The BBC is running a story on the current cost of a takeaway curry in various regions of the U.K.

Indian takeaways: Restaurant owners say high prices down to perfect storm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-67138765

The wife and I used to have a takeaway most weeks but in our area, a medium sized town midway between Chelmsford and Colchester, the cost is becoming prohibitive.

A main course each, a couple of chapatis, two veg side dishes and some poppadoms (which used to be free) is now close to £45.

The price seems to be a bit of a lottery; we add up the cost of the order and even though we have the latest menu, an additional 3 or 4 quid is always added to the order. I don't know if this is now for delivery, despite the menu stating delivery is free but it means the delivery guys and gals don't get as big a tip as they used to receive from us.

The takeaway opens at 17.00 but has recently decided to deliver from 18.00 hours, meaning the food is invariably tepid and can arrive too late to eat before bed.

The biggest problem is the quality of the food. I tend to order from the tandoori section, mixed grill or chicken shaslik, whilst the wife focuses on some of the "regional specialities", shaktora or Nawabi. I've noticed on a chicken shaslik that the quantity of chicken has reduced to be replaced with added onion or tomato, whilst the wife says everything off the regional menu tastes exactly the same, there is no variation in the sauces.

This is from the take away that we have used for many years, it has never been the greatest but was the best of the lot. A rival opened a few years back claiming to offer a "fine dining takeaway experience", a claim they never substantiated but it was a better take away and carried a premium price. We used it for a short while but reverted to our usual take away after a while. I'm told now that this high end restaurant has also increased its cost but has nearly halved its portion size and quality has fallen away. The owner of a local Tapas bar used to sing the praises of this high end option but was so disappointed with recent meals he told the restaurateur, a friend, that he could no longer recommend the place anymore and would no longer being ordering from there, and these guys are/were good buddies.

We all know the Indian restaurant trade has been in trouble for years now, I just wonder if this is the death knell for the industry from which it won't claw itself back?

Your cost over there roughly equates to around AUD $85 - $90 and it would cost that much to get the same type of meal here.  A single main Curry dish is now AUD $21, up from around $13 only a few years ago.  The last time we bought T/A from the nearest local, we found that they had changed owners and now state that they make Home Style Indian Cuisine.  The dishes that we used to rely on were dreadful in both portion size and quality.  They claim to be the best Indian Restaurant in Town which isn't untrue as they are the only one.

I do a far better job making "Restaurant style Indian Cuisine" at home than they do making "Home Style" in a restaurant.  I don't bother to venture any further in search of better curry as it's here when I want to make it.

Quote from: tempest63 on October 22, 2023, 07:23 AM
The BBC is running a story on the current cost of a takeaway curry in various regions of the U.K.

Indian takeaways: Restaurant owners say high prices down to perfect storm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-67138765

I first noticed they are pricing themselves beyond my price range a couple of years ago. As a result, I have cut right back on the number of times I visit Indian restaurants. It will be sad if nearly all of them close but I can't afford to support my local Indian restaurants, charging £10.95 for a main course dish, when I can get a huge plate of delicious roast food at a Toby Carvery for as little as £4.80.That's broadly similar to ordering a curry, rice and side dish (vegetables) at a BIR but it would probably cost almost 5x more.

Sounds about right.  The TAs for me lately have mainly been at least £20.  So, 1 (or 2) starters, a main, naan or roti.  Understandable at the moment.  The on-line delivery companies add to the cost and for some places they are the only option, unless you can fetch it yourself.  The Uber Eats model and a whole host of similar companies who have jumped on the band wagon.  I used FoodHub to order from Shababs recently.  £3.50 delivery. That's OK but there is more.  They changed the menu so that everything is a bit more expensive.  Also, the menu is slimmed down so that, for example, you can't order 1 or 2 seekh kebabs.  Only option was seekh kebab sizzler, which is 3 kebabs and some fried onions, £8.00. The app even has the option to tip the delivery driver, before the chef has even started making the order, which is a bit cheeky imo.  FoodHub will also punish Shababs for the service.  I don't know how much, but a chef at another place told me for online orders it depends on whether they use their own, or the delivery company's
drivers.  The latter option incurs a 30 % charge for the entire order.  No wonder free pops and pickles are becoming a rarity.

