New research revealed that Brits are usually more likely to change their address than their hairstyle
Chicken lovers flocked to Camden High Street, London to lose their locks in exchange for up to a year’s free supply of Chicken Nachos. And the boldest showed they are not chicken, but just really love it, and went for the Nacho Chop – having their hair shaved into the shape of a Chicken Nacho.
Despite research by the brand showing that Brits are usually more likely to change their address than their hairstyle, the Taco Bell barber’s chair was mobbed by eager foodies. In charge of the clippers was Traitors star and barber Tyler Smith, while student Mark Christy was the first to step up to the hair-raising challenge and go for the full Nacho Chop.
Despite knowing his partner would be less than happy with his new look, Mark was thrilled. He said: “My girlfriend’s gonna kill me. But hey, I love Chicken Nachos, so it’s totally worth it.”
Sam Potter, 24, also fearlessly went for the Nacho Chop – even though she was heading home to the spend the Easter holidays with her family in Newcastle later in the day.
After letting Tyler loose on her shoulder-length bob she exclaimed: “I love it! I’ve wanted to have shorter hair for ages but have always been a bit too scared. I figured if I’m going to take the plunge then I might as well get something out of it and getting a year’s supply of free Chicken Nachos sounds like a good deal.”
Taco Bell launched the challenge, where participants are offered up to £1,000 worth of free Chicken Nachos over the course of a year depending on how short they got their hair cut, to encourage punters out of their comfort zone. Research for the brand revealed that while 74% of adults describe themselves as adventurous, almost than half (43%) stick to the same routine every day.
While 18% said they would like to change where they live and 16% wanted to try a new holiday destination, only 12% would consider a new hairdo and 25% actually avoid trying a new style. Almost half (49%) of the 1,000 people polled said they had kept the same hairstyle for as long as they could remember. In Swansea and Portsmouth a huge 43% said they had never had a different haircut – compared to the average 17% of the nation.
Indeed, such is the fear of a bad trip to the barber or hairdresser, 12% said they would rather streak naked in the street than consider a new look. Brits also play it safe with their favourite clothes and meals, with 26% refusing to try new outfits and 18% eating the same food each week.
In the last year just 1 in 10 have managed to experiment with something new on a restaurant menu. But even though we’re creatures of habit, the average person still spends 7.8 hours a week dreaming of trying new things, despite 1 in 5 admitting the fear of disappointment puts them off.
Half said the cost of living crisis has pushed them to be more spontaneous in order to save a bit of cash – perfect contenders for the Nacho Chop!
Lucy Dee at Taco Bell said: “Many Brits tend to stick to their habits, especially regarding their hairstyle and food choices. There is often a concern of ‘what if I don’t like it or I’m left disappointed?'”
“By launching our ‘Nacho Chop’ challenge, we aimed to encourage consumers to try something new and offered participants the chance to win up to £1,000 worth of free Chicken Nachos over the course of a year, depending on how much hair they cut off.”
Top 10 things Brits avoid changing
1. Where they live (28%)
2. Brand of smartphone (28%)
3. Style of clothes you wear (26%)
4. Haircut (25%)
5. Side of the bed you sleep on (23%)
6. The people you hang out with (21%)
7. Bank you use (21%)
8. The football team you support (20%)
9. Types of food you eat (18%)
10. The doctor your visit (18%)