Sometimes there's nothing better than finishing work on a Friday night and swinging by your local fish and chip shop on the way home to treat yourself to an easy dinner - be it a piece of plaice, cod, a pie or a battered sausage.
The same goes for grabbing a portion of chips to enjoy during a day spent lazing around by the seaside.
But when staff in the chippie hand over your order, do you instantly smother your food in salt and vinegar? If the answer is yes, we're about to tell you something that might shock you.
It turns out the 'vinegar' served in your local fish and chip shop probably isn't real vinegar, as was first reported by WalesOnline.
This startling piece of information comes courtesy of YouTuber Tom Scott, who revealed in a recent video that many chippies instead use something known as a non-brewed condiment in place of vinegar.
You've probably never been able to tell the difference between the two, as it looks very similar to the real thing and only tastes slightly different.
A non-brewed condiment is a malt vinegar substitute made from water, acetic acid and various flavourings - yummy!
It takes less time to make than actual vinegar and can be purchased in concentrated form.
It also possesses several other benefits that the real stuff doesn't have.
For example, it doesn't contain any alcohol, making it halal and a great choice for teetotal customers.
Some batches of the condiment are also gluten-free, meaning businesses can cater to a wider range of people with it.
But the real question is, will discovering this industry 'secret' put you off using the 'vinegar' in fish and chip shops in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
Do you have a food secret to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