I found the Shahi here in Birmingham do not have any options for delivery.  Their menu prices are now similar to Shababs and others.  Spectacular balti, albeit slightly on the salty side.  Their kebabs are stingy though, almost half size.  £I.50 each. I ordered 2 when I went there and would have needed 4 for a standard size portion.  Sick squid for a portion of seekh kebabs!  I checked their online feedback and there are several complaints exactly about this.  Prices have shot up, kebabs are a lot smaller than they used to be.

Still, the balti is such a rich and flavorsome dish one portion is sufficient for 2 people, I think. At my go to local (Desi Roti) a Balti chicken collected is £9 and comes will 2 rotis or naans.  Meal for 2 for under a tenner, which is not bad these days.  Also on a positive note, when the economy recovers, which it will, the prices will drop straight back down again everywhere, won't they?

Rob

how restaurants price things out in the US: 30/30/30/10

30% of the cost is materials
30% labour
30% overhead
10% profit

Allowing for restaurants getting better deals due to bulk, the implication is that you should be able to replicate that 20 quid curry for around a third of that price, or around 6.50 to 7 quid.

If someone is acquainted with this level of detail of pricing in UK restaurants I would appreciate their input.

I make no allowance there for you bulk buying, taking advantage of sales or discounts, etc.

Quote from: tempest63 on October 22, 2023, 07:23 AM
The BBC is running a story on the current cost of a takeaway curry in various regions of the U.K.

Indian takeaways: Restaurant owners say high prices down to perfect storm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-67138765

The wife and I used to have a takeaway most weeks but in our area, a medium sized town midway between Chelmsford and Colchester, the cost is becoming prohibitive.

A main course each, a couple of chapatis, two veg side dishes and some poppadoms (which used to be free) is now close to £45.

The price seems to be a bit of a lottery; we add up the cost of the order and even though we have the latest menu, an additional 3 or 4 quid is always added to the order. I don't know if this is now for delivery, despite the menu stating delivery is free but it means the delivery guys and gals don't get as big a tip as they used to receive from us.

The takeaway opens at 17.00 but has recently decided to deliver from 18.00 hours, meaning the food is invariably tepid and can arrive too late to eat before bed.

The biggest problem is the quality of the food. I tend to order from the tandoori section, mixed grill or chicken shaslik, whilst the wife focuses on some of the "regional specialities", shaktora or Nawabi. I've noticed on a chicken shaslik that the quantity of chicken has reduced to be replaced with added onion or tomato, whilst the wife says everything off the regional menu tastes exactly the same, there is no variation in the sauces.

This is from the take away that we have used for many years, it has never been the greatest but was the best of the lot. A rival opened a few years back claiming to offer a "fine dining takeaway experience", a claim they never substantiated but it was a better take away and carried a premium price. We used it for a short while but reverted to our usual take away after a while. I'm told now that this high end restaurant has also increased its cost but has nearly halved its portion size and quality has fallen away. The owner of a local Tapas bar used to sing the praises of this high end option but was so disappointed with recent meals he told the restaurateur, a friend, that he could no longer recommend the place anymore and would no longer being ordering from there, and these guys are/were good buddies.

We all know the Indian restaurant trade has been in trouble for years now, I just wonder if this is the death knell for the industry from which it won't claw itself back?

In comparison to the rapidly rising costs of a takeaway Indian, we ordered from the local Chinese tonight.
Duck and pancakes to start with, a couple of main courses, chefs special chow mein and a bag of prawn crackers. Delivered to home at a little over £32. The menu is old and out of date but the cost of the meal was about £2 over the cost shown on the menu.
The Chinese seems to be of much better value that a comparable Indian and certainly hasn't risen as much in cost as the Indian has.
The two takeaways used to be comparable in cost for a meal for two, I would suggest the Indian is likely 50% more than the Chinese now.
T63