To think the standard of Chinese takeaways has dropped significantly?!

[Orangelight23]

So after a very very long day we got the kids to bed, opened a bottle of wine and eagerly awaited our Chinese takeaway.

It was woeful! £40 that we could have just thrown away, we should have learnt our lesson last month when we had an equally awful one from somewhere else. Is it just out area or has the standard dropped?

Not in my experience.

We don't have them weekly, but we sometimes have from 2 different places near us (depends on day of the week) and we've recently had one from a different place, at my dc's house. All have been as nice as ever.

Nor do we spend anywhere near £40 on a Chinese meal for two.

Our local Chinese are not great so we travel to next town for ours. It's really good and though prices have increased and they didn't put them up as quick as others. They also do an extra large main and side which is ideal for sharing. Their portions are also decent. Hope they don't close.

The M and S Chinese food is a good substitute. Still expensive but cheaper than a takeaway and tasty too

Ours is okay but it's so expensive we can't justify the cost. In lockdown we learned how to make some of our favourites so we tend to just cook. On the can't be bothered to cook nights where once we'd have ordered in, now we just get a nice pizza and sides or an M&S meal deal.

Not getting all the negativity here, the ones in York all seem fine to me. Prices go up everywhere all the time, it's part of the system we 'choose' to live in. The rule of Chinese takeaways has always been- spend plenty- get plenty, you can't do it by halves. One day they will all be generic crap chains (remember how pubs used to actually all be independent barely 30 years back) and you will look back and miss these quirky local places.

I agree. Higher prices, higher costs to run. I think they're also sourcing cheaper or frozen ingredients, missing out spices e.g. fresh ginger and/or passing on costs.

Literally talking about this with dsd tonight. Local takeaways to us are average at best. Restaurants ok but they’re spenny!

We have lived in oir current house 10+ years. Have tried all the local places, and some slightly further afield. Apart from one on the basis is looks like a shed at the side of the road, well the crossroads actually. You know the type, single storey, tiny building, with white (gone grey) rendering. Never took a massive amount of notice as it looked grotty.

Anyway after another disappointing chinese takeaway from one of the places that does ubereats or whatever I asked on a local FB place for recommendations. This shed came up a few times, and on the basis it was the only one we hadn't tried, ordered and it's amazing. Just like Chinese takeaway used to be. Proper chow mien, crispy shredded beef etc. Loads of meat, doesn't make me dehydrated or headaches.

So my advice would be to look or ask for recommendations and don't discount the shady looking place. That alsi has a 5* hygiene rating.

My local one is fab only the price gone up but such good food.

I stopped having Chinese ages ago as I always felt bloated and gross afterwards. We tend to stick to fish and chips for a takeaway, occasionally a KFC/Indian.

Yanbu. Reason we not done takeaway for I don't know how long now... The supermarket ones are better although never understood why they put horrible sweet and sour on the box. We don't buy them now for that reason

I've been sick the last couple of times I had Chinese, I think it's the MSG. Next time kids want one I'll have poached egg and enjoy it more!

It sounds like we're truly the privileged ones! We have several local Chinese takeaways - all of them use good quality ingredients and are at least very nice; and a couple of them are really excellent.

Prices are all reasonable compared with similar non-Chinese establishments; we often spend a lot, but that's because we're having a treat, so we have a blowout and deliberately make sure we can still have plenty left for the next day too!

Waitrose do takeaway “bags” of Chinese or Indian food that replicates a takeaway and they are reasonably good!

I saw somewhere the other day that Chinese food is the UK's favourite takeaway. I couldn't believe it, it's grim.
As pp bears no relation to proper Chinese food.
I am not that keen on any takeaway - can be good but often disappointing - but Chinese is one of the worst.

Also, cheaper meat from different sources, post-Brexit
.

There is one near us that's very good, don't use msg, takeaways are a side business and they mainly are a sit down restaurant BUT it's twice as expensive as everywhere else.

Otherwise it's dubious gloop.

Same here.. It has to be the monosodium glutamate. Stopped buying takeaways a long time ago..simply not worth the expense.

My locals are REALLY good. But the prices have shot up

Well yeah. If you're intolerant to MSG you shouldn't eat it..

I think its takeaways in general to be fair. A lot of them also get taken over by people not of that heritage.....then they just can't make it the same. I've just had the worst fish and chips tonight. So bad. Overcooked, greasy, rubbery cod and chips that looked like they'd come out of the bin.

Grim.

I've not had a Chinese takeaway for over 25 years.... but I'm an ex food safety EHO... say no more

what? Where did the meat come from before “brexit” ?

(which isn’t the brexit that was voted for)

Aldi have frozen balls which are really good, sweet and sour sauce is just ketchup, vinegar, pineapple juice, soy sauce and cornflour cooked until thickened.

There's two Chinese takeaways near us and they are always empty so I'm not going there last one we had ages ago from one of them wasn't that nice, but near us we have an Indian takeaway that does great food so we get ours from them