Discussion
I think most takeaways are having their customers over.
If they're not bulking up a Tikka dish with a massive tomato, they're packing it into a shallower tub so it appears full. Last night I ordered a ruby from my favorite restaurant. Have been there many times over the 16 years I've lived in the area and have never had a bad dish. We have introduced friends to them; I've organised Schoold Dads nights there as well as had many lads nights out dinners there. This doesn't necessarily qualify me for anything but I've noticed they're now doing what many others do: I don't feel there is much value for money. I've seen this with some chip shops in the way they sometimes wrap the 'open' portions. This 'undercutting' the consumer is even apparent in the size of Marathons (had a Snickers the other day after what felt like years and it was tiny; I'm sure my hands and mouth haven't grown since the last one).
[BTW - takeaways and 'off day' food is not a regular thing for me]
Last night I ordered a variety of dishes (feeding four) and what stood out immediately was the three vegetarian dishes were measly. They were in very shallow tubs and even then, barely half full. The price: almost the same as a non-veg dish.
The two chicken dishes were only about a quid more each; one was in a shallow dish, and the other in a deep one. Both same the price.
You could say they had an off day, or that someone wasn't paying attention when they packed it, but I feel this is normal practice for most offering a takeaway service. It looks great when you open your chow mein to see it bursting with meat or seafood but underneath what you see is 80/90% noodles bulking it up.
It could be the commission the restaurants are paying the Apps, but then some do have a 'JE/UE/Deliveroo menu' where the prices are higher, but also, these apps are now charging extra for delivery, and taking a 'service fee'. many restaurants won't do business outside the Apps which does seem a bit odd.
The simple answer is not to have takeaways, but it's one in a month or if I've had a few beers watching something on the telly and fancy a blowout.
Are you getting VFM from your takeaway meals?
If they're not bulking up a Tikka dish with a massive tomato, they're packing it into a shallower tub so it appears full. Last night I ordered a ruby from my favorite restaurant. Have been there many times over the 16 years I've lived in the area and have never had a bad dish. We have introduced friends to them; I've organised Schoold Dads nights there as well as had many lads nights out dinners there. This doesn't necessarily qualify me for anything but I've noticed they're now doing what many others do: I don't feel there is much value for money. I've seen this with some chip shops in the way they sometimes wrap the 'open' portions. This 'undercutting' the consumer is even apparent in the size of Marathons (had a Snickers the other day after what felt like years and it was tiny; I'm sure my hands and mouth haven't grown since the last one).
[BTW - takeaways and 'off day' food is not a regular thing for me]
Last night I ordered a variety of dishes (feeding four) and what stood out immediately was the three vegetarian dishes were measly. They were in very shallow tubs and even then, barely half full. The price: almost the same as a non-veg dish.
The two chicken dishes were only about a quid more each; one was in a shallow dish, and the other in a deep one. Both same the price.
You could say they had an off day, or that someone wasn't paying attention when they packed it, but I feel this is normal practice for most offering a takeaway service. It looks great when you open your chow mein to see it bursting with meat or seafood but underneath what you see is 80/90% noodles bulking it up.
It could be the commission the restaurants are paying the Apps, but then some do have a 'JE/UE/Deliveroo menu' where the prices are higher, but also, these apps are now charging extra for delivery, and taking a 'service fee'. many restaurants won't do business outside the Apps which does seem a bit odd.
The simple answer is not to have takeaways, but it's one in a month or if I've had a few beers watching something on the telly and fancy a blowout.
Are you getting VFM from your takeaway meals?
omniflow said:
I have the opposite concern.
When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
It's probably Siamese.When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
omniflow said:
I have the opposite concern.
When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
Yeah, there's that too. Chicken <whatever> from a Chinese takeaway feels like the poultry version of seafood sticks. When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
KFC chickens are some sort of mutants that are chopped up as soon as they get to the requisite size, and most chicken dishes from an Indian are days old, often re-purposed. Indian spices seem to work wonders for shelf life.
It's the paradox of takeaway food in this country.
People are always talking about supporting your local places and not going to chains, especially over the last year or so but no one like it if they have to pay more than bare minimum to get a fully cooked meal delivered to their door. Then when the takeaways cut all their margins as much as possible to get the food cheap enough people start complaining about quality, they can't win
.
I'm vegan so takeaway is always an expensive endeavour. We're lucky to see change from £30 if getting enough food for two and a lot of it is bought in from the same suppliers (burgers etc) so it's much of a muchness where you go. We don't do it that often though and you sometimes find some genuinely good places.
