After the clocks have gone back and the nights are darker and colder, we go to work in the dark and come home when it is dark. It is miserable, cold and sometimes wet, the sofas looks appealing, the idea of going into the kitchen to prepare something or going out to a food shop is not an appealing thought.

A survey conducted by www.just-eat.co.uk the UK’s leading online takeaway portal, asked 3,015 people in the UK what they estimate they spend on Chinese takeaway food a month and combined it with the data from their website. The results showed that on average:

·We spend per person £550 per month on food from a takeaway, which is £45 per month.

· One person in three choose to stay in doors over the weekend to be with friends and family, enjoy a takeaway and relax in casual clothes than go out on the town.

The weather was a large influence in the decision, as

· 76 % said that the warmer months are more appealing for a homemade dinner in the garden, or the BBQ gets brought out.

When the summer comes, most of the UK deserts the homeland and heads off for sun and sea in hot countries, often spending £550 on a seven day break. Afterwards when the winter months start to fall on the kitchen calendar, out comes the laptop, with a quick and easy search the local restaurants are found and the order is made, costing around £550 a year.

Our research shows that when the clocks go back in October:

· Takeaway orders more than double with 104% more in sales

· Women said they preferred to stay in with a boyfriend of have a girl’s night in, than brave going out in the cold.

As winter draws in and the count down to Christmas begins:

·38% of women claimed no guilt for ordering a takeaway meal than possibly during summer time.89% of those asked agreed that a takeaway on the weekends is something that they look forward to.

· 61% of people said that they often have a takeaway on both a Friday and Saturday night.