As April’s price rises hit the nation’s pockets, sandwich expert, Max Halley – from Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch – unveils Britain’s first gourmet £1 meal deal.
In partnership with iD Mobile, Shoreditch pop-up ‘Quids in Cafe’ will serve up Max’s gourmet “SIM-wiches” (plus drink and a side), with prices fixed at a quid!
iD Mobile will also launch their fixed price SIM only plans with no annual price rises, as well a limited time offer of a SIM only deal cheaper than your average meal deal!
Today, Max Halley, TV chef, author and founder of the acclaimed Max’s Sandwich Shop in North London, opens the doors to the QuiDs in Cafe, serving up gourmet sandwich meal deals for hungry deal-seekers at a fixed price of £1. The perfect antidote to April price hikes.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, Brits across the country are feeling the pinch; with everyday essentials like food and utilities on the rise. However, an unlikely item causing a consumer stir and uproar on social media is one of the nation’s most beloved barometers of value – the lunchtime “meal deal”. The topic has also seen widespread reporting in the press, with published data indicating meal deal prices have increased more than a fifth (21%) since 20211.
This lunchtime injustice hasn’t gone unnoticed by award-winning chef Max Halley, who’s teamed up with mobile network operator, iD Mobile, to tackle inflation and fix prices – bringing customers more, for less. Much like having a mobile service, the lunchtime meal deal has become an essential for many, offering an affordable on-the-go option when time is at a premium. Almost half of us (49%) already buy ready-to-eat lunches from supermarkets and more than half (59%) will switch from one retailer to another in pursuit of a better deal, according to Mintel2.
Teaming with iD Mobile to fix the meal deal for the better, Max’s gourmet take on this classic combo offers meal deal lovers a breakfast or lunch fit for a king – or for a “sandwich king” at least – for the princely sum of £1.
Max comments: “The sandwich meal deal is an important part of the hustle of life in Britain today. Everyone loves a bargain and peace of mind that they’re getting the best value on the essentials, as well as consistency when it comes to the price of them. So, at a time when many are seeing rising prices across the board, we thought it would be interesting to take the notion of iD’s fixed price SIMs and mash them together with an iconic value deal close to people’s hearts that they can literally sink their teeth into…and for a quid!”
QuiDs in Cafe pairs Max and iD Mobile to celebrate iD’s new fixed price SIM only plans. This fixed price promise is across all of iD’s SIM only plans, enabling people to ‘lock in’ to an exceptional value SIM only deal at a fixed price that won’t go up each year with inflation. According to Which?, customers of the big four mobile networks experienced price hikes of over 8% on average this April and could save an average of £10 by switching to a smaller network3, like iD Mobile.
“We understand that in the current cost of living crisis, people are actively seeking better deals across all their everyday essentials”, commented Lewis Henry, Customer and Marketing Director at iD Mobile. “So, we’re fixing our prices across all of our SIM only plans and are excited to partner with Max to fix the prices of his gourmet £1 meal deal.”
To further mark the occasion of the Quids in Cafe pop-up event, visitors can take advantage of a limited time SIM only offer, including 2GB of data and unlimited minutes and texts for just £3.99 a month – which is cheaper than most meal deals.
All of iD Mobile’s plans come with great features as standard. Like access to the UK’s fastest 5G, free Data Rollover and inclusive Roaming in 50 destinations worldwide – that’s more destinations than any other network.
Max’s “SIM-wiches” take inspiration from classic supermarket meal deal favourites, giving them his trademark twist, while ensuring all dietary needs are catered for. It’s the first time he has offered a breakfast and lunchtime menu to the public. The meal deal menu for takeaway or eating in includes:
- A gourmet, filling-packed sandwich featuring Max’s award-winning, six-point signature formula of ‘hot, cold, sweet, sour, crunchy and soft’ parcelled within freshly baked focaccia bread.
- Plus, Max’s first ever range of handmade crisps with flavours paired to complement each of the limited-edition sandwiches.
- Plus, a coffee, soft drink or sweet treat
… all for the fixed price of just a quid (£1).
“Forget the meal deal, this is the REAL DEAL!” added Max. “Whether you’re looking for a better deal on your mobile plan or lunch, come down to the QuiDs in Cafe and meet me next Wednesday 17th April!”
Doors open to the public from 11am to 4pm on Wednesday 17th April and 8am to 4pm on Thursday 18th April at Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3EY. If successful, Max and iD may take the cafe concept to other UK cities, later in the year.
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About iD Mobile
Launched in May 2015, iD Mobile is the Mobile Virtual Network Operator from Currys plc that runs on the Three network. Its plans are amongst the best value in the UK, covering flexible SIM only deals and the latest flagship smartphones.
iD Mobile’s offering is built around its customers, providing ‘no fluff, just the good stuff’. Which means amazing value deals, great service and fantastic features such as the UK's fastest 5G, Data Rollover, and Roaming in 50 destinations worldwide included on all plans at no extra cost. In iD’s own words – that’s ‘mobile done right’.
iD Mobile's SIM only plans were recently endorsed by Which? for 'Great Value' for the second time in a row, and iD Mobile were voted 'Best Network for Data' and 'Best Contract Value for Money' at the Uswitch Telecoms Awards 2024.
About Max Halley
Max Halley, or the Sandwich King as he’s widely known, is a foodie force to be reckoned with. As the proprietor of Max’s Sandwich Shop in North London, he is the face to expect whenever the word sandwich is mentioned. As a regular on Sunday Brunch, appearances on Masterchef and Top Chef support his reputation.
In addition to a whole bunch of TV appearances, Max was the star of his own Vice Munchies series way before the explosion of food creators and has since published 2 books that scribe his foodie genius. Having worked with brands such as Hellmann’s and Tabasco to name a couple and on guest menus throughout the capital, he is one to watch. @lunchluncheon | maxssandwichshop.com
iD Mobile’s Fixed Price SIM-Only Plan Menu
https://www.idmobile.co.uk/sim-only-deals
1. BBC, ‘Boots, Tesco, Co-op meal deals – which is cheapest?’
2. Mintel, UK Attitudes towards Lunch Out-of-Home Market Report 2023
3. https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/upcoming-mid-contract-price-rises-could-mean-customers-pay-more-for-their-mobile-deal-afaoP2r1kQ1o