The first ever Chinese takeaway drive-thru in England will open in the north west this week, it has been revealed.
Called Wiyo – which stands for What Is Your Order – will bring something entirely new to the region as it launches its first drive-thru restaurant in Warrington this week.
Offering up the likes of salt and pepper chicken, shredded chilli beef and its “house special chicken”, owners have revealed they already have their sites set on an opening in Manchester – and hope that in time the concept could become the “McDonald’s of Asian cuisine.”
The idea was first born, apparently, around a kitchen table back in 2018 but has taken five years to come to fruition.
Co-owners Leon Freedman, Sally Gallagher and Dominic Freeman are the trio behind the genius concept and worked alongside a leading Chinese chef to develop the menu for Wiyo.
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Choices span three different meal options, with prices starting from just £7 for a single dish and drink and rising to £11 for three dishes with a beverage.
Further options include a ‘salt + pepper sub’ with seasoned chicken layered onto a roll with salad, onions and a special soy mayonnaise, as well as side dishes like battered spring rolls and chicken nuggets from £3.
One of Wiyo’s owners, Leon Freedman, told the Manchester Evening News: “The aim was to make Chinese takeaway food quicker and more convenient for the masses. Considering how popular Chinese food is in England, we were confused why no one had developed the concept before now.
“The goal is to make Wiyo the McDonald’s of the Chinese fast food industry. We’re already looking at franchises in Manchester, Liverpool, Essex and hope to make this national.”
Speaking to the Warrington Guardian he added: “Our goal was to create a quick, convenient, great tasting menu, that can be eaten on the go for the people of Warrington and surrounding areas.
“We will be employing at least 15 staff from the local area and hope to bring some life back to a once run-down space in the centre of town.”
Wiyo opens officially on Saturday, June 17 at 5pm, following on from a soft launch this weekend just passed.
Featured image – Wiyo
Eats
Popular Manchester restaurant bar to give out FREE sausage rolls to people called ‘Greg’
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s much-loved restaurant bars is doing a free sausage roll giveaway next week… but there’s a catch.
The catch being you have to have a certain name in particular.
It was only last week that popular high street chain Pret A Manger announced it would be slinging out free sandwiches to any Mancs with ‘Nic’ in their name over the late May bank holiday weekend, and now Tariff & Dale is getting it on the giveaway action, and it’s all to celebrate the iconic event that is National Sausage Roll Day.
In case you didn’t know – which is very likely, let’s be real – next Thursday (5 June) is the day dedicated to all things sausage roll.
So what better way to mark the occasion than with free portions of Tariff & Dale‘s legendary meaty treat?
The popular Northern Quarter restaurant bar is known for its creative comfort food, craft beers and cocktails, and laid-back industrial vibe, with one of the cult-classic dishes on its menu having always been the honey pork sausage roll – which just so happens to be a whopping 15-inches long, by the way.
Resembling something more of a pork wellington than a sausage roll, if you will, the dish is crispy, golden, and glazed with honey on top.
But to celebrate National Sausage Roll day, instead of parting with £9.50 for a portion or £48 for the full 15-inch thing, people with one specific name can actually get a slice for completely free of charge.
Tariff & Dale is giving away FREE sausage rolls to people with this name next week / Credit: Supplied
And that name is ‘Greg’, because if we’re honest, when it comes to sausage rolls, we all tend to think of Greggs.
So whether your surname is Gregory or Gregson, or you’re simply just called Greg, then all you need to do to claim your complimentary slice of sausage roll heaven is head on down to Tariff & Dale next Thursday 5 June from 12pm up until 9pm.
Make sure you show your valid ID proving your name when you order at the bar, and get ready to stuff your face.
Failing that, anyone not called Greg will just have to pop into actual Greggs instead.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Eats
Plans to open a brand-new pub on the site of the Rovers Return
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new pub is set to open in Manchester city centre net month, with treats in store like complimentary bowls of crisps, an outdoor terrace, and a games parlour.
The Stables Tavern is taking shape in the St John’s district, poetically on the same site that was once home to Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub.
They’re promising this will be a ‘historic tavern reimagined for today’s lover of a proper pint’.
The pub will come from Shiko Group, which is also behind Courts Club, where you can play tennis or basketball followed by court-side pints, and Side Street, a bar-restaurant-events space with a mid-Century interior.
Neighbouring the Bonded Warehouse, The Stables Tavern will join this rapidly blossoming new creative district, just across the yard from Caravan, The Trading Route and Aviva Studios.
Inside, punters will find multiple beer taps with local beers, served with complimentary bowls of crisps as well as a menu of pub snacks like handmade sausage rolls and local pies.
The pub will be split into three sections – an outside terrace, a main bar, and a parlour area at the back of the pub for live entertainment, old school games, and rounds of whiskey.
This might be a new district but it’s a historic area for the city – the same building was a busy watering hole back in the early 19th century for workers, merchants and visitors who made use of the nearby canals and cobbled streets.
It was then the home of the Rovers Return, back when this area was the home of Granada Studios.
Hayley Sammé, Marketing Director, said: “We’re so excited to bring The Stables Tavern back to St John’s. The area’s extensive historical backdrop and burgeoning hospitality scene provides the perfect landscape for a traditional British pub.
“It’s the perfect addition to the existing scene, and we hope it’s going to become a popular spot in our new creative district.”
The Stables Tavern will open at St John’s on Friday 6 June.
Georgina Pellant -
12th June 2023 
