Deliveroo has crowned the Chicken Shawarma Wrap as its Takeaway of Summer 2026, marking a significant shift in British takeaway preferences. According to the delivery service, orders for the Middle Eastern wrap have surged by 70% compared to the previous year, firmly placing it at the top of the nation's most-loved takeaways for the season.
Shawarma's Rise to the Top
Traditionally, shawarma is prepared by stacking seasoned meat on a vertical rotating spit, where it is slowly roasted and shaved into thin slices. It is typically served in flatbread with garlic sauce, salad, and sometimes chips, with additional toppings and vegetarian options available. The dish has long been a staple in Middle Eastern restaurants, family-run grills, and street-food spots across Britain, but its visibility has grown substantially this summer.
Jeff Wemyss, Deliveroo general manager for UK & Ireland, commented: 'Chicken Shawarma has spent years as the wrap you order at 11pm – reliable, delicious, always there. This summer, it became the main event. Independent grills up and down the country have been serving the dish rooted in generations of culinary tradition for years, and we couldn’t think of a more deserving winner for Deliveroo’s Takeaway of Summer 2026.'
Changing Consumer Habits
The takeaway option has increasingly become part of the mainstream food scene, appearing on menus alongside burgers and pizza. A Deliveroo report reveals that over half of the restaurants selling shawarma this summer did not sell it at all a year ago. Shawarma proved to be an evening dinner dish, with orders peaking at 7pm, and Friday being the busiest day for orders.
The surge in popularity could also be linked to the football season, as a wrap and a cold drink make for a compelling match-night combination, or a source of solace after watching England lose their chances at the World Cup. Additionally, record-breaking heatwaves this summer might have deterred the nation from ordering more fiery options.
Rooted in Tradition, Not a Fad
Food fashions come and go, but shawarma has the advantage of being rooted in a long culinary tradition. It can be traced back to the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, evolving from the Turkish döner kebab, rather than being created specifically for social media hype. Shawarma and related vertical-spit roasted meats gained wider popularity in the UK during the 1970s and early 1980s, driven by Middle Eastern and Turkish immigration, with London’s Edgware Road becoming a key hub for Arab and Levantine eateries during that era.
Chicken shawarma may have won the summer, but its success is less about a sudden craze and more about Britain finally giving a long-established dish the attention it has quietly earned for decades. While the dish is having its moment in the spotlight, the trend is unlikely to disappear when the weather turns colder, given its deep roots in culinary tradition and growing mainstream acceptance.
