Chopstix Takes on the British Lunch with First Brand Campaign, Starring Two Greggs, Fay McDonald and Mark S. & Spencer

Research shows that at the office, 52% of us skip lunch altogether, 36% of us take our lunch break every day, and the average employee only breaks for 35 minutes to eat it. Chopstix launches first ever multi-channel brand campaign. Created by DUDE London, “Punch Up Your Lunch” targets lunch boredom and aims to make lunch the most exciting part of the day. OOH executions near competitor restaurants adds humour to the campaign and reminds people egg pots, meal-replacement shakes and your saver “meal-deals” should be a thing of the past, its all about bringing flavour, excitement and options during the most important part of the day…the lunch hour. Hero film street-casts real people whose names might seem a little familiar, see the film here:

Research shows that at the office, 52% of us skip lunch altogether, only 36% of us take our lunch break every day, and the average Brit only breaks for 35 minutes to eat it.

Chopstix believes that the UK is bored of lunch because we’ve fallen into the same old habits when it comes to our lunchtime meals. In fact, Brits eat over 10 million supermarket meal deals every single day, and our favourite side dish? The egg pot.  So Chopstix have launched their first ever brand campaign targeting lunch boredom and encouraging the UK to take lunch a bit more seriously!

“Punch Up Your Lunch” is a multi-channel campaign created by DUDE London, which starts from the observation that most of us switch to autopilot when lunchtime comes, going to the same places and opting for the same choices, even though they’re often just a few steps away from a Chopstix restaurant. “Punch Up Your Lunch” is designed to jolt people out of that routine and make lunch the most exciting part of their day.

Some of the outdoor executions are a direct challenge to Chopstix rivals. Billboards placed across the UK near competitor restaurants play on each brand’s familiar look, asking passers-by “McSame again?”. Premium large-format screens in major city locations such as Westfield Stratford, Lakeside, Trafford Centre, and Glasgow Argyle Street remind passers-by that there’s “no roll like a spring roll”. Other executions go after the lunches Brits are slowly getting bored of, like the egg pot (“B-ooo-ring”), the meal-replacement shake (“Since when was this lunch?”) and the sad supermarket sandwich (“If you are what you eat, don’t be ham (no mayo)”).

A hero film casts real people who share their names with the UK’s best-known lunchtime alternatives. Two men called Gregg have found a new favourite roll; Mark S. and Spencer are tucking into noodles; Fay McDonald is very much loving it. Even five guys have been tempted in. All of them have ditched their usual go-to lunch for a Chopstix, and the film signs off with an invitation for everyone else to do the same. The film was directed by Luis Rojo through Knucklehead.

Furthermore, there’s also an incentive for all Greggs around the country to have a tastier roll – the Chopstix spring roll. Any customers lucky enough to be named Gregg are entitled to three free spring rolls by signing up on the Chopstix website to get their voucher.

Leanne Parker, Head of Marketing for Chopstix said, “We know that lunchtime can quickly become a case of autopilot with the same choices, the same routine and, ultimately, the same predictable experience, so we wanted to change that. This campaign is about more than advertising our food; it’s about challenging the conventions of lunchtime and putting flavour, excitement and Chopstix firmly back into the conversation. From our biggest-ever OOH campaign to our playful social content, every element is designed to make people stop, smile and ultimately question their usual lunch choice for something more exciting. We are really proud of what we have created and can’t wait to see it come to life across the UK.”

Tomás Gianelli O’Ryan, executive creative director, DUDE London added, “Our first brand campaign for Chopstix is out in the wild, and we’re hoping it helps people snap out of autopilot. So next time they’re heading for their “usual”, maybe go for something with a little more flavour.”

The creative also runs through in-store communication and a programme of organic and paid social content, targeting more enemies of flavour and giving timelines a punch in the taste-buds. “Punch Up Your Lunch” launches with outdoor spots from 19 October, followed by online video from 30 October.

The campaign marks another milestone in a year of expansion for Chopstix, the fastest growing Asian quick service restaurant (QSR) brand. Now operating more than 170 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, the brand entered mainland Europe in January 2026 and has since opened three restaurants in France, with a target of 10 further locations in the country by year-end.

Media was handled by WPP Media’s Mindshare. Olivia Joy, SVP, Clients at WPP Media said, “We’ve loved welcoming Chopstix as a client, and what better way to kick off our partnership than with their biggest OOH, OLV and social campaign yet? We wanted the media plan to have as much personality as the brand itself, showing up in the moments that matter when people are deciding what’s for lunch. That means grabbing attention on the go, being close by when hunger hits, and giving people something fun and memorable to talk about. We can’t wait to see it out in the wild.”

Source: DUDE London

  “Punch Up Your Lunch”, Chopstix, Dude London, Greggs, Mark S. & Spencer, McDonald