The world as we once knew it was flipped on its head back in March when the country was placed into lockdown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
It’s undoubtedly true that these past few months have thrown us all some unexpected challenges and left us having to adapt to ever-changing situations, which is maybe why we’ve been craving and clinging onto the only shreds of ‘normality’ that we have left.
Maybe it’s also why it’s been revealed that Brits have ordered a whopping 150 million pizzas between March and August.
It comes as leading takeaway delivery service Just Eat has announced that orders to homes have sky-rocketed by almost 50% since March, and that around 100 million meals more than normal have been delivered. Food delivery service Deliveroo has also reported that were up by 66%, while Domino’s sold a margherita pizza every second.
Professor Joshua Bamfield – Director of the Centre for Retail Research – said: “Those extra 100 million delivery meals will be worth in the region of £1 billion.
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“That money is a lifeline for troubled restaurants.”
While it seems that us Mancunians have opted for grabbing a fair few extra slices, the classic Italian dish wasn’t the only meal excessively ordered by Brits during lockdown, as it was also revealed that 41,000 tonnes of chips and 42 million curries ordered over the past six months too.
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Fish and chips, Thai, Japanese, pasties and even vegan dishes all made the cut too.
There was also a huge increase in the number of convenience and grocery orders – up 166% – as well as coffee orders being made, which increased by a whopping 149%.
And in what is likely to be received differently depending on who you ask, data trends have also provided an insight into the amount of food each UK region has consumed, with Mancunians coming out as the “greediest” by ordering takeaways twice as much overall as Brummies.
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Speaking on the release of the latest statistics, Andrew Kenny – Managing Director and Just Eat UK – said: “COVID restrictions have made a difference to takeaway habits.
“Customers are enjoying more of the food they love.”
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Everton manager Sean Dyche randomly pops up in the music video for Blossoms’ new single – and he’s great
Danny Jones
Did anyone else think they’d ever see Sean Dyche make his acting debut in the role of a Northern crime boss in a silly little music video for the Blossoms?
No, us neither but that’s the bizarre alternate reality we’re living in, apparently.
Blossoms are currently working on the fifth studio album and have already released their lead single entitled, ‘To Do List (After The Break-Up)’, but now they have a new song out as well, with a rather amusing music video to go along with it and somehow Sean Dyche has found himself the star.
The Stockport band teased the curious collaboration in April, giving us just short glimpses of the Everton manager and former Burnley boss with very little explanation – all we know is that it looked funny and it was.
Dyche is still busy trying to finish the Premier League campaign as strong as possible after successfully navigating the Toffees to safety even in spite of their points deductions this season, but it sounds like keeping them up has given him enough time to moonlight as an actor.
Sending the indie five-piece on a mission to collect something of value (yes, that’s all the info we have at this point as the story is still to be continued), it looks like the Kettering-born coach has a larger role to play in whatever this narrative turns out to be.
Playing what can only be described as some kind of semi-Manc mafia figure on the hunt for a very valuable piece of art, i.e. a big giant gorilla statue – one that many Stopfordians spotted being lugged around various parts of the borough –
They also shared a little bit of BTS footage from the shoot for the music video last week. Some lovely head-bobbing and unassuming surroundings here:
As for the track itself, it’s a bit of stylistic change for the lads who’ve mastered their 80s-tinged indie formula over the past decade but it’s an absolute pop and is already stuck in our heads.
Revealing that they’ve collaborated with contemporary funk, disco and electronic icons Jungle on the track, it doesn’t take too long to hear the influences. Look forward to hearing it at Wythenshawe Park this summer.
You can watch the music video for ‘What Can I Say?’ and the ginger-goatee’d football manager extraordinaire in full character HERE.
He’s not the only footballing figure who’s made an entertainment crossover recently either.
Featured Images — Blossoms (via YouTube)/Virgin EMI
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KFC have launched their own perfume – oh, and a new burger
Danny Jones
Fast food giants KFC have launched their very own perfume in one of the weirdest marketing stunts we’ve seen in a long while.
That being said, we definitely want a bottle.
KFC‘s fried chicken-themed fragrance launches next month and is fashionably named ‘No 11 Eau de BBQ’, a nod to their newest menu item, the Ultimate BBQ Burger, which we also want in our possession as soon as humanly possible.
The franchise’s new signature scent launches in just a week’s time and, yes, you can genuinely buy it along with the new burger for a limited time only.
The UK-only release actually sold out when it came to pre-orders but Brits will be able to get their hands on another batch when the second lot drops on 7 May.
Promising a charcoal and smoky wood-scented aroma that immediately transports you to your mate’s back garden as he turns cheap burger patties into overly blackened dry pucks of meat that you definitely would’ve cooked better if you were in charge, the stunt is also helping raise money for non-profits.
Available in 100ml bottles and for just £11, 100% of the proceeds of every sale will go towards the KFC Foundation, which supports grassroots organisations empowering young people to unleash their potential and build a positive future in local communities across the country.
As for the burger that inspired it, the special edition menu item is a nod to BBQ season gradually approaching and they’ve even made a nod to our famously reliable British weather and its attempts to derail the art of outdoor grilling in a new advert.
KFC perfume and a new burger? Christmas has come well early this year.
The Ultimate BBQ Burger has already launched and will be on the menu until 9 June, priced at £6.49 or £9.99 for a box meal which comes with the burger, a regular mini fillet, regular fries, BBQ sauce and a drink.
And don’t worry, it’ll be available on delivery too — we know we’ve had problems with that when it comes to specials in the past.
As KFC’s No 11 Eau de BBQ perfume, you can wait in the online queue like everyone else HERE and let’s just say you’ll be fighting us and plenty of other Mancs for every last drop.