Takeaway
What it really means
Food you collect or have delivered to eat at home — and also the shop that sells it ("a Chinese takeaway"). The British equivalent of American "takeout". Friday and Saturday nights are classic takeaway nights.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Takeaway is both the food and the shop — 'let's get a takeaway' / 'the Chinese takeaway on the corner' — and the American 'takeout' marks you instantly. The national rotation runs chippy, Chinese, Indian, kebab, pizza, with Friday and Saturday nights as the traditional slots and 'can't be bothered cooking' as the year-round justification.
Ordering directly from the shop — by phone or in person — is often meaningfully cheaper than the delivery apps, which add markups and fees; collection ('I'll collect') is cheapest of all and usually faster. Most takeaways display or list their Food Standards Agency hygiene rating (0–5); checking an unfamiliar shop's score online takes ten seconds and is the one genuinely useful piece of due diligence. Portions are generous — the shared takeaway spread with containers across the table is half the ritual.