To ask if you view food such as takeaways as a waste of money

[Blameitonme7000]

I personally don’t but I know many do

I don't think that the Indian/Chinese ready meals in Sainsbury's etc are anywhere near as nice as a proper Indian or Chinese.

They aren't bad, and I would still consider those meals a treat, it's definitely a more economical one, but it's not the same as a takeaway and I'd be (secretly!) disappointed if someone invited me over for a takeaway and offered that.

It's a bit like the time we visited the UK after several years in Germany and I was really craving a crap ready made pie. BIL microwaved it!!! I was so upset eating my soggy pie that I'd been looking forward to for months and of course I couldn't say so I just smiled and made polite noises.

Some of the very cheap takeaways will be family run or employ illegal immigrants, so they won't be paying market rate staff costs. Which is probably an ethical issue on another level, but it doesn't necessarily mean the food quality is poor. Anyway, the healthiest ingredients like grains and vegetables can be extremely cheap if bought in bulk and a lot is made from scratch. With skilful use of veg and seasonings you can also use much less meat than I'd use for example with a jar of supermarket curry sauce. Quality meat does make things more expensive, but probably if you're concerned about quality or higher welfare meat, you aren't looking at the cheapest possible takeaways to start off with.

Yes I do consider it a waste of money as it’s never as good as anything I can cook so we just don’t have takeaways.

We do eat out in very nice restaurants though instead.

I've never had a takeaway that hasn't been a disappointment so we very rarely have one. I make a great curry so I can produce far better food than the local "Indian" takeaway provides.

As a vegetarian my options are limited anyway and as all the takeaways are a good drive away I'd rather spend my money on other things.

I suppose it depends how much you spend. But even 1 takeaway every single week is what I would class as a lot tbh!

@Oblomov21

Out Chinese and Indian takeaways cost £75! That's why we only have them very rarely.

For how many people £75?

You can fry a couple of ribeye steaks to medium rare in about 8 minutes.

Aberdeen Angus aged steaks aren’t cheap, but they are cheaper and faster than take away.

@BertieBotts I agree that the supermarket ready meals are a poor substitute for a decent Indian or Chinese takeaway. I certainly wouldn't buy one for a weekend treat, more for a mid week don't have time to cook anything else dinner.
Apart from crispy duck, dim sum and garlic nan made by a local company called Mrs Unis - they're all worth eating.

Don't know where you lot live, the price of these takeaways, or is there 10 people eating them.

Yes
Always have stomach issues after not worth the pain

ALWAYS! Pizza express Doughballs cost 2p (cost price) and that's in a restaurant. Every time you buy anything you are lining someone's pocket.

I live in a small town with some fantastic takeaways - many of them are eat in places that started doing TA during lockdown, so we try to support them. We've had a Sunday lunch delivered 3 or 4 times from our favourite little restaurant, it's a nice treat. I had an Indian meal last week from my favourite eat-in local place, housemate didn't fancy any and my £15 selection was enough for the next day's lunch as well.

I have TA rarely enough that it's a real treat when I do!

Judging by some of the comments in this thread, a lot of people are associating all takeaways with cheap chipper meals. Most restaurants are doing takeaway meals now.

I'm living in a real foodie city with amazing restaurants and I'm really happy to be able to support them. Our Friday night takeaway is something I really look forward to every week, we take turns choosing the restaurant and get a real variety.

We get a takeaway once or twice a week. Either a Chinese or a chipper. The chinese we order from is gorgeous , 5 mains , several starters , sauces, prawn crackers drinks and delivery for 30 euro.

What’s wrong with that? Do you actually begrudge people making a profit on goods they sell?

The dough balls may cost 2p each to make but what about paying the person that makes them, all the bills and overheads that it costs to run a business.

@littlepattilou How on earth do you get all that for £15. Around here - in Devon, not London - you get two dishes for that. So if a Chinese, you'd get a chow mien and a special fried rice and that's it!

@Royalbloo

ALWAYS! Pizza express Doughballs cost 2p (cost price) and that's in a restaurant. Every time you buy anything you are lining someone's pocket.

That's kind of how business works...

You make something, you sell it, you pay overheads, you are peft with profit.

Also, they cost 2p to make on ingredients, add, rent, rates, corp tax, vat, staff wages, upkeep of equipment, insurance, and trillion other things. It costs more than 2p then

Blimey sorry @littlepattilou Just saw your quote of @Potpourriandpennysweets and response. Wasn't trying to get at you just gob smacked at obviously how expensive it is where I live. There are no cheaper options. That is the general cost in this area. Chill.

ALWAYS! Pizza express Doughballs cost 2p (cost price) and that's in a restaurant. Every time you buy anything you are lining someone's pocket
😂😂
Everything you buy something in a shop you are ' lining someone pockets'

This has got to be the most "state the bleeding obvious" statement ever!