Britain's national dish really IS fish and chips - and only three per cent of people think it is chicken tikka masala

Published: 12:12 EDT, 31 October 2026 | Updated: 12:14 EDT, 31 October 2026 Cod has stolen curry's crown as Britons have voted for fish and chips as the UK's national dish - dethroning chicken tikka masala.The popular Indian takeaway dish, believed to have been invented in Glasgow in the 1970s by Pakistani chef Ali Ahmed, regularly comes out on top in the polls.In 2001, the former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook - who died in 2005 - declared the mild curry 'a true British national dish'.But now the beloved chippy tea is back to rule once again after a poll revealed that 49 per cent of Britons named it the UK’s national dish.In fact, only three per cent of respondents gave that title to chicken tikka masala, according to the YouGov survey.The battle for the nation's taste buds is regularly fought over, with roast chicken also pushing for top spot alongside tikka masala and fish and chips. The research revealed that a roast dinner is far ahead of the beloved curry as 24 per cent of poll-takers said it was the national dish. Chicken tikka masala has been knocked to third place after years of claiming the top spot, and a roast is still well behind fish and chips. Cod has stolen curry's crown as Britons have voted for fish and chips as the UK's national dish - dethroning chicken tikka masala The popular Indian takeaway dish, believed to of been invented in Glasgow in the 1970s by Pakistani chef Ali Ahmed, regularly comes out on top in the pollsAcross all age groups, the poll found fish and chips was consistently in the top spot. The research found that 52 per cent of Britons have roast dinner on at least a monthly basis, compared to 35 per cent for fish and chips and 21 per cent for chicken tikka masala. Very few people also nominated the full English breakfast (two per cent), bangers and mash (one per cent) or cottage or shepherd’s pie (one per cent). Speaking of the popular Indian dish to celebrate Britain's diversity, Mr Cook once said: 'Chicken Tikka Masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. 'Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The Masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy.'Coming to terms with multiculturalism as a positive force for our economy and society will have significant implications for our understanding of Britishness.'