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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how people can afford a takeaway for a family?

784 replies

MaknCheeese · 15/04/2023 19:51

We haven't had a takeaway for a while and I was thinking about ordering one for the family as a treat tonight. I decided not to once I worked out the price, I just couldn't justify paying 1/3 of my weekly groceries budget, £30 on a curry for 4.
When did you last have a takeaway?
How much did it cost and how many did it feed?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
UmbilicusProfundus · 15/04/2023 23:00

TeenLifeMum · 15/04/2023 22:56

£65 for Chinese for us 5. We don’t get it often - twice a year max. I’m amazed by families who get them weekly. We’re on good salaries and friends on similar earnings are the same re take away but those earning significantly less seem to get them more regularly.

Well done, Dear. Those poor people are so déclassé aren’t they…

FrogFairy · 15/04/2023 23:01

Takeaway is a rare treat for us.
We had one over Easter as DS came home to visit. Chinese fed 5 adults for £40

Original poster
MaknCheeese · 15/04/2023 23:02

@DanceMonster
Obviously I realise some people can afford takeaways and holidays. I said I would rather spend the money on a holiday. As I have said my grocery budget is £90 a week so to me £30 is a huge amount to spend on one meal.

OP posts:
TheGuv1982 · 15/04/2023 23:03

Less than £10 a head really doesn’t seem much imo. I really don’t know how so many of these places stay open, the margins must be very tight.

They have all gone up though, I find the cost of keebabs eye watering compared to 3/4 years ago.

thefamous5 · 15/04/2023 23:03

@Ihatepainting

Didn't say anything about Chinese for 11 for £45 but others on this thread - me included - have takeaways that are much cheaper than £15 a head

JupiterFortified · 15/04/2023 23:04

UmbilicusProfundus · 15/04/2023 23:00

Well done, Dear. Those poor people are so déclassé aren’t they…

Show quote history

😂😂 quite

UnsureSchool32 · 15/04/2023 23:04

We eat out and takeaway too much. It’s expensive and trying to cut down. As neither is as good as it used to be.

TeenLifeMum · 15/04/2023 23:05

@UmbilicusProfundus huh? These are my friends. I like them a lot. It did surprise me when there was a conversation about takeaway and a few friends mentioned they get it every Friday night and yes there did seem to be a divide in income v number of takeaways and it wasn’t the way round I expected. It’s different priorities though. We probably spend money on things they don’t. Doesn’t mean anyone is better than the other.

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 15/04/2023 23:06

We had kfc style fried chicken last week £33 fed 5 people it's cheaper end chicken and we prefer it to KFC . McDonald's breakfast last week for 4 people £30 and fish and Chips in the week £40 something. I did say we wouldn't order again for another couple weeks. But we can probably afford £40 a week once a week as £100 lately isn't sustainable but it's just laziness on our part.

Xenia · 15/04/2023 23:06

I have never ordered one in my life and I'm 61"!!!!! Sometimes my children have.

I just like to buy nice food I like and cook it myself.

DanceMonster · 15/04/2023 23:06

TeenLifeMum · 15/04/2023 23:05

@UmbilicusProfundus huh? These are my friends. I like them a lot. It did surprise me when there was a conversation about takeaway and a few friends mentioned they get it every Friday night and yes there did seem to be a divide in income v number of takeaways and it wasn’t the way round I expected. It’s different priorities though. We probably spend money on things they don’t. Doesn’t mean anyone is better than the other.

What do you think your poor friends are deprioritising that you and your rich friends spend money on then?

FettleOfKish · 15/04/2023 23:07

Round our way now an Indian takeaway is easily over £40 for two of us (2 mains, 1 rice, 1 side, 1 naan, couple of poppadums). That's for collection, DH will always go pick it up.

We just don't bother anymore. If we want Indian food we either make it or eat out (same price but a nicer experience).

The best value takeaway around here has become Dominos Two for One. £24 ish for 2 large pizzas that last us dinner and lunch the next day.

NotHangingAround · 15/04/2023 23:07

We almost never have takeaways. I ordered them a couple of times during lockdown and they were the most disgusting food I've ever tasted. I threw one away from our local curry house (usually good when we visit) as it was grey, gloopy slop. So expensive too. Round here you can't get a take out for 4 (adults) for under about £60.

