Valued Opinions Survey Shows Chinese Food is Firm Favourite in Take Away Britain

LONDON, Dec. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Valued Opinions, the leading paid surveys site, has conducted a new online survey which revealed that Chinese food is Britain's favourite takeaway treat. Chinese came out ahead of Indian, Italian, Thai and Greek, as well as traditional English fish and chips, reflecting the British appetite for global cuisine that has transformed national eating habits in recent years.

Britain's multiculturalism has injected a rich mix of diversity into UK cuisine. The takeaway market in particular reflects how Brits are enjoying foods from every corner of the globe. In the recent Valued Opinions online opinion poll on the UK's favourite takeaways, Chinese was the first choice for 38% of respondents. Next in line was Indian (22%) followed closely by pizza, preferred by 18%. The traditional English fish and chips/ burger and chips option was top of the list for 13% of respondents. The other takeaway choices - kebabs, Thai and Greek, were the favourite for only a small percentage (3%, 2% and 1% respectively) of those who gave an online opinion.

The Valued Opinions survey reflects the way that Britain's takeaway market bears the imprint of its various immigrant communities. Many Indian takeaway meals in the UK have evolved significantly from authentic Indian originals. Chicken Tikka Masala, a firm favourite on the takeaway menu, was actually invented in Britain.  Robin Cook, former foreign secretary, even pointed to it as symbolic of the nation's multiculturalism: "Chicken Tikka Masala is now a true British national dish… because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The Masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy."

Even what seems like a firm, traditional British meal - fish and chips - has its roots elsewhere. Chips date back to the seventeenth century and come from either Belgium or France, and Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal brought fried fish to Britain at about the same time.

Eating foods from all over the world is an easy and pleasant way to celebrate cultural diversity. However, it's hard to tell whether takeaway outlets truly reflect a society that embraces different cultures and traditions or whether Brits simply like variety in their food.

Valued Opinions allows internet users to have their say on subjects and get paid to take surveys on numerous topics.

About Valued Opinions:

Valued Opinions is an online market research platform where members have the opportunity to earn rewards by participating in online surveys. Through various partnerships with popular retailers such as Amazon.com, Tesco and HMV, Valued Opinions provides its members with attractive rewards in exchange for completing online paid surveys.

The survey topics are tailored to member's preferences and can include anything from green issues to healthy living, fast food to slow trains, politicians to favourite film.  

Made up of more than 2 million members globally, the Valued Opinions community provides market research companies with access to untapped opinions from a large database of consumers.

SOURCE Research Now