Situated in a prime location on the Zeedijk in Blankenberge, Sparkle Chips has been serving up the “perfect crunch for a day at the beach” for just over a year now. But behind the scenes at this bustling family business, there’s more going on than just the deep-fat fryer. We spoke to owner Tatiana about their passion for stewed meat and the indispensable role of the Unipage system.
A Family Business with a Heart for the Customer
Sparkle Chips is a true family business; Tatiana runs the business together with her husband and their eldest son. Although they’re based in a tourist hotspot, Tatiana keeps her feet firmly on the ground. She places great value on a genuine connection with people who, just like herself, are simply down-to-earth. That honesty is directly reflected in their product: the homemade stewed meat. “Even when it’s 35 degrees outside, that stewed meat sells like mad,” says Tatiana with a laugh.
The Challenge: ‘Packed’ Summer Days
Working at the Zeedijk means dealing with extreme peaks in demand. In the summer, it can sometimes get so “crowded” that the team can barely keep up with the flood of orders using just one chip pan. At times like these, efficiency is not a luxury, but a necessity.
The Solution: Everything Integrated into a Single System
For the past year, Sparkle Chips has been using Unipage’s fully digital system. The impact has been significant:
The Digital Counter: Instead of a traditional open refrigerated display counter, Sparkle Chips uses a digital counter where all the snacks are beautifully presented on screens. The products themselves are stored hygienically in sealed refrigerated compartments.
Centraal Beheer: According to Tatjana, the biggest advantage is the integration. “I adjust a single price on the Unipage management page and everything changes: the kiosk, the screens at the top and the digital counter.” This saves the team a huge amount of time.
The Order Kiosk: For the younger generation in Blankenberge, the kiosk is a godsend; they prefer to order at their own convenience without having to queue.
"Without a till, I’ll have to close"
When we ask Tatiana what would happen if the system went down on a busy day, she is adamant: “Then I’d have to close.” In particular, the cash register function is indispensable for her in processing daily orders. Digitisation brings much-needed calm to the chaos of the summer.
One click, everything sorted
The biggest benefit? The way everything is linked. “I open my computer, adjust a single price in the management system, and hey presto: everything’s changed,” explains Tatiana. Whether it’s the ordering kiosk for young people who’d rather not queue, the large menu screens above the counter, or the digital counter itself: everything is immediately correct. That saves them loads of time during the daily rush.
Hygiene is key with the digital counter
Anyone walking into the shop won’t see a traditional refrigerated display counter where the snacks are laid out in the open. Sparkle Chips opted for a digital counter. Customers can clearly see photos of the snacks on the screens, whilst the products themselves are kept cool and fresh in sealed fridge compartments behind the screens. Ideal for keeping them cool and much more hygienic.
The till as the nerve centre
Although they sometimes have to shut down the online shop and kiosk in the summer because they can’t keep up with the flood of orders using just one chip pan, the till remains the beating heart of the business. “Without the till, I can’t enter orders and I have to close up shop,” she says resolutely. For Sparkle Chips, digitalisation isn’t just a gimmick, but a vital necessity to continue delivering top quality.
Even at 35 degrees, the stewed meat is selling “like mad”
If you ask Tatiana what their speciality is, she doesn’t have to think twice: their homemade stewed meat. Whilst most people think of a salad when the weather’s warm, portions of stewed meat are flying off the shelves here at 35 degrees. “It’s mad,” she laughs. Freshly made and served with love – that’s what brings people to the Zeedijk.
A partnership based on trust
Although Tatiana was initially sceptical, Unipage sales representative Lesley won her trust through her honest approach and the best value for money. The result is a modern, well-fitted-out shop that’s ready for any summer rush.
Are you ready to take your hospitality business to the next level, just like Sparkle Chips? Discover the possibilities of our kiosks and digital counters at Unipage.be.
A digital display counter replaces the traditional open refrigerated counter with screens showing attractive photos of your products. Snacks are stored hygienically in sealed refrigerated compartments, out of reach of customers. At Sparkle Chips in Blankenberge, this system combines appealing presentation with optimal product freshness.
A self-ordering kiosk lets customers — especially younger ones — place orders at their own pace without queuing. During extreme summer peaks at tourist locations like the Zeedijk in Blankenberge, the kiosk significantly reduces pressure on staff and speeds up order flow. On the busiest days it can also be switched off temporarily to focus all capacity on the main till.
With an integrated system like Unipage, one change in the management page instantly updates the ordering kiosk, menu screens and digital counter simultaneously. As Tatiana from Sparkle Chips puts it: "I adjust a single price in the management system and hey presto, everything changes." No need to update each device separately.
Combining a POS system, a self-ordering kiosk and a centralised management system makes it possible to process more orders with fewer staff. In cases of extreme demand, you can temporarily disable the kiosk and online shop to focus full capacity on the main till — exactly what Sparkle Chips does during their busiest summer days on the Zeedijk in Blankenberge.
Yes. In Belgium, chip shops that exceed a certain annual turnover from on-site food consumption are required to use a certified cash register system (GKS/SCE). Beyond legal compliance, the POS is the operational heart of the business. As Tatiana from Sparkle Chips says plainly: "Without the till, I have to close."
With a digital display counter, snacks are never exposed to the open air or customer contact. Customers see product photos on screens while items stay cool in sealed refrigerated compartments. This improves food safety, meets hygiene standards and is particularly suited to high-footfall venues during busy summer seasons.
Wij contacteren u binnen de 24u voor een demo