It is no secret that us Brits love a good takeaway! There is nothing quite like having the convenience of your favourite Chinese dish, curry, burger or pizza delivered right to your door.
If it’s your birthday – you order a takeaway. Graduation – takeaway. Anniversary - takeaway. Does it even need to be a special occasion to order a takeaway? Or just a standard Friday or Saturday night?
But with costs of living rising, should you be cutting back on how many times a week you order? Or try to find ways to save money when ordering?
Here are 10 ways to save money so that you don't have to miss out on your favourite takeaways.
1) Look Out for Discount Codes
Most of the time, when signing up to the giant takeaway platforms as a first time user you are given a discount code to use on your first order.
And the majority of your local takeaway restaurants will be on more than one of these platforms. So if you have used a code already, then move on to another platform to see what other discount you could bag!
If you download delivery platform apps like Deliveroo, JustEat, and UberEats, they will send you multiple discount notifications. This way you can see what is on offer and choose the best and cheapest option for your order.
If you prefer to order via the web/desktop, then be sure to check out our website first! Here at Hey Discount, we partner with lots of restaurant chains and takeaway platforms to earn you extra money off your order or to bag yourself some freebies.
2) No Discount Code? Try Ringing Up Instead
You may notice when ordering online that takeaway restaurants increase their prices, have extra admin/service fees, and may even charge you for using a card to pay. The eateries sometimes do this as they try to compensate for the charges they face from the platforms.
The bigger delivery sites can charge the outlets up to 30% commission. So although it may not be quite as convenient, calling and ordering over the phone will often save you money.
3) Enquire About Loyalty Programmes
If you don’t ask, you don’t get! Loyalty programmes are a way for retailers like Pizza Hut to encourage repeat visits by offering special perks to loyal shoppers.
Loyalty programme benefits could include:
- Free gifts
- Free delivery
- Cashback
- Special offers on certain days
However, member notifications about sales and deals could entice you to spend more, so that is something to look out for. Member offers may not always be the best option so it's still a good idea to shop around and compare offers.
But hey, if there's a particular takeaway shop that you really love and trust - then a loyalty card could put you quids in!
4) Order Extra and Freeze
This one sounds a little weird, but bare with us!
With ordering takeaways, often you'll find that the more you spend - the more money you get off. Set menus and bulk orders are the way forward!
If you end up with more food than you need, using your leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day will make the whole thing way more economical. And is there anything better than cold pizza for breakfast?!
Alternatively, if you're ordering something like a curry that freezes easily, then you could simply make the most out of an offer, put the extras you ordered straight into the freezer and, hey presto, your next takeaway night is already sorted.
5) Collect Instead If Possible
We know it does sound almost impossible sometimes. You're sat all cosy on the sofa in your PJs and slippers... but does quickly throwing your coat on and heading just down the road to the takeaway sound better, if it means you can save extra money on delivery costs?
You may even find that some takeaway providers such as Dominos offer extra discounts and deals when you collect your own takeaway.
Would it help you if you told yourself you will burn off extra calories, or get in those extra steps before you ate your body weight in Chinese or pizza? We thought so!
6) Compare Reviews & Prices
Whatever you do, check the reviews!!
The majority of the time, reading reviews on TripAdvisor makes the decision for you. Before you bulk order - check the reviews and see what the portion sizes are like. Do you need to order as much as you thought you did? You might only need one portion of cheesy chips rather than two!
You should also compare the prices over the delivery apps, not forgetting any hidden costs like delivery surcharges and admin fees. Review your options and order the cheapest.
7) Avoid Buying Drinks
As tempting as it might seem, ordering drinks from a takeaway that you could get from a local supermarket at a fraction of the price is definitely best avoided.
You could be paying over £1.60 for a can of Coke that you could get in a multipack of 6 for £3.00 from a local supermarket such as Morrisons!
It’s one thing to pay a markup on food, but paying a markup on soft drinks is just a waste of money as they won't be any different. Forward plan and make sure that you already have these in the house so that you and your friends or family members aren't tempted.
8) Enjoy a Week Night Treat Night
Why should you wait until the weekend to treat yourself? You work hard all week, so you deserve it! You could cook at the weekend instead when you have more time to spend in the kitchen, giving yourself a weeknight boost instead.
Keep your eyes open for special offers throughout the week. The discounts and best offers are nearly always found on a weeknight when takeaways aren't as high in demand. Change your Saturday takeaway to a night in the week - and you won't have to wait as long for it!
9) Refer a Friend & Split the Savings
Most popular delivery apps have referral codes for friends which allow you and your friends to save money.
Get your friends to download the app, get their referral codes and it usually gives you both a discount. Split the cost for your order and you still have a discount for your next order. It is a ‘Win Win’ situation!
Take a look at sites like Gourmet Society too where you can earn points for using certain takeaway restaurants such as Papa Johns.
10) Cook a Fakeaway Instead
Cooking your own version of your favourite takeaway is all the rage at the moment here in the UK!
Homemade fakeaways often taste just as good and are often much better for you, plus you know exactly what you are eating.
People are taking over social media with their healthy recipes and healthy options for takeaways. You could spend days on TikTok scrolling through videos of meals - you will end up with recipes for the full week! You could even try meal delivery kits from providers such as Mindful Chef so all the shopping for ingredients is done for!
People make it look so easy, so why not give it a go yourself and save yourself a few quid (and some calories)?
