How Much Should a Takeaway Curry Cost in the UK? (2026 Prices)

The Friday night curry is a British institution — but the bill has crept up over the years, and it’s getting harder to know what’s fair. So how much should a takeaway curry cost in the UK in 2026? Here’s what you should realistically expect to pay, what’s driving the prices, and how to tell if your local is charging over the odds.

Typical takeaway curry prices in 2026

• Main curry (chicken/lamb/veg): £8-£12 outside London, £10-£15 in London
• King prawn or special dishes: £11-£16
• Pilau rice: £3-£4.50
• Plain/boiled rice: £2.50-£3.50
• Naan bread: £2-£3.50 (keema or peshwari £3.50-£4.50)
• Starter (samosa, bhaji, tikka): £3.50-£6
• Poppadoms with dips: £1.50-£3

A typical order — one main, rice, naan and a starter to share — comes to roughly £16-£22 per person outside London, £20-£28 in London. A family of four ordering generously should budget £55-£80. If your bill is consistently above that, it’s worth shopping around.

Why prices have risen

It’s not just greed. Takeaways have been hit by the same cost pressures as everything else: energy bills for tandoors and fryers, ingredient costs (cooking oil and chicken prices have been volatile), business rates, and delivery app commissions that take 15-30% of every order. A curry house doing most of its trade through delivery apps is giving nearly a third of your bill to the platform before it sees a penny. That cost lands on you.

How to tell if you’re overpaying

• Compare like-for-like locally. Prices vary by area, but if your regular charges £13.50 for a chicken tikka masala and three nearby rivals charge £9.95-£10.95, you’re paying a loyalty tax.
• Watch the extras. The margin is in the sides. A £4.50 naan or £3.50 portion of chips adds up fast — some places keep mains competitive and make it back on rice and bread.
• Check portion sizes. A £12 curry in a generous 500ml container is better value than a £9.95 one in a dinky tub. If you’re consistently still hungry, the cheaper option isn’t cheaper.
• Delivery vs collection. Collection is almost always £2-£5 cheaper per order once you factor in delivery fees, service charges and inflated app menu prices. Many places discount collection orders by 10-15%.

Ways to bring the cost down

1. Collect, don’t deliver. The single biggest saving. Order direct by phone or the restaurant’s own website rather than through an app.
2. Look for set deals. Many takeaways do a “dinner for two” banquet — starter, two mains, rice, naan — for £25-£35, which beats ordering à la carte.
3. Go early week. Some places run Tuesday/Wednesday specials to fill quiet nights.
4. Share starters, double up on rice. One pilau rice between two is usually plenty alongside a naan each.
5. Cook it yourself sometimes. A homemade curry for four costs £8-£12 total in ingredients. Building a basic Indian spice collection pays for itself within a couple of meals.

Restaurant vs takeaway

Eating in typically adds 20-40% to the takeaway price for the same dishes, plus drinks and service. A sit-down curry for two with a couple of beers easily hits £50-£70. Nothing wrong with that as a night out — but if you’re ordering the same food to eat on the sofa, make sure you’re paying takeaway prices, not restaurant prices with the ambience removed.

And whatever you order, don’t let good food go to waste. Learning how to reduce food waste at home in the UK means those leftover containers become tomorrow’s lunch instead of bin fodder — which effectively cuts your per-meal cost.

For a sense of how food prices are trending nationally, the ONS inflation data tracks food and drink costs — useful context when your favourite takeaway puts its prices up again.

How much should a takeaway curry cost in the UK outside London?

The London premium is real and significant. In Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds or Glasgow, a chicken tikka masala runs £8.50-£10.50 at a good independent — £2-£4 less than the equivalent in London. In smaller towns it can dip to £7.95-£9.50. The gap is mostly rent and wages, not ingredients — the chicken costs the same in Bradford as in Brixton. If you’ve moved out of London recently, recalibrate your expectations: paying capital prices in the provinces means you’re at the wrong takeaway.

Delivery apps deserve special scrutiny. Menu prices on apps are often 10-20% higher than the restaurant’s own prices — before the delivery fee (£1.50-£3.50), service charge (5-10%) and small-order fee. A £35 direct order can easily become £45 through an app. The apps are convenient, but you’re paying £8-£12 for that convenience on a family order. Ordering direct — by phone or the restaurant’s website — is consistently the cheapest route, and many places offer 10-15% off collection orders as an incentive.

Loyalty is worth asking about. Independent takeaways increasingly run stamp cards, WhatsApp ordering lists with subscriber discounts, or “every 10th curry free” schemes. Chains have apps with points. It never hurts to ask “do you do any deals for regulars?” — the worst they can say is no, and regulars are a takeaway’s lifeblood. They’d rather discount your Friday order than lose you to the place down the road.

Finally, watch for shrinkflation: the tub that used to be 500ml is now 400ml at the same price. If your usual order feels lighter, it might not be your imagination. Compare container sizes when trying new places — a £10.95 curry in a generous tub beats a £9.50 one in a dinky pot every time.

A final tip on takeaway curry value

Don’t overlook lunch specials. Many takeaways and curry houses do a lunchtime deal — a smaller curry with rice or naan for £6-£8 — that’s the best value on the menu. And if you’re ordering for one, ask about portion sizes before defaulting to the full menu: some places do a “curry and rice” combo that isn’t advertised prominently. The menu’s front page is marketing; the value is often on the back.

The takeaway

A fair 2026 price is £8-£12 per main outside London (£10-£15 in the capital), with a full meal landing around £16-£28 per person. Collect instead of getting delivery, look for set deals, and cook at home sometimes. And if your local’s prices have crept 30% above the neighbours with nothing to show for it — vote with your feet.