Takeaway businesses, whether fish and chip shops, Chinese takeaways, Indian takeaways, pizza shops, kebab houses, or fast-food outlets, are among the highest energy users in the UK SME sector. High-heat cooking equipment, powerful extraction systems, long trading hours, and constant refrigeration all contribute to above-average monthly bills. Here we outline typical monthly costs and the factors that influence how much takeaways pay for gas and electricity in 2025.
Typical monthly energy costs for takeaway businesses
Most UK takeaway businesses spend between £800 and £3,500 per month on combined gas and electricity. Bills vary significantly depending on cuisine type, equipment mix, and opening hours, with electric-heavy kitchens at the top end of the range.
Typical monthly costs by takeaway type
| Takeaway type | Electricity (kWh/month) | Gas (kWh/month) | Monthly electricity cost | Monthly gas cost | Total expected monthly spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small fish and chip shop | 3,000–6,000 | 5,000–9,000 | £630–£1,260 | £330–£740 | £1,100–£2,000 |
| Indian / Chinese takeaway | 2,500–5,000 | 6,000–10,000 | £525–£1,050 | £390–£820 | £1,000–£1,900 |
| Pizza takeaway (electric deck ovens) | 6,000–10,000 | 1,000–2,500 | £1,260–£2,100 | £65–£200 | £1,400–£2,300 |
| Kebab shop / grill house | 4,000–7,000 | 3,500–6,000 | £840–£1,470 | £230–£500 | £1,100–£2,000 |
| Large multi-cuisine hot food takeaway | 8,000–14,000 | 6,000–12,000 | £1,680–£2,940 | £390–£980 | £2,000–£3,500 |
Pricing assumptions used:
- Electricity unit rates: 21–24p/kWh
- Electricity standing charges: 50–70p/day
- Gas unit rates: 6.5–8.2p/kWh
- Gas standing charges: 27–45p/day
Why takeaways have higher energy costs than many SMEs
Takeaways often operate 10–14 hours per day, including prep and late-night trading. Core loads include:
| Energy driver | Share of total usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking equipment | 40–60% | Fryers, wok burners, tandoors, electric pizza ovens, grills. |
| Refrigeration | 15–25% | Walk-ins, chest freezers, display freezers, under-counter units. |
| Extraction / ventilation | 10–20% | Large extraction hoods and make-up air fans run continuously during service. |
| HVAC (heating and cooling) | 8–15% | Particularly high in shops with heat-dense cooking areas. |
| Lighting | 3–6% | Lower share compared to retail; efficient LEDs reduce this further. |
Cooking intensity and ventilation requirements are the two biggest factors pushing bills upward.
Cuisine type and its impact on energy costs
Different takeaway cuisines have very different usage profiles.
| Cuisine / equipment type | Cost impact | Key reasons |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza (electric deck ovens) | Very high | Ovens often run at 300–400°C for hours; high electricity draw. |
| Fish and chips | High | Large fryers (gas or electric), long cooking cycles. |
| Chinese takeaway | High | Powerful wok burners and extraction systems. |
| Indian takeaway | Medium-high | Tandoors and multiple gas burners driving heat load. |
| Kebab shops | Medium-high | Vertical grills and fryers create consistent high heat use. |
| Mixed hot-food takeaway | Very high | Combination of fryers, grills, ovens, wok burners and refrigeration. |
Pizza takeaways are often the most expensive type to run due to electric ovens consuming 3,000–5,000 kWh per month each.
Electricity-heavy vs gas-heavy takeaway kitchens
Whether a takeaway relies on electricity or gas makes a major difference to monthly cost.
Typical gas-heavy kitchen example
- 4,000 kWh electricity + 9,000 kWh gas
- Approx cost: £1,100–£1,600 per month
Typical electricity-heavy kitchen example
- 9,000 kWh electricity + 2,000 kWh gas
- Approx cost: £1,900–£2,700 per month
Electricity-heavy kitchens pay substantially more because electricity costs three to four times as much per kWh as gas.
