Blackpool’s £1 Burger Bar: How Chris Higgitt Kept Price Since 2006

Main story

Blackpool, England (Times Media Service) — Chris Higgitt has run Higgitt’s Las Vegas Arcade Blackpool & £1 Burger Bar on the seafront since 2006. The eatery’s signature burger — a simple bun with an English beef patty, onions and sauce — has remained priced at £1 for nearly 20 years, drawing long queues and widespread attention.

Key information

• Owner: Chris Higgitt, 58, a former processing and quality engineer who later ran a bed‑and‑breakfast with his wife, Karen. Reported by SWNS and summarized by Fox News.
• Business: Higgitt’s Las Vegas Arcade Blackpool & £1 Burger Bar, located on Blackpool’s seafront.
• Signature product: bun, English beef patty, onions and sauce — sold for £1 since 2006 (about $1.34 at recent exchange rates).
• Season: open seven days a week from March through November.
• Revenue mix: roughly 90% of revenue now comes from the burger operation.
• Estimated direct cost per burger: ~50p (ingredients and electricity).

Who is Chris Higgitt?

Higgitt bought the arcade in 2006 after a career as a processing and quality engineer and a stint running a bed‑and‑breakfast with his wife. The arcade “wasn’t performing very well,” he told reporters, and an off‑hand idea to add a burger bar became a deliberate business plan after he “sat down and did the math.” What began as a side project gradually overtook the arcade as the family’s main income source.

“I sat down and did the math,” Higgitt said, describing how he calculated a simple cooked burger could be sold for £1 and still work if volume was large enough.

The £1 burger and the menu

The signature offering is intentionally minimal: a bun, an English beef patty, onions and sauce. A limited menu — including hot dogs, Spam sandwiches and sausage sandwiches — keeps preparation fast and predictable. The bright “£1 burger Blackpool” sign functions as a visual hook, and Higgitt says customers will sometimes queue for more than an hour during busy periods to try what many describe as Britain’s cheapest burger.

How he keeps the price at £1

Higgitt credits several pragmatic choices for sustaining the low price:

• Low unit cost and margins: direct cost ~50p per burger (ingredients + electricity), leaving roughly 50p gross margin to cover other costs; volume is essential.
• Operational efficiency: a lean menu and repeatable prep steps reduce waste, speed service and simplify labor needs.
• Bulk purchasing: buying buns, meat and staples in bulk lowers per‑unit costs and helps absorb short‑term price spikes when turnover is high during tourist season.
• Social media and earned publicity: free exposure from TikTok creators, YouTubers and visitors brings new customers — effectively acting as advertising that sustains traffic without large marketing spend.

Business evolution and seasonality

The operation depends on Blackpool’s tourist cycles. Open daily from March through November, the burger bar sells large volumes during peak tourist waves, which lets inventory turn quickly. Over time the food side expanded to represent about 90% of the business’s revenue, transforming a struggling arcade rescue into a sustainable local enterprise. Higgitt says he is very proud of keeping the £1 price unchanged for nearly two decades even as costs for food and energy rose.

What reporters could not verify

Public reporting does not provide a full financial audit. Missing details include:

• Daily or annual burger sales volume;
• Detailed net profit margins after labor, rent, permits and other overheads;
• Exact supplier contracts and staffing levels;
• A breakdown of the cited 50p per‑burger cost into specific line items beyond ingredients and electricity.

Why the story matters

The Higgitt example functions as both a business case study and a human‑interest piece. It demonstrates how strict cost control, a narrow product focus and modern viral marketing can create a durable, low‑price offering in a tourist market. For operators in higher‑cost areas, the tale is a reminder that competitive value can come from scale and efficiency rather than price cutting alone.

Implications for Huntington Beach, California

Economic impact — what local vendors can learn: Huntington Beach is also tourist‑driven and faces higher rents and labor costs. Local vendors could adopt elements of Higgitt’s model — simplify menus, buy in bulk, standardize prep, and use social media — but must carefully account for higher overheads before committing to a fixed low price.

Political consequences — a vote for small‑business solutions: For readers favoring free‑market approaches, the story highlights private‑sector problem solving: entrepreneurs adjusting operations to market realities. Policymakers could consider measures that lower compliance costs or facilitate seasonal vending to support similar ventures.

Social effects and cultural relevance: Low‑price options broaden access for families and young visitors and can become local attractions tied to surf‑town character. However, viral queues can create congestion and competition for public space, which city leaders should weigh when permitting seafront concessions.

Practical applications — steps for Huntington Beach entrepreneurs

• Test a narrow, high‑turnover menu to reduce prep time and waste.
• Negotiate bulk pricing with local wholesalers to lower unit costs.
• Use TikTok and Instagram to showcase low prices and the in‑person experience; invite creators to film.
• Time operations to peak tourist seasons and consider seasonal staffing models.
• Monitor all costs closely — include labor, rent, permitting and utilities — before committing to a fixed low price.

Reporting and sources

This article is based on reporting from SWNS as summarized by Fox News. For full background coverage see: Fox News — “Owner of viral $1.34 burger stand shares secret to keeping prices unchanged since 2006”. For information about SWNS, visit their site.

Note: The article preserves reported facts and URLs; some financial specifics remain unverified in public reporting.