Everyone loves a good take out. It's a delightful and affordable option for when you want to snuggle up without having to leave the comfort of your sofa. Everyone has their favorite takeaway, the one they always turn to. However, you can see broader patterns in what people prefer across the UK. Most of the choice these days is driven not only by a desired food, but also by the reviews and ratings of a takeaway. Also a food hygiene scores play a big role here. I mean who would want to order a meal from an establishment that scores a "0" rating.
1. Fish and Chips
Older generation in Britain would certainly pick fish and chips as their number one choice of a takeaway meal.
Yep, we started with the quintessentially British marvel of fish and chips. It's a simple fare, but it's undeniably brilliant. Surprisingly, fish and chips aren't necessarily considered to be most people's go-to takeout food. So why are they at the top of this list? Well, fish and chips is considered the safest option. Even if you prefer something more exciting, you can't go wrong with a hearty helping of fish and chips. It's comforting and familiar, which is something we all need.
Even if you're not much of a fish eater, you can safely go for a chip butty, battered sausage, or even a hearty helping of chips accompanied with salt and vinegar or curry sauce.
2. Chinese takeaway
The most popular takeaway in the UK is Chinese takeaway. Recent poll done by YouGov confirmed this with 25% of Britons picking Chinese food over anything else. It's sweet, it's gooey, and you can even pretend it's healthy if you try hard enough. Of course, there are some extraordinary orders that we Brits move on from local Chinese takeaway.
First, we have the classic chow mein. Whether you order chicken, shrimp, beef, or whatever, chances are you'll get an equally tasty dish with stir-fried noodles and veggies. As with many takeout foods, chow mein isn't actually a traditional Chinese dish, but rather something modified for restaurants and takeout. Other popular Chinese takeout dishes include sweet and sour chicken or pork, crispy cold ground beef, chicken in black bean sauce, and everyone's favorite dessert, Peking roast duck.
3. Indian takeaway
No list of the UK's favorite takeaways would be complete without good Indian takeaways. Most Indian takeaways are considered part of a cuisine known as "British Indian food". Essentially popular Indian food has been modified to suit British tastes and make it easy to cook quickly in bulk. Expect lots of spices, onions, chiles, and a generous dollop of cream to really spice things up. British India's most popular takeaway is the fantastic chicken tikka masala, with chunks of chicken swimming in a gloriously red sauce. This is not a particularly spicy curry, so it suits most people's tastes. Other favorites include Chicken Korma, Rogan Josh, Butter Chicken and Chicken Madras.
Most of these meals are served with rice, naan, or a combination of both. If you add some popadoms to the mix, then you're in for a good feast.
4. Kebab
The kebab was once considered the go-to food for those having a tough night out, but now it's a rising star among the nation's youth. You honestly can't blame them, as kebabs can range from comfort food designed to fill a hole to something bordering on luxury. The favorite kebab option that stands out is the doner, which is heavily seasoned lamb cut into thin strips. It's delicious and flavorful, especially when paired with pita bread, salad, and garlic or chili sauce. But while doner kebab is the most popular, it's not the only option.
The next contender is shish kebab, where lamb is diced and skewered in place. However, some people prefer chicken to lamb, while others opt for the vegetarian option of halloumi or falafel. In any case, it's delicious paired with the age-old combination of pita, salad, and some tasty sauces.
5. Pizza
Some might say that we've saved the best for last. Pizza is definitely a choice that is more picked and favoured by a younger generation. Like fish and chips, pizza is considered a pretty safe option. In its most basic form, you have bread, sauce and cheese, you can't go too wrong with that.
According to polls, the nation's favorite pizza topping is pepperoni, which, again, probably comes as no surprise. In second place is the rotisserie chicken, followed closely by the Margherita pizza and the ever-controversial Hawaiian pizza. Apparently many of us love pineapple on pizza, who knew?
From there, there are a few pizza options that will still sound familiar and a couple that might not. The meatball pizza is next, then we have the four cheese pizza, the calzone, the prosciutto ham pizza, the spinach and egg pizza, and the hot and spicy pizza. Who knew there were so many options for pizza toppings and styles?