In what seems to be next up in the long-running culture war between America and Britain, it’s time to discuss a culinary classic.
We’re talking about crisp butties, of course.
It seems to be every couple of months or so that Americans hop on social media to either slag off our cuisine, or to try and claim something Brits that would consider to be quintessentially British as theirs own.
Case and point – you might remember the internet erupting last year when Americans had a few choice words to say about our classic fry-up breakfasts, and even tried to recreate their own. Or when over on Reddit, Americans just couldn’t seem to believe their eyes when they discovered what British “face meats” were – also known as Billy Bear Ham to us.
And now, it seems like the New York Times is trying to make it out like it’s just discovered the art of putting crisps – or chips, as Americans call them – on a sandwich.
Emblazoned over a picture of a rather posh looking crisp butty, the post then expands on the initial statement, and goes on to explain why “putting chips” in a sandwich is a good idea, adding that: “Beyond crunch, chips also add stability, holding the fillings in place as you eat.”
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Posted over a week ago now, the post on the NYT Cooking Instagram has amassed well over 80,000 likes and thousands of comments.
Comments under the post – which is all to promote a Tuna Crunch Sandwich recipe by New York Times bestselling food author, J. Kenji López-Alt – range from people seeming impressed at the concept of “chips” on a sandwich, to others sarcastically calling the publication out for their “groundbreaking” idea, and, of course, from Brits confused as to why Americans think crisp butties are their creation.
America seems to ‘think they invented’ crisp butties and Brits can’t believe it / Credit: MuhamadIksan (via Pixabay)
“Chips? In sandwiches? Groundbreaking,” one comment reads on Instagram.
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Another person sarcastically commented: “What’s next? Dip a cookie in milk?” while a third added: “Omg such a revelation. So brave to post such a thing. Next up, bacon on just about anything,” and a fourth person said: “Really? We’ve been doing this since the 80s.
“Up next, we have discovered the secret to the ultimate peanut butter sandwich – it’s jelly,” another comical comment read.
One person went on to ask the question everyone was thinking: “Is this meant to be something new? We’ve been doing this since we were 6.”
On top of American confusion, Brits also took the opportunity to poke fun at the situation when a now-viral repost of the picture was shared by popular Twitter comedy account No Context Brits with the caption: “Americans thinking they invented the crisp butty.”
“I don’t know why they’re pretending that’s a new idea,” one person commented.
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Another confused comment reads: “I’ve been doing this since I was able to make my own sandwiches”, while actual Walkers Crisps got in on the action too.
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
All-girl K-pop powerhouse aespa book MASSIVE Manchester arena show
Danny Jones
All-girl K-pop group, ‘aespa’, are coming to Manchester for some of their largest performances to date as part of a new global tour.
If you know anything about the K-pop scene, you’ll know that most acts are even bigger than you could ever imagine.
Manchester has gained a steady supply of gigs from artists within the genre over the past year or so, and now aespa are the latest to book the AO Arena for a headline show.
Rest assured, these tickets will fly…
aespa SYNK : COMPLæXITY
Catch the LIVE TOUR in Manchester at @AOArena on Thu 14th January 2027!
Register by [Wed 29 Apr at 6AM PT / 8PM CT / 9AM ET] for access to the artist presale: https://t.co/JuWFFMCE8Q
Dubbed the ‘SYNK : Complæxity World Tour’, this follows on from their last live iteration, ‘æXIS LINE’ shows, which began back in August 2025 and, technically, have only just ended this April.
As per an official press release, “Produced by Live Nation, the tour will bring aespa’s acclaimed live production and immersive performance experience to arenas across Asia, North America, Latin America, the UK, and Europe.”
There are actually just two shows in the entirety of Britain (the other being down in the capital), and Manchester has the good fortune of kicking off not only being the first of both, but the inaugural date of the entire European leg.
Consider us honoured.
Made up of a talented quartet – Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, the rising South Korean stars – this female-led phenomenon is arguably one of the fastest rising acts in the world of K-pop.
Having now been to a couple of these shows for ourselves, we’re starting to understand that these artists might have some of the most passionate followings on the planet.
Kicking off the latest run of performances back in their home country’s capital of Seoul, they’ll hit multiple continents before wrapping things up in Paris.
aespa EU tour dates 2027
14 January – AO Arena, Manchester
16 Jan – London
19 Jan – Amsterdam
22 Jan – Stockholm
24 Jan – Copenhagen
26 Jan – Berlin
29 Jan – Milan
31 Jan – Barcelona
2 February – Paris
If you’re a fan or are interested in throwing your hat in the ring for a first K-pop gig experience, you can register by signing up for their exclusive pre-sale window.
As for general admission, tickets to see aespa at the AO Arena in Manchester will go live at 3pm on Wednesday, 6 May; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
4th May 2023 
