The research found that 75% of Scots now order in, up from 61% in August 2019 when KPMG last conducted research on the UK’s appetite for takeaways.

The report, “Food for thought”, surveyed consumers across 17 UK cities. In Scotland, it found that 27% of people from Edinburgh order one takeaway a week, spending an average of £12.70 per person, while 22% of people from Glasgow said they order food at least once a week, spending £12.90 per person.

It was also revealed that almost a third (31%) of Scots ordered a takeaway as a treat, while a quarter (24%) cited the convenience of takeaways as their key factor in deciding to order food.

When asked about the types of cuisine being ordered, Chinese food was the most popular (62%), followed by pizza (46%), Indian (44%) and fish and chips (43%).

When deciding where to order from, the quality of food (74%) was the primary concern for hungry Scots, while the price (53%) and the proximity to home (49%) also influenced the decision. And when ordering takeaway, more than a third (37%) order by phone, with 39% using third party apps.

Since the pandemic, a third (34%) of Scots admitted to trying something new when ordering. This included almost a fifth (18%) who ordered a takeaway from a pub or restaurant that previously only offered an eat-in service.

One in ten Scots (14%) admitted to having tried meal-kits from a restaurant or a recipe box from a dedicated provider while three fifths (65%) say they will now go to a restaurant in person based on their positive experiences of ordering their food over lockdown.

Commenting on the findings, Will Hawkley, global head of leisure and hospitality at KPMG, said: “The increased appetite for takeaways has in part been driven by the pandemic, but credit must also go to restaurant operators who took innovation to new levels to capitalise on booming demand. They adapted to the channel-shift of at-home consumption with direct-to-consumer offerings, such as meal-kits and subscriptions.

“The hospitality sector is steeped in customer-centricity and creativity and, through necessity, has condensed a decade or more of innovation into less than a two-year period.

“Our survey suggests that growth in takeaway consumption is here to stay, which will continue to bring more entrants into the market. Even though ultra-rapid grocery delivery companies are playing in a different market to meal delivery, there’s scope for them to eat into takeaway operators’ market share too.

“Embracing a multi-channel offering with the right mix of eat-in, takeaway and meal-kits promises enormous growth potential and could attract investors for operators. Reverting to pre-pandemic operations and channel-mix is unlikely to be a recipe for success.”