SpudBros Mania arrived in Liverpool today as the TikTok stars finally opened their city store
It’s no secret that SpudBros has landed in Liverpool. In fact, it’s the complete opposite; today, it has been like mission impossible trying to avoid anything related to the TikTok stars.
However, thankfully for me, I didn’t want to turn a blind eye to – dare I say it – SpudBros Mania. I wanted to dive straight into the middle of it all. The Preston-born brothers, Jacob and Harley, have been stirring up excitement among their followers, myself included, for some time about their latest venture.
The much-anticipated wait ended at 3:30pm today, Thursday, September 4, when the store opened to a thunderous applause from hungry fans. Straight from the outset of stepping inside, one thing became crystal clear.
While it may seem like just a throw-away novelty idea to some, this certainly isn’t the case for Jacob and Harley – nor their army of loving family and friends who are with them each step of the way on this incredible journey.
What started as a modest hot potato cart in Preston has blossomed into a viral phenomenon, with millions of followers online and lengthy queues stretching round the block at every new launch.
Famous for their POV-style content, the brothers delight audiences daily with clips of them crafting spuds loaded with classics like baked beans, cheese, chilli, and tuna, all delivered with authentic “northern banter”.
Their videos have unlocked opportunities to collaborate with some of social media’s biggest influencers, including Sidemen, MrBeast, Alex Warren, and actor Will Smith – and I’d argue deservedly so.
For many, it’s all about the brothers, but for the brothers, as Jacob, the elder of the two, explained to me, it’s all about the spuds, and it really shows.
Beyond the pair’s humility and charm, that’s probably not why you’ve clicked on this article. You’re most likely curious whether I reckoned the wait was worthwhile or not.
To be fair, the ECHO were granted a sneak preview of the shop before it welcomed the public, so I managed to grab a jacket potato then. I opted for the Garlic Chilli Chicken choice – typically priced at £11, it was being offered for 1p to mark the opening.
Assembled before my eyes, the steaming jacket potato was drenched with a generous helping of garlic butter like a tidal wave.
It was then topped with a towering portion of SpudBros’ signature three cheese blend. There was no need to politely request more; the staff, under the watchful gaze of Jacob, anticipated your needs before you even uttered a word.
We were clearly in the hands of experts at this establishment. The jacket potato was crowned with a dollop of meat, some raita, crispy onions and coriander.
Before today’s visit, a nagging voice would suggest I could easily whip this up at home for half the cost.
That voice was swiftly silenced when I devoured the first mouthful of the culinary masterpiece during my lunch break. My only regret? Tucking in too hastily and not savouring every mouthful.
