A dad has said he has better milkshakes than McDonald's after opening his family-friendly restaurant.
Chris Jackson opened Shakey J's in 2016 with his partner Claire Maguire. Starting as a small takeaway known for their milkshakes, six months ago the couple took the plunge to open a restaurant on the high street in Newton-Le-Willows.
The walls of Shakey J's are adorned with murals of video game characters and retro arcade games. Chris said the best thing about the restaurant is being a place for families to enjoy and "watching kids grow up".
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Chris told the ECHO: "We started off on the high street doing waffles and milkshakes in a smaller shop. The idea was pretty new in the area and everything was video game related and the kids loved it.
"We decided to expand and we wanted somewhere people could bring their kids. We have four kids ourselves and wanted a place people could go to finish a bike ride or a nice day out. The kind of place you remember when you grow up."
Chris said the reason Shakey J's sustained success over the years is due to the quality of the food. All the ice cream is made on-site and he said since the restaurant opened all their ingredients have been locally sourced.
Chris, 35 said: "Everything I pick up fresh daily from our local butcher, we have a farmer for our eggs. It costs no more to go fresh it is just more work.
"I'm not going up ladders or digging holes I love what I do so it is no problem for me. When I'm not cooking I'm out front playing Connect Four with the kids."
Before becoming a chef Chris was a commercial driver and met Claire while they were both out 'Trick or Treating' on Halloween. While it may be a challenge for some Chris said he loves working with Claire every day.
When asked if his milkshakes compare to the likes of Mcdonald's he said: "There is no comparison. People want an American milkshake with high-quality products and you can taste the difference.
“I remember some kids coming in with their parents to our first shop. Now they are coming in on their own, some are even leaving school. From where we started to where we are now makes me so proud. We want this to be a place for everyone.”
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