The eating-out market has grown by 60% over the past 10 years but the pace of growth in fast food has outstripped that in sit-down restaurants.
According to this year's British Lifestyles report from market research firm Mintel, published today, people in the UK spent more than £25b on eating out last year - 60% more than in 1993.
Fast food remains the largest sector of the market, with £10b spent on hamburgers, fried chicken, chips and other fast food.
But the growth in the take-away market was 86% between 1993 and 2003, compared with just 50% in restaurants
About one-in-six adults (17%) eats a take-away meal once a week.
"Simply grabbing a bite to eat, taking it home and eating it, often in front of one of the televisions as opposed to going out for a meal, is becoming more and more popular," said Mintel's chief statistician Peter Ayton.
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