The top takeaway dish for New Zealanders in 2022 has been revealed and it might not be what people think.
Butter chicken with a side of garlic naan has been named the most popular takeout dish for Kiwis in 2022.
Data from online food delivery platform Menulog released Wednesday showed the most popular cuisine for consumers overall was burgers, followed by Indian and pizza.
Air Indian restaurant owner Dinesh Prasad said it has been a fantastic year of serving takeaways.
"A mild butter chicken is our most popular dish, and we make it with Kiwi pallets in mind. For our spicier curries, we add authentic Indian herbs and spices to bring out the flavours," Prasad said in a statement.
The Rotorua restaurant owner said chicken tikka masala and lamb nawabi were also popular among local customers.
Takeaway vs dine-in
Despite an influx of consumers returning to dining at restaurants after COVID-19 restrictions were eased this year, data from Menulog shows takeaway orders increased by 23 percent compared to 2021.
One Aucklander made more than 726 orders in 2022. A Bay of Plenty resident followed closely behind with 346 orders for the year.
Top new cuisines
According to Menulog's data the top new cuisines people ordered included sandwiches and vegan dishes. The amount of vegan dishes people ordered increased by 30 percent compared to 2021.
"People want a greater variety of menu choices and that is reflected in our orders this year which have never been better," Auckland's Status Vegan Cafe owner Chiray Shay said in a statement.
The demand for household items has also increased with people ordering everything from bread and milk to potato wedges.
Menulog's ANZ commercial director Rory Murphy said in a statement the key trend for customers in 2022 was broadening their tastebuds and looking for healthier takeaway options.
"The data shows a far wider range of cuisine being ordered with sandwiches, vegan options and cuisines like Malaysian starting to rival traditional takeaways like Indian, burgers, pizza and Chinese," Murphy said.
