Salt and pepper chips, chicken balls, crispy beef and curry sauce.
These are just a few of the staples you’ll find in a British Chinese takeaway – and Americans are discovering them for the first time on TikTok.
The latest video trend sees Brits plating up their orders, much to the outrage of those across the pond who clearly don’t know what they’re missing out on.
And now, British Chinese folk have expressed their anger at the discourse, highlighting how it erases the cultural significance these much-loved dishes have for many small business owners and their families.
The trend started innocently enough when vlogger Charly Anne C excitedly shared a dishing up video, which has since gained more than four million views. But despite Charly’s praise for her local takeaway, the comments turned sour.
‘Every day I’m reminded why I could not survive in the UK,’ wrote one commenter.
Another added: ‘Seeing this food… I think I get why most Brits I see are miserable,’ added another.
The trend has also gone viral on TikTok because of the way us Brits say we are ‘getting a Chinese’, which is slang shortened down from ‘getting a chinese takeaway’, and is often applied to other cuisines.
‘I know it’s not intended to be racist but it kind of feels like it is a little,’ one user asked, genuinely curious about the phrasing.
Soon, other Brits started sharing own takeaway unboxing videos, ranging from celebratory to rage-bating in tone.
Angela Hui, a journalist and author who grew up helping her parents run their Chinese takeaway in rural Wales, felt hurt when she saw the trend taking off.
‘Honestly, I felt angry and tired because this food discourse keeps going around in circles within the diaspora community,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.
‘We’re bored of having to explain ourselves over and over. Defending food, culture and arguing whether if this or that is authentic or not when authenticity doesn’t really mean anything.’
Angela, who’s book Takeaway chronicles her childhood behind the counter, explains how many British Chinese takeaway dishes were created from necessity, but they’re now much-loved and seeped in history.
‘A lot of Chinese families emigrated from Hong Kong in the New Territories and opened Chinese takeaways in the UK in the 50s and 60s after the war and took over former fish and chip shops,’ she says.
‘There weren’t a lot of fresh ingredients readily available at that time, which is why you often see ingredients such as tinned pineapple, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts used in sweet and sour and chop suey dishes (stir-fried vegetable dish using odds and ends) being served with deep-fried stuff that Brits love like chicken balls, chips and curry sauce.’
(Copyright: corysworldd (tiktok)
It’s a point that was echoed by TikToker hezzieeee, whose parents own a Chinese takeaway in Britain.
‘British Chinese takeaway food is meant to appeal to the British public,’ she said. ‘So you’re gonna find items on the menu like chicken balls, salt and pepper chicken and yes we do curry sauce, in fact every shop will do their own curry sauce.’
She added that it’s not the same as so-called authentic Chinese food, that it’s a category on its own, of quick, on-the-go food.
Whatever your thoughts on takeaways, Angela argues that they’ve been ‘fundamental in shaping Britain’s food culture’.
‘Chinese takeaway dishes hold a special place in my heart. It’s what put food on our table and a roof over my family’s head,’ she says. ‘And I think they should be recognised and respected as its own category. It’s not trying to be anything else or claiming to be anything else.’
There is one plus to the TikTok trend though – Brits are defending their beloved takeaways from the naysayers.
‘After the attention it’s got I’m actually really glad that people still have a lot of love, loyalty and respect for British Chinese food,’ says Angela. ‘Please support your local Chinese takeaway – they’re in decline!’
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