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Student News

The nation’s best drunk takeaways revealed

Post-night out takeaway spots have been ranked on their price, proximity and opening hours. Does your favourite make the top 40?

best student takeaway UK

Credit: Google

We all know that the 2am drunk takeaway is the best part of a night out. Whether you're a kebab person, or prefer a bumper box of nugs, no night is complete without a quick stop at your favourite takeaway on the way home.

And thanks to new research, we now have a definitive ranking of the very best. Their 2018 Drunk Food Index ranks the top 40 takeaways in popular student hotspots around the country, from Newcastle and Liverpool, to Bristol and Birmingham.

Each fast food establishment has been judged on factors including its value for money and opening hours, and an iconic dish has been recommended for every one.

But which takeaways made the top 40? Use the table below to find out.

It didn't make the list, but we ALL love a Domino's – and here's how to get your next pizza for less.

How are the takeaways ranked?

fish and chips takeaway

Credit: Polygram Entertainment

Mystudenthalls.com have created the rankings, and they've used three specific criteria in order to separate out the very best.

After Hours Points

Firstly, the takeaways have been ranked on their opening hours - no one wants a greasy takeaway before 11pm, right?

For every hour past midnight the takeaway is open (on a Friday night), they get one point. So a takeaway open until 5am on a Friday night/Saturday morning would get five points.

After Club Grub Points

This one is based on proximity to the university, and points are awarded in a tiered system.

Takeaways within a 0-5 minute walk from the university get 10 points, those which are 5-10 minutes away get 9 points, and so on until they hit 0.

Student Saver Value

Finally, the takeaways have been ranked according to their value for money.

This was worked out by taking the price of a recommended dish on the menu, and comparing it to the price of a medium Big Mac Meal (£4.29).

For every 20p the recommended dish is cheaper, one point is awarded.

Check our guide to saving money on takeaways, for more tips on saving cash while you eat.

The top 20 drunk student takeaways

Nabbing the top spot is Nabzy's in Liverpool, which ranked strongly across all three criteria. And there's no surprise that popular takeaways in student hotspots like Cambridge, Newcastle and Durham also made the top 10.

As students know best, each takeaway has it's own personality and specialities, and the Index includes a recommended 'most popular' dish for each.

For example, Cambridge's Trailer of Life has been filling stomachs and winning hearts with its cheesy chips for over 20 years.

Meanwhile, Crispy's in Leeds is well known for its in-store disco ball and disco bangers alongside its battered cod, proving that the party doesn't have to stop when the club closes.

Have a look at the table below to see if your favourite fast food joint made the top 20, and whether you agree with the recommended dish...

Mobile users should scroll to the right for the full table

TakeawayAfter Club Grub PointsAfter Hours PointsStudent Saver ValueTotalBest food
Nabzy’s, Liverpool84820Cheesy chips and red salt
Chicken Base, Reading85720Fried chicken and chips
Trailer of Life, Cambridge93719Cheesy chips
Runnymede Chicken and Ribs, Egham7011186 crunchy wings
Dorothy’s, Cardiff84517Chicken curry and chips
Clark’s Bakery, Dundee87217A Scooby snack (1/4 pounder burger, Lorne, bacon, fried egg)
Patrick’s Pizza (Paddy’s), Durham103316Any deep pan pizza
Munchies, Newcastle97016Cheesy gravy garlic chips
Buddies, Brighton97016An English breakfast
AJ’s, Leicester104115AJ’s kebab
Abdul’s Food to Go, Manchester95115A chicken kebab sandwich
Taka Taka, Bristol104014Chicken Gyros pita
Hassan’s, Oxford94114Any of Has-man’s kebabs
Aslan’s Kebabs, Sheffield86014Doner kebab and chips
City Kebab, Belfast95014Doner meat kebab and chips
Chicken Cottage, Holborn94013The Peri Peri meal
Viallis Fast Food, Leamington Spa85013Cheeseburger, chips and a drink
Crispy, Leeds85013Fish, chips and your best dancing shoes
Palmrya Pizza, Edinburgh102012Customised margherita
Pizza Land, Birmingham93012Pizza with Special Pizza Land Sauce

Nabzy's has been a firm favourite among Liverpudlians for years, and has previously been ranked as the best takeaway in the city. Nabzy's owner, Mr Tabarik, said of their win:

Hundreds of students eat in our stores every day, and our reputation lives on thanks to them.

Over the years, we’ve fed chicken and chips to the same students, from Freshers Week, until they leave the city – and really feel part of the local community.

It’s an honour to feature at the top of the index, and be the go-to takeaway for students in the area – even when we have to have drunken heart-to-hearts with them!

Other top drunk takeaway destinations

best chicken nuggets

Couldn't find your local in the top 20? The list doesn't stop there, as the 2018 Drunk Food Index actually features a whopping 40 establishments.

Have a look at the rest below - spot any injustices? Who else should have made the top 20?

  1. Chicken Cottage, London
  2. Bistro Fast Food, Glasgow
  3. Devrish, St Andrews
  4. Spice Hut, London
  5. Mario’s Pizza, Loughborough
  6. Dino’s Pizza, Nottingham
  7. Fish and Chipper, London
  8. Efes pizza, York
  9. Blue Lagoon, Glasgow
  10. Roti King, London
  11. Bosphorus Kebabs, London
  12. ICCO, London
  13. Nuro, Surrey
  14. Belmont Kebab & Pizza, Aberdeen
  15. Alfalafel, Bath
  16. Goldenhorn, Exeter
  17. Sal’s Kebab & Pizza House, Southampton
  18. Oliver Tree, East Anglia
  19. Ado’s, Lancaster
  20. Bene’s, Edinburgh

What do you think? Got a favourite takeaway you think has been unfairly missed out? Let us know in the comments!

Jessica Murray

WRITTEN BY Jessica Murray

As an Editor of Save the Student, Jessica Murray has written extensively on student money news and money-saving tips. She was co-host of our podcast, No More Beans, and is now a journalist at the Guardian. Her tips and insights range from fun guides for freshers, to information for graduates entering the workplace.
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