If you said that you were “happy to spring for a takeaway”..

[CurlewKate]

..would your friendship circle knew what you meant?

I'd take it to mean I'm happy to pay for a takeaway if you are

I have heard it used, seen it written in books and would know what you meant, but not have it as a turn of phrase myself.

I believe you, but I have honestly never come across it before. And I don’t live out in the sticks, cut off from everything - pretty much the opposite.

Another who has never heard of the phrase

No, never heard that phrase before.

Exactly. It’s a US phrase, which some Brits are familiar with (from books written by US authors, or US film/TV), and some aren’t.

I know it from the above but I’ve literally never heard it said here in the UK, never used it myself.

So it doesn’t really matter how long it’s been around in other cultures (US, Australia etc), it’s not common usage here, at all.

If you grew up hearing it from your father, OP, it probably gave you a false impression that it was a common phrase generally in the UK. It really isn’t. It’s been around a while in other English speaking territories, not here.

Oh haha perhaps this was where I first heard it too!
how much was too much though, I remember during the holidays if I was home I’d watch it at lunchtime and then again at 5:30 😂

Yes, you are treating us to a takeaway.

Is it Australian in origin? I’ve heard it, but it was my Australian SIL who introduced me to it.

And yes, it means ‘I’ll pick up the bill.’

I would have no idea what you meant as I have never heard that phrase - I would maybe think you were happy to contribute to a takeaway ?

I’m UK and know this means you would pay for the whole thing for everybody.

I’m amazed so many haven’t heard this phrase. I assumed it was common vernacular. Used in my circles and yes, we’d all know what it meant.

Never heard anyone say this before. I live in south Wales and we’d just say ‘fancy a takeaway? My shout’.

I would find my shout more confusing than "i'll spring for a takeaway". To me, my shout would imply it's your choice of what takeaway we're getting. As in, it's my turn to choose.

Yes, I know what this means and my friends/family would understand if I used it.

40s, Midlands and below, don't do SM

You are paying

Me too. I'm also amazed several posters seem so certain their friends wouldn't know it's meaning. I couldn't tell you for certain if my friends knew it's meaning or not, although in context of a conversation about having dinner it would probably be straightforward to work out the meaning.

It means you are paying for it, “I’m happy to buy us a takeaway”.

That you're happy to pay for it. I thought it was Australian, but see a pp that it's North American. I'm quite old, from Kent originally, but live in Cornwall.

I've heard of both
"I'll spring for a takeaway" - I'm paying.
"My shout" - also means that I'm paying if I was to say that.

Like pp, tis North American
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/spring-for

I wouldn't use it and would clarify with anyone offering this.

I've heard it, but not by English people.

I wouldn't say it myself.

Informally, I'd say "I'll get this" or if inviting people to a restaurant or event, the key words are "as my guest."

I'm English and old, and to me it means that you're offering to pay for everyone. I've heard it plenty of times. Maybe it's regional, since some people claim never to have heard it.

Don’t know, but we haven’t!