'Takeaway trauma' is a real thing, according to science

Waiting for home delivery makes us stressed and irate. - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

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Scientists have revealed that your heart rate increases while waiting for food to be delivered, from 70 beats per minute to 87.

Meanwhile, stress levels soar from 17.25 to 18.38 at the 'irate' stage, which occurs around 40 minutes after ordering home delivery.

Researchers at the University of Wolverhampton fitted participants with heart rate monitors while they waited for a pizza delivery.

Dr Martin Khechera, senior lecturer in biomedical science at the University of Wolverhampton, said: 'We've all seen friends, partners and, if we're honest, even ourselves get antsy and annoyed during the process of ordering a takeaway.

“However, it is a surprise to see that the experience has a real impact on stress levels and our heart rate.”

Man delivering takeaway food to woman at door.

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Behavioural expert Darren Stanton discovered that after the initial excitement about placing an order, people commence the “fidgety stage” around five minutes in.

This is followed by the ‘anxiety’ stage, where participants repeatedly check the app and become frustrated. Around 40 minutes after ordering, people enter the ‘irate’ stage.

After waiting around for a considerable length of time - around 50 minutes – people start to feel despondent.

When the food arrives, participants had a lower heart rate than when they ordered, indicating that expectations of home delivery were not met.

Mr Stanton said: 'People order a takeaway as a treat - a way to reward themselves after a long week at work and to enjoy a relaxing night in with loved ones.

“This study shows that it can be the opposite of this. However, with the four stages we've identified as fidgety, anxious, irate and lost, it's easy to recognise the symptoms of Takeaway Trauma, so we can help others suffering from the condition.”

Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

Rebecca Lowrey Boyd is a former magazine editor and the founder of Wee Birdy, one of The Sunday Times’ Top 50 Blogs in the World. A design nerd and bird enthusiast, she can usually be found poring over Pinterest, knee-deep in Bunnings or sticky-beaking at modernist homes in Sydney’s bushburbia.