British couple try Chinese takeaway in America and spot one big difference

Edinburgh Live

09-06-2025

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A British couple, James and Siana, recently tried Chinese takeaway in America for the first time and noticed a significant difference. In the UK, ordering 'a Chinese' is a beloved tradition, with favourites such as egg fried rice, chow mein, and sweet and sour chicken.
Chinese takeaways are dotted all over the UK and are a popular choice for relaxed get-togethers with family or friends. For some families, getting a Chinese takeaway for dinner is a treat, while for others it's a convenient option when they don't feel like cooking.
Americans also enjoy Chinese takeaways, and this British couple decided to document their experience of trying one in the US on TikTok.
James mentioned that a Chinese takeaway "is normally very good in Britain", so they were "intrigued" to see how it compares in the US.
Siana started by opening a "stunning" container of broccoli beef, noting that it "actually smells really good," reports the Mirror.
Next up was orange chicken. James confessed that he had never tried this dish before in the UK, and Siana admitted she hadn't heard of it either but knew it's a "big thing" in the US.
Upon opening the container, James took a whiff of the chicken and exclaimed: "Oh it smells amazing." Siana excitedly chimed in: "Ooh yum, that smells like sweet and sour chicken."
They also ordered some chicken fried rice. The next dish left them puzzled. They explained that the item was labelled as egg rolls, but the couple thought they looked more like spring rolls.
In their exploration of different Chinese takeaway options between the US and the UK, Siana questioned whether 'egg rolls' were simply a stateside term for 'spring rolls', imploring her viewers to weigh in. She also pointed out one key item missing from American Chinese takeaways: "The one thing that we're missing is prawn crackers."
James chimed in, remarking on how they didn't receive the customary prawn crackers but instead got complimentary white rice: "They usually just put them in for free but it seems like they've just added some white rice for free. Maybe that's something they do here instead."
Despite the lack of prawn crackers, they were pleased to find fortune cookies included. Tasting the egg rolls, Siana immediately noted their resemblance to chunkier spring rolls: "That's a spring roll but thicker."
She expressed enjoyment at the heartiness of the roll, finding it "actually really nice." When they delved into the orange chicken, James declared it "really good" with both agreeing it bore a similarity to the sweet and sour chicken back home in UK takeaways.
Their verdict on the broccoli beef was less enthusiastic, branding it "average" and somewhat uninspired in flavour. Siana however found its subtlety ="still quite nice."
Digging into the chicken fried rice, the pair were unanimous in their approval, with Siana commenting it was "just your typical fried rice" and akin to that served in the UK.
To clear up confusion over egg rolls versus spring rolls, The Food Network has differentiated the two on its website, noting that egg rolls are an American invention, while spring rolls have their origins in China.
Egg rolls are known for their thicker skin, utilising a "wonton or thick, yeast dough wrapper", in contrast to spring rolls which boast a "more delicate, thin skin and use a spring roll wrapper."
When it comes to what's inside, egg rolls are usually packed with "typically contain cabbage and meat", whereas spring rolls tend to be "traditionally vegetarian or vegan", although there are versions that feature meat or seafood.