try it themselves, or just to see me and enjoy the buzz of the place.’
Alongside burgers, Higgitt also offers hot dogs, Spam sandwiches, and sausage sandwiches.