The expression “cheap as chips” is a British idiom dating back to the late 19th or early 20th century, referencing the low cost of fish and chips, which was a staple, affordable meal for the working class. The phrase became widely popular in the mid-20th century to describe items that are very inexpensive or a bargain.
Occasionally I coach a hills interval session called “Bridge and Chips” where we use a lengthy footbridge over a main road for the hills and finish at the neighbouring chippy. This used to be a fun, relatively cheap evening but two regular cod, a large chips and two curry sauce have just cost me £29.
The good companions
Winston Churchill
I don’t think that’s cheap; it’s certainly not “cheap as chips”. When you think that the national minimum wage for someone over 21 is currently £12.21 per hour (£12.71 from 1 April 2026) that £29 represents well over two hours’ work.
Since when did it get that expensive? I get that ingredients, supplies and wages have all gone up but I do wonder how much of the £29 I paid is, for example, seen by the young person who served me and what percentage represents pure profit.
I don’t mind paying good money for decent food and, to be fair, what I ate was good. But £29 for a simple takeaway fish supper for two? Come on, that’s not justifiable.
