Britain’s takeaway tastes have undergone a dramatic shift over the past two decades, as the once beloved fish and chips has failed to make Just Eat’s top 10 takeaways among Britons.
According to new data from the food delivery chain, to mark its 20th anniversary in the UK, traditional favourites that once dominated orders in 2006 — including doner kebab, fish and chips, and chicken korma — are no longer the platform’s most popular dishes.
In their place, newer arrivals have climbed the rankings: Korean fried chicken, loaded fries, and Pad Thai now feature among the nation’s most-ordered meals.
The delivery company attributed this culinary transformation to the influence of social media trends and an increasing focus on wellness among British consumers.
TikTok has proven particularly influential in shaping what Britons order, with Japanese-inspired matcha products seeing demand more than double over the past year — a 120 per cent increase accompanied by 120,000 searches on the platform.
Dubai chocolate, another viral sensation, experienced an even more remarkable surge, with related products climbing 2,684 per cent in 2025.
Leigh Phillipson, commercial director at Just Eat, said social platforms like TikTok “have a real impact on the popularity of orders, with Korean seeing a boom in the last few years off the back of shows like Squid Game and music by Blackpink”.
“Items most Brits in 2006 would be confused by, like matcha and fibre drinks, are surging aligned to wellness trends,” he added.
Fish and chips has fallen out of Britain’s top 10 takeaways, according to new data from Just Eat
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When Just Eat launched in Britain two decades ago, customers could choose from just seven cuisine types: Italian and pizza, Indian, burgers, Chinese, kebabs, fish and chips, and chicken.
Today, the delivery giant offers more than 100 different culinary options, having expanded to include Bangladeshi, Brazilian, Greek, and Nepalese food among its offerings.
The platform’s menu evolution happened gradually, with sushi arriving in 2008 and Thai cuisine following a year later in 2009.
Korean food, now responsible for one of the top 10 most popular dishes, was only introduced to the service a decade ago.
Korean fried chicken and Pad Thai are now among Britain’s most popular dishes on Just Eat
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Despite this transformation in British palates, certain traditional dishes continue to hold their ground.
Just Eat confirmed it still hosts more than 11,000 independent Indian restaurants on its platform, demonstrating the enduring appeal of subcontinental cuisine.
“Despite more choice than ever, great British favourites like Indian, Chinese and fish and chips are as popular as ever,” said Mr Phillipson.
He emphasised independent eateries remain central to the company’s operations.
“Independent restaurants are still the beating heart of our platform and a force for good on our UK high streets,” he added.
Just Eat’s Top 10 takeaways in 2006 were as follows: pepperoni pizza, chicken tikka masala, sweet and sour chicken, margarita pizza, chicken chow mein, chicken korma, fish and chips, beef burger, doner kebab and chips and a chicken box.
In the company’s latest polling, fish and chips has dropped out of the top 10 completely, with smash burgers and veggie burgers instead making the list.
Just Eat’s Top 10 takeaways in 2026 are: margherita pizza, chicken chow mein, sweet and sour chicken, Korean fried chicken, chicken tikka masala, pepperoni pizza, loaded fries, Pad Thai, smash burger, and a veggie burger.