10 Fun Facts About The Great British Takeaway

When it comes to food, Britain's reputation is a long way behind most of our European neighbours. Ex-French President Jacques Chirac once even remarked:

“You cannot trust people who have such bad cuisine. It is the country [Great Britain] with the worst food after Finland.”

Despite this or because of this, Britain, as well as being a nation that loves offline and online bingo, is undoubtedly a nation of takeaway lovers. Fast food outlets increased by an incredible 34% between 2010 and 2018. Meanwhile, since 2016 the average spend per week on takeaway meals eaten at home has jumped 8.5%, from £4.70 to £5.10. Here are 5 fun facts about the Great British Takeaway:

1. We Love a Chinese

The most popular takeaway dish is Chinese!. Pushing Indian food into second place and the famous fish and chips into third, Chinese food was voted Britains favourite takeaway food. In fact, chicken chow mein is the nation’s favourite takeaway.

2. 111 Years and Counting

In 1908, the UK’s only recorded Chinese restaurant opened its doors in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

3. No, Get Your Own

A surprising 45% of Brits hate sharing their food. An almost near perfect split between those that do (55%) like to share and think sharing is caring, and those that are just selfish buggers who need to get over their ideas of ownership.

4. It's Not What You Think

The word ‘Curry' has a very different meaning in India. In India, curry is used only to refer to the sauce and not the dishes. The British started using the word Curry as a shorthand for all the local food during the rule there and like the words Shampoo and Veranda which are also from India, the word curry seems to have stuck.

5. We are Going Vegan

Vegan food has become the UK’s fastest-growing takeaway choice. Orders of vegan meals increased by an astonishing 388% between 2016 and 2018.

6. Norn Iron Loves the Takeaways the Most

Households in Northern Ireland spend more on takeaways than in any other part of the UK. On average, £57 a month is spent on takeaways in Northern Ireland. Those in the East Midlands spend the least amount on takeaways.

7. Regionality

The UK is divided in its tastes. In Scotland, the favourite takeaway is Indian. In the North of England, the favourite takeaway is pizza, whilst in London, Chinese tops the menu, literally.

8. Forgetting Our Roots?

Between 2016 and 2018, fish and chips orders declined 1%. However, if you are a fan of fish and chips, check out our 10 Fun Facts About Fish and Chips.

9. It Means What?

More and more Tex-Mex food is creeping into the UK takeaway psyche. However, did you know that “burrito” actually means in Spanish “little donkey”?No, it's not what you think, or at least, we think not. One theory on why they are called Burritos is because they are shaped like the bed-rolls that donkeys carried for their travelling owners in South Western USA.

10. A Pizza History

The word ‘pizza' is over 1000 years old. It was first recorded in text (in Latin) in Southern Italy in 997AD. Pizzas have only been sold by the slice since 1933 when the owner of Patsy’s Pizzeria in New York broke with the tradition of only selling whole pizzas.

There you have it. The Facts About Britain's Love Affair With British Food. Hope you enjoyed it, we are off to order a takeaway 🙂

What's your favourite and why? comment below

Bingo Ben

Ben has been an massive bingo enthusiast and fan since playing at the seaside as a kid. Dedicated to bringing you the latest and best bingo news from the UK