You pay the price or find somewhere else when the place you like stop trading.
People are always talking about supporting your local places and not going to chains, especially over the last year or so but no one like it if they have to pay more than bare minimum to get a fully cooked meal delivered to their door. Then when the takeaways cut all their margins as much as possible to get the food cheap enough people start complaining about quality, they can't win
.I'm vegan so takeaway is always an expensive endeavour. We're lucky to see change from £30 if getting enough food for two and a lot of it is bought in from the same suppliers (burgers etc) so it's much of a muchness where you go. We don't do it that often though and you sometimes find some genuinely good places.
You pay the price or find somewhere else when the place you like stop trading.
otolith said:
omniflow said:
I have the opposite concern.
When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
It's probably Siamese.When I look at the price of a dish containing, for instance, chicken, and the price is £5,95, I am concerned that they must be using extremely cheap ingredients and there's no way that chicken is free range. In fact it's probably Dutch.
I suspect part of it is that places have to assume they will have to pay a cut of the price to JustEat/Deliveroo/UberEats/etc which is why they are cutting back on portions.
Perhaps there is also a race to the bottom with prices now people can see the menus of several similar outlets in the same app.
Perhaps there is also a race to the bottom with prices now people can see the menus of several similar outlets in the same app.
Takeaway/delivery pizza prices are silly compared to a supermarket pizza deal.
Pizza Hut 2 pizzas and 1 side. £22
Tesco & Sainsbury's 2 pizzas, 2 sides, dip. £10
Morrisons 2 pizzas, bottle of wine or 4x beer or 4x soft drinks £5
Putting a pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes does not cost £10 or more.
Pizza Hut 2 pizzas and 1 side. £22
Tesco & Sainsbury's 2 pizzas, 2 sides, dip. £10
Morrisons 2 pizzas, bottle of wine or 4x beer or 4x soft drinks £5
Putting a pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes does not cost £10 or more.
ajprice said:
Takeaway/delivery pizza prices are silly compared to a supermarket pizza deal.
Pizza Hut 2 pizzas and 1 side. £22
Tesco & Sainsbury's 2 pizzas, 2 sides, dip. £10
Morrisons 2 pizzas, bottle of wine or 4x beer or 4x soft drinks £5
Putting a pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes does not cost £10 or more.
Whilst I take your point, they're hardly comparable products.Pizza Hut 2 pizzas and 1 side. £22
Tesco & Sainsbury's 2 pizzas, 2 sides, dip. £10
Morrisons 2 pizzas, bottle of wine or 4x beer or 4x soft drinks £5
Putting a pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes does not cost £10 or more.
CheesecakeRunner said:
Glassman said:
Indian spices seem to work wonders for shelf life.
Wasn't that how spiced food came about? To make food that was going bad taste good?Dominic Saaaaab said:
CheesecakeRunner said:
Glassman said:
Indian spices seem to work wonders for shelf life.
Wasn't that how spiced food came about? To make food that was going bad taste good?
We have the opposite problem. Our local Indian has a 2-for-1 on Tuesdays and O/H seems to be able to charm her way to bringing back samples from the menu in addition to our order. As a result, we usually have enough for two evenings plus a lunch each.
Yesterday, after shopping, she wanted fish and chips so we called into a chippy. After a 15 minute wait she came back laughing. She'd been given the 'pensioners' deal' (she's 55) and as it was before 6:30 a further discount too. My haddock was huge, easily hanging over each side of a 12" plate and we each had a mountain of chips, both meals for £4.50 and enough for this evening too.
Yesterday, after shopping, she wanted fish and chips so we called into a chippy. After a 15 minute wait she came back laughing. She'd been given the 'pensioners' deal' (she's 55) and as it was before 6:30 a further discount too. My haddock was huge, easily hanging over each side of a 12" plate and we each had a mountain of chips, both meals for £4.50 and enough for this evening too.
Riley Blue said:
Your Dad said:
Riley Blue said:
Our local Indian
ChesVegas perchance and would you recommend for eating in?
Tiffin on Sheffield Road, takeaway only though. Delhi 41 further along near Lidl was our previous favourite but we've never eaten in there, only had takeaways.Your Dad said:
Riley Blue said:
Your Dad said:
Riley Blue said:
Our local Indian
ChesVegas perchance and would you recommend for eating in? Tiffin on Sheffield Road, takeaway only though. Delhi 41 further along near Lidl was our previous favourite but we've never eaten in there, only had takeaways.Star of Sall is one we mean to get round to one day.
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