takeout food

Meaning

'Takeout food' (often just called 'takeout') refers to cooked meals that you buy from a restaurant or cafe but take home, to the office, or to a park to eat, rather than eating inside the restaurant. In British English, this is commonly called 'takeaway.'

Examples

• I am too tired to cook tonight, so let's order some takeout food.

  I am too tired to cook tonight, so let's order some takeout food.

• There is a great Chinese restaurant nearby that does excellent takeout food.

  There is a great Chinese restaurant nearby that does excellent takeout food.

• We grabbed some takeout food and ate it in the park while watching the sunset.

  We grabbed some takeout food and ate it in the park while watching the sunset.

• Do you prefer cooking at home or ordering takeout food on the weekends?

  Do you prefer cooking at home or ordering takeout food on the weekends?

• He spent too much money on takeout food last month, so now he is trying to cook more.

  He spent too much money on takeout food last month, so now he is trying to cook more.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I want to eat a takeout food for dinner.

  ✓ I want to get some takeout food for dinner.

  'Takeout food' is uncountable. You cannot say 'a takeout food.' Instead, use 'some takeout food' or simply 'takeout.'

• ✗ We ordered takeout food inside the restaurant and sat at a table to eat it.

  ✓ We ordered food to eat in the restaurant.

  'Takeout food' is specifically for food you take away from the restaurant. If you sit down inside to eat, it is 'dining in' or 'eating in.'

Related Expressions

Practice

• Instead of dining in, we got some ___ and watched a movie at home.

  💡 Prepared restaurant meals eaten elsewhere.

  Show answer

  takeout food

• The office workers often order ___ for lunch when they are busy.

  💡 Food bought from a restaurant to be eaten at work or home.

  Show answer

  takeout food