Chinese food named Northern Ireland’s favourite moving night takeaway

When it comes to the first night in a new home, people across Northern Ireland are most likely to reach for a Chinese takeaway, according to a new survey by family-run removals firm, Tripps Removals.

The national survey of 2,000 adults asked: “You’ve just moved into a new place, it’s your first night, and cooking’s off the table – what, if anything, is your ultimate takeaway choice?”

Chinese food came out on top, with 27% of respondents opting for it. Fish and chips came second at 12%, followed by pizza at 10%.

But regional tastes varied slightly:

• In England, fish and chips led the way at 20%, followed by pizza (18%) and Chinese (16%).
• In Scotland, Chinese food again took the top spot (32%), while fish and chips landed in third (14%), behind pizza (16%).
• In Wales, fish and chips and Chinese were tied in popularity (22% each), with burgers making their way into the top three with 12%.

Other takeaway choices mentioned included Indian, fried chicken, Mexican, Vietnamese, Thai, and sushi.

Interestingly, 5% of respondents said they wouldn’t order a takeaway at all, perhaps choosing to get to grips with their new kitchen from night one.

Ben Tripp, Owner and Managing Director of Tripps Removals, which has been moving people across the UK and abroad since 1867, commented:

“We’ve been moving families for over 155 years, and we know just how exciting – and exhausting – moving day can be. The first-night takeaway has become a bit of a tradition, and our fun survey shows that across the UK, it’s the familiar comforts that people turn to most. Whether it’s Chinese, fish and chips or pizza, these top choices clearly help people relax, settle in and start making their new place feel like home, wherever they’ve moved to.”

The survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Tripps Removals in June 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults.