Who is the Chip Shop Diva taking over TikTok?

Destiny works at Merchants Fish and Chips in the Midlands town of Bewdley, and she and the chippy have gone viral with a series of TikToks that are getting millions and millions of views.

This TikTok (below) features some of her catchphrases TikTokers are calling instantly iconic and using in videos and comments across the platform – “You could have a mini haddock meal”, “Would you like a slice of lemon?”, “Have a nice day” and a little “hm” noise at the end of the exchange.

@merchants_fishandchips Ordering Chippy Chips with a Small Fish Looking for the perfect snack? Our small haddock paired with chippy chips is the ultimate combo! Fresh, tasty, and just the right size to hit the spot. - #fishandchips #fish #foodie #food #foodporn #seafood #chips #instafood #takeaway #merchantsfishbar #foodstagram #foodblogger #eatlocal #dinner #foodlover #fishnchips #delicious #yummy #chippytea #fishnchips #tasty #supportlocal #chippychips #restaurant #viral #fyp ♬ original sound - Merchants Fish & Chips

So why are people saying they just can’t get enough of the chip shop diva and hailing her as their “queen”? As always on TikTok, it’s the comments that help you get it: “How does she give off an unfriendly vibe and yet also be helpful and friendly?” “These are so awkward and difficult to watch but I’m obsessed and can’t stop watching. What is the psychology behind this lmao.” “Lights on but nobody’s home.” “GCSE drama.” “Polite yet uninterested. Love it!!” “Here’s another of the Merchants chippy’s TikToks which on its own has racked up 23 million views and lots of comments about it sounding like “English language class learning material for beginners.”

@user_roccums_2029383 I fear this is too niche but i love her sm @Merchants Fish & Chips #fyp #donatellaversace #relatable #serving #chippy #fishandchips ♬ QKThr - Aphex Twin

As her TikTok fame has quickly grown, creators have been posting fan edits with some of their favorite clips like this one.

Again, the clue to the appeal is in the comments: “Unbothered queen”. I actually want to be on her level of unbothered.”

“She’s so attentive yet so unbothered.”

“Serving face while serving chips what a queen.”

“She’s serving more than just fish and chips.”

You know you’re suddenly a true TikTok icon when you become part of the platform’s vocabulary and people start making funny skits about you, doing impersonations, turning you into a song ... and even dressing up as you for Halloween!

A few examples… Actor Tobias Cordes became “That diva from the fish and chip shop.”

@tobias_cordes_ I love HER #pov #comedy #uk #fyp ♬ original sound - Tobias

A TikTok musician using autotune to turn the best chip shop diva quotes into a dance track – comment: “We need to make this into a huge club hit. Iconic!”

@slimzuckerz serving more than just chips #music #producer #merchantsfishandchips #remix #chipshoptiktok @Merchants Fish & Chips ♬ original sound - SLIM Z

Dressing up as the chip shop diva for Halloween – Destiny herself commented on this TikTok: “It’s me!!”

@uni_werks ♬ original sound - Kai

A TikTok comedian imagining what the “guy filming the chip shop girl” looks like.

@jdtickerz I swear he is a robot! #chipshopgirl #chipshop #tredding #fyp #xyzabc ♬ original sound - Jules

The actual “Merchants chippy guy” who poses as the customer and films the chip shop diva revealed himself this week as Mitch Key, posting this TikTok running through some of the favorite lines people have been picking up and using in comments and in their own TikToks – including commenters’ favorite: “You could have a mini haddock meal.”

@mitchspov All the Merchants fish and chips, chippy chips lines used when ordering from the chip shop diva - #fishandchips #fish #foodie #food #foodporn #seafood #chips #instafood #takeaway #merchantsfishbar #foodstagram #foodblogger #merchantsguy #dinner #merchantschippygirl #fishnchips #delicious #yummy #chippytea #chipshopdiva #tasty #supportlocal #chippychips #restaurant #viral #fyp ♬ original sound - MitchsPOV

Of course, the Merchants is not the first English chippy to become a TikTok phenomenon.

Binley Mega Chippy in Coventry found global fame in 2022 when a fan created a TikTok with a catchy jingle that kicked off a trend that had people traveling from far and wide to queue up and film their own TikToks outside.

Two years later, however, this very different chip shop phenomenon demonstrates the way TikTok has rapidly developed into an entertainment platform that doesn’t just create overnight stars but creates the everyday vocabulary, catchphrases and imagery that used to come from the TV shows everyone was watching – like Little Britain, which David Walliams and Matt Lucas announced this week they're working on plans to revive.

If you’re not on TikTok regularly it may not make sense – but, if you are, you’ll know why people are saying: “The US had Hawk Tuah Girl, we got the chip shop diva”; why they’re saying “Perfume Shop Diva should do a collab with Chip Shop Diva”; and comments that reference multiple TikTok trends, like: “Fiona, is that a mini haddock meal behind you?” [And if you don’t understand any of these references you need to sign up for the trend-spotting service Buzz from Shooglebox]

What about the Chip Shop Diva herself?

Destiny has her own TikTok account where she’s been posting this week – including lipsyncing to one her catchphrases “Would you like a drink with that?”.

Her local hair salon has got 2 million views on a TikTok of her coming in for an appointment with "the unbothererd Queen”.

Merchants Fish and Chips owner Antony Akathiotis told local newspaper Dudley News that Destiny is “a lovely, genuine, hardworking girl” and she’s loving the social media fun. He says his “amazing" team is putting Bewley on the map and encouraging more people to shop locally: “We’re not just another trend that will die out."

Their latest TikTok, posted yesterday (November 7), has fans saying their Chip Shop Diva is starting to get more “sassy” in her interactions – “our queen has attitude TODAY"

@merchants_fishandchips @MitchsPOV Ordering fish and chips again from our merchants chip shop diva @Dest ! It has to be yk them chippy chips with our crispy battered haddock meal - #fishandchips #fish #foodie #food #foodporn #seafood #chips #instafood #takeaway #merchantsfishbar #foodstagram #foodblogger #eatlocal #dinner #merchantschippygirl #chipshopdiva #delicious #yummy #chippytea #fishnchips #tasty #supportlocal #chippychips #restaurant #viral #fyp ♬ original sound - Merchants Fish & Chips

The best way to get your head round what Chip Shop Diva is all about – and what people are saying – is to dive into this Shooglebox with the best of TikTok examples