The exception is the local chippy. Fantastic food and such generous portions that we usually have two fish and one chips between the four of us, so it comes in at under £20 including onion rings and mushy peas. We have take out from there about 3-4 times a year.

UmbilicusProfundus · 15/04/2023 23:08

Sure thing @TeenLifeMum but I hope you can see how your post comes across!

Hillary17 · 15/04/2023 23:08

Depending on where you live, £30 is great value! Last week we had an Indian with friends for a birthday treat, just our local place, nothing that special…
3 x curries to share
1 rice to share
Bahjis
Chicken wings
Naan bread to share
Poppadoms & chutneys

£62! I know prices have gone up but we used to be able to do this for about £40.

UmbilicusProfundus · 15/04/2023 23:13

FFS this thread is making me hungry but I’ve already had (non take away) dinner so will have to snaffle the kids’ remaining Easter eggs.

Bibbitybobbitty · 15/04/2023 23:13

Family of 5, 3 teen DC, get them takeaway for birthdays, end of exams, treats etc, usually DH & I don't have. Rarely eat out. It's too expensive

Bobshhh · 15/04/2023 23:13

Sometimes a thread comes along that really brings out some bonkers answers.

takeaways = more money than sense

competitive undereating with giant groups of people being content with a slice or two of pizza each.

shoes being sacrificed for fast food.

people whipping up fining dining meals for 50p better than any restaurant can

It’s got it all!

We eat out more often than getting a takeaway, and we can afford it because our outgoings are much lower than our income.

Mindovermatter247 · 15/04/2023 23:14

Family of 4 with sometimes 5/6 if mum and sister are around, we get takeaways. But I also don’t drink or smoke so my luxury is takeaways. Got McDonald’s tonight for 3 of us on Deliveroo, as I don’t drive and DP is out of town, was about £30… I have a 15 year old 6ft boy so a majority of it was his…
I bought Chinese for my birthday, 6 of us, £96 and there were leftovers the next day. It’s About your personal budget, if you can’t afford it then don’t get it, tbf I ordered the same amount of Chinese as I usually do, plus an extra rice and it was £26 more expensive than it used to be… food has gone up exponentially. I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford it, but I don’t take it for granted, no wastage in our house, if by any miracle there are leftovers, they are utilised the next day.

CelestiaNoctis · 15/04/2023 23:16

I feel the same way about pizza when you can get really tasty ones from the supermarket for a couple quid. I don't see when I would ever get takeaway again tbh cos of the price and I used to get it fairly frequently.

VincentVaguer · 15/04/2023 23:16

There are no takeaways that deliver to my house and nowhere nice enough worth driving to 🤷‍♀️

whatkatydid2013 · 15/04/2023 23:17

DanceMonster · 15/04/2023 23:06

What do you think your poor friends are deprioritising that you and your rich friends spend money on then?

Show quote history

They’ll likely be eating at restaurants instead 🤷🏼‍♀️
I’d choose to go out regularly over a regular takeaway but we still end up getting pizza too often as it’s basically the same cost here as a supermarket one or making yourself and it comes ready cooked/sliced.

Thursa · 15/04/2023 23:27

Tuesdays a nearby pizza place do a large 3 topping pizza for $10?

Eldest son works in a Chinese restaurant, we get his staff discount and they throw in a few freebies. Last time it was soup and chicken wings.

Remaker · 15/04/2023 23:58

I have learned something new from this thread - people ordering chips with an Indian takeaway! Definitely not on the menu in Australia.

And it has reminded me why our food budget is always so astronomical when we holiday in the UK. Something we would pay $20 for is £20 (which is about $38 with the current exchange rate). For eg the normal menu price of a meat lover type Dominoes pizza is about $16, which is £8.50. But I googled the UK Dominoes menu and they start at £17!

Husband and teen DD last night had Indian - butter chicken, rice, naan and onion bhaji. It was $25 (£13.50). Servings are very big so one curry is easily enough for 2 people (we are not competitive under eaters).

For context, median salary in Australia is $70,000 vs £33,000 in UK (according to google) so I’d say your food prices are very high!!

neilyoungismyhero · 16/04/2023 00:05

We gave a takeaway roughly twice a month - Usually Chinese- costs about £28 for two of us and we often finish it off for lunch the next day.