15/06/2026
Improtant announcement about menu/prices:
It's crazy - we serve SO many customers everyday that we are open (the numbers would make your head spin)
We have very low over-heads, we have a small shop so there's no business rates. Our biggest problem is having too many customers to keep up with demand at times and yet due to the way food is priced and VAT is treated at the moment; its actually so hard to make profit.
Then there is the constant stress of maintaining the whole thing, constant messages, calls and texts, being tagged on socials, people complaining about operations, some neighbours don't like the smell, sometimes our waste management company won't turn up and collect our waste and that causes complaints, sometimes delivery drivers or staff will do things that cause complaints and sometimes you just get haters on annonymous accounts attacking you for no real reason other than they need a hobby... its honestly NON STOP once you get to a certain level... we are undoubtedly the best burgers and probably the best takeaway overall in barry and that is such an honour but its exhausting 24/7... 365
This game ain't for the weak and if I didn't have such a passion for food and such an established business I would honestly switch to a more profitable business model... something where we buy equipment and then just put the hours in like building/labour style jobs (customer pays for the supplies) or shops that just have to pay rent and energy like a gym, carwash, laundrette, barber shop, tanning salon, - problem with with is we make a bunch of money and then have to go and buy a bunch of stock again and it's nearly all gone because of the low margins involved.. (I'm sure some people in these industries will have more costs than I know but still won't have the low margins we do 100%)
Then there's issues that pop up like things breaking or just going missing... there is literally something everyday I have to spend a bunch of unexpected money on.
So by the time you pay for:
Rent
Staff
Energy
Business rates (if applicable)
Insurance
Food Hygiene licenses
Accounting
Bookkeeping
Card Fees
Software fees
Marketing
Waste management
Internet
Phone
Uniforms
Graphic Design
Wastage (spoil and spill)
Travel for stock etc.
Cleaning products
-Anti bacterial
-Kitchen cleaner
-Degreaser
-Oven and grill cleaner (LOTS AND LOTS)
-Washing up liquid
-Sponges
-Griddle pads
EHO requirements (books, sheets, signs etc)
Delivery drivers
Stock
-Beef (ours is very high quality and custom specs)
-Cheese
-Chicken
-Oil
-Buns
-Fries
-Sides
-Sauces
-Individual ingredients
-Seasonings
-Boxes
-Foil
-Cling film
-Paper bags
-Plastic bags
-Drinks
-Dip pots
-Napkins
-Forks
-Strong bin bags
There's really not a lot left apart from the amazing feedback and knowing that some people look forward all week or even all month sometimes to enjoy the thing that you create 💙🙏
If that's not enough for you - I wouldn't bother... a lot less stressful just having a job that guarantees profit, no loss and the ability to switch of when your shift ends.
With all that being said I've tried to keep my prices extremely low (£8.50 for a double smash burger) with the prices we pay for meat is INSANE and we even always have discounts for direct orders... you see new smash burger places popping up with much higher prices and I know the quality won't be as good as ours so...
I have no choice but to put my prices up and I am going to create a whole new menu to go with it - I'm removing a few things that aren't cost effective and adding some things I know people really want from us so keep your eyes peeled.
I will increase the size of the patties by 30-50% to give something back but I must ensure my menu prices reflect the hard work we have put in for years and especially compared to the competition local to us.
I hope you guys understand how long we have kept our prices the same while everything has been going up for years now but we can no longer sustain like this - I know the customers that matter most will back us and support us through this and I thanks you all in advance
Loads of genuine love
Grill Next Door
