Salty US TikTok beef with British creators as Chinese takeaway orders flood the internet

3 May 2023, 16:42 | Updated: 4 May 2023, 08:12

A transatlantic takeaway battle of supersize proportions has begun, after an American TikTok star was left puzzled by British Chinese takeaway orders.

The beef began when the social media platform's notoriously secretive algorithm began serving up helpings of British takeaway content to US users.

Prominent US TikTok star Soogia, who has amassed over 1.7 million followers on the platform, highlighted the influx of British content, noting not only the odd selection of food Brits consider 'Chinese' but also the lack of the word 'takeaway'.

She adds: "I know it’s not intended to be racist, but it feels like it is".

Her comments refer to an apparent lack of the words 'food' or 'takeaway' after the word Chinese, questioning whether 'Greek' or 'Italian' are also used in isolation.

Soogia is quick to add in a caption: "So there's NO CONFUSION, I am NOT calling any of these people rey-cist".

Going on to ask whether other US users' For You Pages - the platform's suggested content homepages - were also suddenly filled with British Chinese food consumption, her video also features clips from similar posts.

The American content creator appears particularly baffled by the inclusion of curry sauce and chips as part of British Chinese takeaway orders.

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"All their plates are almost exactly the same," she remarks, noting their contents feature food she doesn't consider to be Chinese.

"They all have something called 'Chicken Balls' - I don't know what Chicken Balls are?!" she exclaims.

"And they all order French Fries or chips with their food?"

Her comments have seen British accounts counter the video, with TikTokers including duo ‘Whalesandfairytales’ explaining it from a British standpoint.

With one being born and raised British, while the other is born and raised Chinese, the duo add: “We think we have enough qualifications to speak about Chinese food in England.

"No hate to the creator, as an outsider looking in her questions are valid but we can answer them,” they add.

“I’m gonna have a Chinese, I’m gonna have an Indian – thoughts” says one, with the other adding: “They’re not racist, they’re just English people being lazy.”

The trend has seen videos with hashtags including #scran and #currysauce flood the internet.

Soogia's clip has since gone viral, with the influencer adding: "The thing I find the most different is ‘curry sauce’, pools of it all over the Chinese food.

"I’m not judging at all. I’ve just never seen it before? I’m seeing the same plates over and over again," she adds.

"If they love it fine, but there’s such a beautiful world of Chinese food beyond what they have on their plates.”