This London takeaway is giving out free jerk jackets — if you bring a jacket

January might be bleak, but Hoodwood is serving up a smart bit of warmth, both on the plate and off it. The Caribbean takeaway on Kentish Town Road, founded by restaurateur Omar Shah, has launched a Jacket Exchange that sees customers swapping winter coats for free food.

From 12–31 January, anyone who donates a clean, wearable jacket will receive a free Jerk Jacket Potato from Hoodwood’s brand-new menu. All donated coats will be passed on to homeless and community charities across London at the end of the campaign.

The freebie comes courtesy of Hoodwood’s new jacket potato range, which launches alongside the initiative.

Leading the line-up is The Jerk Jacket, an oven-baked potato brushed with jerk butter and seasoning, layered with melted cheese and topped with oak-smoked jerk chicken, jerk gravy, white sauce, crispy onions and chives. It usually costs £13, but it will be free with a donated jacket.

The rest of the range includes the Oxtail Butter Bean Jacket (£15), a rich, slow-cooked stew piled onto a buttery potato, and the Chickpea Callaloo Jacket (£12), a veg-forward option packed with Caribbean flavour.

Customers can redeem one free Jerk Jacket Potato during the campaign, though all three options will be available to buy throughout January. Jackets must be in good condition, and Hoodwood reserves the right to decline unsuitable items.

Founder Omar Shah says,
“January can be a tough month for a lot of people, so we wanted to do something that brings comfort in more ways than one. Our new jacket potatoes are proper Caribbean comfort food — and by exchanging a Jerk Jacket for a real jacket, we can help keep people warm across London while sharing what we love most.”

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