Refrigeration loads in takeaways
Refrigeration accounts for a significant baseline cost, even outside trading hours.
| Refrigeration setup | Additional electricity | Added monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 small freezers | +300–500 kWh | +£65–£120 |
| Multiple uprights + chest freezers | +1,000–2,000 kWh | +£210–£450 |
| Walk-in freezer | +2,000–3,500 kWh | +£420–£750 |
| Mixed fridge/freezer bank | +3,000–5,000 kWh | +£630–£1,050 |
Takeaways with large frozen stock (e.g. pizza, fish and chip shops) often see refrigeration costs of £300–£900 per month.
Daily energy usage profile
A typical takeaway uses energy in the following pattern:
- 09:00–11:00: Refrigeration stabilisation, hot-holding equipment warming, prep begins
- 11:00–14:00: Midday trade heating up, fryers and ovens running
- 17:00–22:30: Peak trading period — highest extraction and cooking demand
- Overnight: Freezers, chillers, CCTV, alarms; usually 6–12 kWh usage
Overnight power alone can add £40–£85 per month, depending on freezer numbers.
How to calculate your takeaway’s energy bill
- Find your monthly kWh usage on your bills or smart meter.
- Multiply usage by your unit rate: Example: 7,000 kWh electricity × 23p = £1,610.
- Add standing charges: typically £25–£40 per month.
- Add gas usage: 8,500 kWh gas × 7.5p = £638.
- Apply VAT and CCL (most takeaways pay 20%).
A combined monthly bill of £1,800–£2,400 is common for mid-sized hot food takeaways.
How to reduce energy costs in a takeaway business
- Service fryers and cookers regularly to maintain heat efficiency.
- Upgrade to induction hobs (if possible), saving 30–40% electricity use.
- Clean extraction filters weekly, reducing fan and HVAC load.
- Install night blinds on display freezers to cut cooling demand by 15–25%.
- Switch to LED lighting to save 40–70% on lighting costs.
- Reduce overnight electricity use by turning off non-essential kit.
- Switch tariffs using a comparison service like EnergyCosts.co.uk, which commonly saves takeaways 10–20%depending on usage.
Summary
A takeaway business typically spends between £800 and £3,500 per month on energy in the UK, making it one of the most energy-intensive SME sectors. Takeaways with electric ovens, large refrigeration banks, and long opening hours sit at the highest end of the range. With tariff optimisation, ventilation improvements, refrigeration maintenance, and efficient cooking equipment, significant savings are achievable without reducing service quality.
FAQ
Most takeaway businesses spend £800–£3,500 per month on combined gas and electricity. Costs depend heavily on cuisine type, opening hours, and how much high-heat cooking equipment is used.
Takeaways rely on fryers, burners, ovens, grills, and large extraction systems, which together can account for 40–60% of total energy use. Long trading hours and heavy refrigeration loads also push monthly costs upward.
Pizza takeaways (due to electric deck ovens) and large mixed hot-food takeaways have the highest consumption, often exceeding 8,000–14,000 kWh of electricity per month, leading to monthly bills above £2,000.
Refrigeration often contributes £300–£900 per month, depending on the number of chillers, freezers, and walk-ins. A walk-in freezer alone can add 2,000–3,500 kWh to monthly electricity usage.
Takeaways operating 10–14 hours daily typically use 20–35% more energy than those with shorter hours. Evening-heavy operations see their highest load between 17:00 and 22:30 due to peak trading and heavy extraction use.
Yes. Electricity-heavy kitchens typically spend £1,900–£2,700 per month, while gas-heavy setups spend £1,100–£1,600. Electricity unit rates are three to four times higher than gas, which makes a significant difference.
A typical pizza takeaway using electric deck ovens consumes 6,000–10,000 kWh of electricity per month. This equates to £1,260–£2,100 just for electricity, before adding gas and standing charges.
Most takeaways use 6–12 kWh per night to power freezers, chillers, CCTV, alarms, and extractor system standby modes. This adds £40–£85 per month, even when closed.
Cleaning extraction filters, improving refrigeration seals, switching to LED lighting, adjusting HVAC set points, installing night blinds, and turning off non-essential equipment can reduce monthly use by 8–15%.
Yes. Many takeaways save 10–20% by switching to cheaper tariffs through comparison services such as EnergyCosts.co.uk, especially if they are on a costly default or out-of-contract rate.