The Domino's effect

The treat of lockdowns, will we ever give up takeaways?

The desire to play it safe, fuelled by a combination of a move towards a ‘simpler life’ and the harsh realities of money worries, has ensured that the pull of a home-based lifestyle stays strong. With this, takeaway-buying has stabilised and remains a very popular choice.

Simply irresistible

Tensions between protecting by saving and the urge to get ahead and enjoy life are increasingly hard to manage. Takeaways are a perfect example of this duality; to save money we resist going out to eat then treat ourselves at the click of a button – the temptation boosted by high levels of exhaustion

Not having to cook after a long working day, made even longer by a commute (as office returns gradually increase), is seen as a very welcome treat
Feeling particularly under pressure from personal fears, ordering a takeaway is also seen as a method of restoring some sense of control
Women, who compared to men are more exhausted by the pandemic and more bored of cooking, are a driving force behind takeaway usage
For many, TV watching is perfectly accompanied by a takeaway, and these moments help to either reward little wins or rescue difficult times
A ‘night off’ for all means takeaways can encourage group decisions, experimenting, chatting, and are savoured for these reasons

Shouldn’t have done that…

So easily drawn to temptation made even harder to resist by enticing deals and easy-to-use apps, we find regret can quickly follow the relatively short-lived enjoyment.

Remorse comes mainly from wasting much-needed funds as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies and the urge to save ramps up.

There is also the nagging knowledge that home-cooking is usually healthier and often just as tasty – contributing to a sense of frustration over giving in to temptation

How to win?

Consumers are still yearning for treats to lift spirits and takeaways remain a highly attractive option for several reasons. As any spend is increasingly under the spotlight, they do carry more baggage. So, emphasising the mental respite associated with takeaways and giving the consumer even more control, for example by providing customisable delivery options, should encourage purchases