4. Eating out and takeaways
Introduction
FSS aims to improve the diet of the population in Scotland, with the vision of a food environment where healthy options are accessible to all.
FSS monitors and publishes data on the out of home food environment, which includes food and drink purchased and consumed outside the home. Eating out of home extends beyond a sit-down meal, and more commonly includes eating 'on the go', takeaways and home delivered food. The out of home environment makes a significant contribution to diets and calories consumed in Scotland, with the food and drink available often high in calories, fat, salt and sugar.
This chapter provides an overview of respondents’ eating out and takeaway ordering habits and the factors that are considered when deciding where to eat out or order a takeaway from.
Eating out and ordering takeaway
4.1 Prevalence of eating out and ordering takeaway
Figure 6: Type of food businesses respondents had eaten at or ordered food at nowadays(28)
Here is a visual only chart of: Vertical bar chart showing the types of food businesses respondents have eaten at or ordered food from.
Source: Food and You 2 Wave 11 (Scotland)
Respondents were asked, nowadays, if they ever eat food from a number of different outlets. Around nine out of 10 respondents eat out at a restaurant (90%) or eat food from a café/coffee shop/sandwich shop (87%). Four out of five respondents eat food from a takeaway ordered directly from a takeaway shop or restaurant (80%) and 72% eat out in a pub/bar. Over half of respondents ordered a takeaway through an online ordering or delivery company such as Just Eat, Deliveroo or Uber Eats (55%). Fewer than one in five respondents reported eating food ordered through a food-sharing app (e.g. Olio or Too Good to Go) (17%), an online market place (e.g. Amazon, Gumtree, Etsy etc.) (15%), from a home kitchen (14%) or from social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc.) (4%)(29) (Figure 6).
4.2 Factors considered when eating out
Respondents were asked which factors, from a given list, they generally considered when deciding where to eat out in restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, coffee shops or sandwich shops.
Figure 7: Factors considered when deciding where to eat out
Here is a visual only chart of: Vertical bar chart showing the factors respondents consider when eating out.
Source: Food and You 2 Wave 11 (Scotland)
Those who eat out were most likely to consider the quality of food (85%) and their previous experience of the place (82%) when deciding where to eat. Around a quarter (24%) considered the food hygiene rating when deciding where to eat out(30) (Figure 7).
4.3 Factors considered when ordering takeaway
Respondents were asked which factors, from a given list, they generally considered when deciding where to order a takeaway from(31).
Figure 8: Factors considered when ordering a takeaway
Here is a visual only chart of: Vertical bar chart showing the factors respondents consider when ordering a takeaway.
Source: Food and You 2 Wave 11 (Scotland)
Those who order takeaways were most likely to consider their previous experience of the takeaway (85%) and the quality of food (79%) when deciding where to order a takeaway from. Around a quarter (27%) of respondents considered the food hygiene rating when deciding where to order a takeaway from(32) (Figure 8).
References:
(28) Note that supermarkets and convenience stores were not included as separate options (other than under ‘Takeaway - directly from a takeaway, shop or restaurant’).
(29) Question: Nowadays, do you ever...? (Select all that apply) Responses: eat food from a café, coffee shop or sandwich shop, eat out in a pub/bar, eat food from a takeaway, ordered directly from a takeaway shop or restaurant, eat food from a takeaway, ordered through an online ordering and delivery company (e.g. Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats), eat out in a restaurant, eat food ordered from an online marketplace (e.g. Amazon, Gumtree, Etsy, etc.), eat food ordered through a food-sharing app (e.g. Olio or Too Good to Go), Eat food ordered from social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, etc.), eat food ordered from someone who makes it in a home kitchen. Base = 958, all online respondents. Please note, percentages shown do not add up to 100% as multiple responses could be selected.
(30) Question: Generally, when you eat out, what do you consider when deciding where to go? Please think about eating out in restaurants, pubs/bars, and cafés/coffee shops/sandwich shops? Responses: Quality of food, my previous experience of the place, price, location, recommendations from family or friends, cleanliness of the place, quality of service, type of food (e.g. cuisine or vegetarian/vegan options), ambiance/atmosphere, Food Hygiene Rating, offers, deals or discounts available, reviews, e.g. on TripAdvisor, Google or social media, or in newspapers and magazines, whether it is an independent business or part of a chain, whether healthier options are available, whether the place is child-friendly, whether allergen information is provided, whether information about calories is provided, none of these, don't know. Base = 924, all online respondents who eat out.
(31) Including takeaway ordered directly from a takeaway shop or restaurant or via an online food delivery company. Source: Food and You 2 Wave 8 (Scotland).
(32) Question: Generally, when ordering food from takeaways (either directly from a takeaway shop or restaurant or from an online food delivery company like Just Eat, Uber Eats or Deliveroo) what do you consider when deciding where to order from? Responses: My previous experience of the takeaway, quality of food, price (including cost of delivery), type of food (for example cuisine or vegetarian/vegan options), recommendations from family or friends, Food Hygiene Rating, location of takeaway, whether there is a delivery or collection option, offers, deals or discounts available, delivery/collection times, whether food can be ordered online for example through a website or app, reviews for example on TripAdvisor, Google, social media, or in newspapers and magazines, whether it is an independent business or part of a chain, whether healthier options are provided, whether allergen information is provided, whether information about calories is provided, none of these, don’t know. Base = 823, all online respondents who order takeaways.