The days of having a drawer full of takeaway menus at home are likely to be behind many households with the advent of online ordering.
In particular, having a smartphone makes it much simpler to order what you want from your favourite Chinese takeaway in Hampstead, not to mention removing the need for arguments over which kind of takeaway you opt for.
Nowadays, if one person wants Chinese, one wants Thai and another wants pizza, you can each order separately with ease on one of the many takeaway apps or even directly from a restaurant.
Forbes recently revealed that, although the number of online takeaway orders still falls well behind those placed by phone, this sector has experienced substantial growth in the past 12 months.
With more and more consumers tapping into the convenience and ease of ordering online, and in many cases via a smartphone, the number of people who use this option to order their takeaways is only set to increase.
Although the data used in the Forbes article is from the US market, it’s clear that more and more customers in the UK are also making use of technology to make it easier to order their favourite dinner.
For restaurants, and indeed those that only offer takeaways, it’s vital that they tap into this market or risk being left behind as the younger generation gets increasingly used to having everything they want just a couple of swipes away on their mobile phones.
The Cambridge News recently highlighted a new development by Google, which is an interactive map showing the most searched for takeaway food type in your area. In London, the preference is for Indian or Chinese meals, it appears.
In areas such as Dagenham, Waltham Abbey, Ilford and Thames Ditton Chinese was the most searched for takeaway, for instance.
The Google map also allows you to see which types of restaurants are most searched for in your area. With many households looking for ways to save money each month, eating out is becoming more of a luxury while takeaways are a more affordable treat.
It appears there could be a lot to be said for relying on your favourite local Chinese takeaway though, after researchers at the University of Wolverhampton identified what’s been termed ‘takeaway trauma’.
The Liverpool Echo reported on the study, which found that those who suffer from the condition experience four stages: fidgety, anxious, irate and lost. Waiting for delivery can be stressful for some, but the wrong order arriving or the food being of a poor quality all contributed to the negative impact.
Senior lecturer in biomedical science at the university Dr Martin Khechera told the newspaper that most people will have seen others get “antsy and annoyed” during the process of ordering a takeaway, and may well have experienced it themselves.
However, he added: “It is a surprise to see that the experience has a real impact on stress levels and our heart rate.”
If you’ve got a reliable Chinese takeaway in Brixton, where you know the quality is good and where you rarely have to wait too long for delivery, this research indicates you might be best sticking to ordering from here rather than trying somewhere new.
