One of Ireland’s most popular takeaway families has issued a rallying cry for the return of National Fish and Chips Day on Friday 6 June.
Macari’s, a cornerstone of Ireland’s chipper tradition, says it’s time to bring back the golden ritual of Friday night fish suppers — and the discounts that went with them.
The once-annual celebration, typically marked by deep discounts across the country’s chippers, was a staple of the Irish food calendar, but in recent years, the event has quietly disappeared. Now in an effort to revive it, Maria Macari, who helps run the family business with two locations in Kildare Town, says they’ll be offering free chips with every fish and chip box order for the whole day, complete with the traditional slice of lemon and tartar sauce.
“In Ireland, meat was never eaten on a Friday. It had its roots in the Catholic tradition, but it caught on across all denominations,” she explains. “It also became the one day in the week when mammies — or daddies — didn’t have to cook a roast dinner with spuds. The fish and chip supper had always been a comfort, a break, a treat.”
For decades, Irish families queued outside local chippers for a taste of something both simple and sacred. Wrapped in paper and dripping with vinegar, the fish and chip supper was as much a ritual as it was a meal.
Italian-Irish chip shop owners Macaris, who have fed generations since the 1980s, sees the decline of the national day as a worrying trend — one that reflects changing habits and fading appreciation for the traditions that shaped Irish family life.
“The queues would be out the door. People loved it — not just for the price, but for the sense of occasion,” Maria says. “It brought people together, gave chippers a boost, and reminded us of something we all shared growing up.”
She believes reviving the tradition could also help small businesses in the food industry, as many are struggling with rising costs and changing consumer habits.
“It’s a chance to celebrate something uniquely Irish. Other countries celebrate their street food. Why shouldn’t we?”
Macari’s is now calling on other chippers across the country — and on food lovers everywhere — to support the return of National Fish and Chips Day.
Photo: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography
