The British Staple Meal That Barry Manilow Enjoys Eating On The Road

When it comes to sightings, you've no doubt heard about those for birds and UFOs (now called UAPs). Maybe you're even familiar with the folks who are continuously on the lookout for Waldo (or "Wally" in England, where it was created) or even Carmen Sandiego. But what you might not know is that there's another, more exclusive group of watchers keen on Barry Manilow sightings. Not just any Manilow sighting will do for the ardent "Fanilow," though. They want to catch Barry indulging in a certain only-in-Britain guilty pleasure: proper fish and chips.

One such sighting occurred on a gorgeous summer day during Barry Manilow's "Hits 2022" tour in the UK. That fateful day, the "Copacabana" crooner made an unexpected lunchtime stop in the small village of Romsley, just outside Birmingham. According to The Sun UK Edition, diners at The Swallow's Nest were initially in disbelief, upon seeing the legendary singer enjoying cod and chips. After tucking into his deep-fried treat, flanked by a crew for company, Manilow happily posed for photos with the star-struck diners. The assistant manager of the country pub, "recognized him instantly," and described his demeanor as "very chilled, relaxed, humble and happy to have a picture."

But this was not the Las Vegas icon's first encounter with classic British street fare. He enjoyed a nosh of fish 'n' chips back in 2014, too — also while on tour — at the Duke of Wellington in Hatfield Peverel, as reported by The Braintree and Witham Times. 

Is Barry Manilow a big fish and chips fan? Though there's no official record of him professing his love for this golden-battered combo, there's one more piece of evidence that connects him to the dish. A photo posted on Pinterest by a fan in 2025 shows the Grammy Award-winning singer at a casual backyard gathering, sitting at an umbrella-topped table with others. Simply labeled, "Barry Manilow and friends eating fish and chips," the picture appears to show this to be the case — the meal is even complete with a side of tartar sauce.

But what else do we know about Barry Manilow's food faves? According to a March 1994 edition of "The Adirondack Daily Enterprise," one pre-performance request from a concert in Fargo was surprisingly specific: "half a broiled chicken, steamed green beans, one large potato with two teaspoons of margarine, a small tossed salad, two cups of cooked spaghetti with a half-cup of tomato sauce, a half-cup of frozen yogurt, and a cup of tea with one teaspoon of honey." The arena's sales and marketing manager, Tad Carper, stated, "The food he eats even depends on the day of the week."

In a more recent interview, during a 2024 episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," the musical icon revealed the food he would eat for the rest of his life, if he was limited to only one food: whipped cream. Perhaps that's the secret to this enduring legend's "Sweet Life."