One of the harsh realities of modern-day life is our inability to find the time or energy to make home-cooked meals, and if you’ve just come home exhausted from a hectic day at work, the last thing you want to do is to eat a boring microwave meal or have to prepare something from scratch.
Thankfully, in this age of technology and apps, a delicious meal is just a click away.
The UK is now home to many food apps that claim to provide the fastest service and the widest variety of options.
In this article, we will give you a detailed guide on the top UK food delivery apps so that the only decision you have to make after a long day is what to eat.
Moreover, the article entails the steps on how to sign up and the pros and cons.
In summary, this article covers the following topics:
- 6 UK Food Delivery Apps
- Benefits of UK Food Delivery Apps
- Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
6 UK Food Delivery Apps (Best Food Delivery Apps London)
1. Just Eat
One of the best food delivery apps in London, Just Eat is by far the most popular delivery service in the UK, and in 2018 it was estimated to have earned $385 million in revenue.
The company has been in operation since 2001 and currently offers its services in the UK and 20 other countries around the world.
It partners with over 12,000 UK food outlets and delivers almost every kind, from fast food to meals and upmarket sit-down restaurants.
The app works by asking users to enter their area code, after which a list of available restaurants is presented.
You can download the app via AppGallery, App Store, and Google Play.
Fees and Membership
Users are charged a delivery fee at around 5% of their order value, which ranges from a minimum of 50p to £2 for both cash and card orders.
There is also a minimum order of £10. If you are a loyal user, you get the chance to collect points and redeem them, as well as promotions and discounts.
Pros
The company has a wide variety of payment options to suit everyone’s needs, from cash to card and other e-payment options such as Apple Pay, GooglePay, and Paypal.
Apart from this, you can also get discounts of up to a whopping 25%.
Cons
A number of users have complained about long waiting times whenever they needed to resolve an issue, such as not receiving their order or needing a refund.
Although this can be expected with a company of such a large size, it is an area that the company really needs to work on.
How to Sign Up
- You can sign up for a Just Eat account on the official website.
- Use your Google or Facebook account to sign in.
- Fill in your correct personal details, including your current address.
- Then download the app via Google Play or App Store and start ordering away!
2. Deliveroo
Founded in 2013 in London, this service has grown stronger and now offers its services across 77% of the UK and in a number of other countries like Italy, France, and the UAE.
Deliveroo partners with 10,000 UK-based restaurants to provide services to around 45,000 customers, and continues to grow with an impressive reported revenue of £1,824 million in 2021.
The app is available for iOS and Android users and can be easily downloaded from the App Store or on Google Play.
Fees and Membership
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When you place an order, you will be charged a delivery fee which varies depending on your location and how far away you are from the restaurant you are ordering from.
There is also a small service fee which depends on the amount you order, with a minimum order of £10.
However, being a member by joining Deliveroo Plus offers a discount of £5 on delivery fees per order, as well as special offers and discounts.
Choose a plan between Gold for £7.99 per month or Silver for £3.49 per month.
With the Gold plan, users get free delivery on various restaurants, takeaways, and groceries, whereas the Silver plan offers free delivery on total bills of £25 or more.
Pros
This app promises to get your favourite meal delivered to your doorstep in record time.
This is because the company uses an algorithm to determine the fastest routes to get around the country.
Another innovative feature implemented by the company is the free delivery service for Deliveroo Plus members who meet certain requirements.
Cons
To protect its drivers and avoid non-payment, this company does not accept cash payments. It also doesn’t accept payment by Paypal.
Deliveroo only accepts card payments, which can be a disadvantage to those who may prefer cash payments.
How to Sign Up
- Visit the official Deliveroo
- Click on the tab on the top right corner that says sign up or log in.
- Use your Facebook account, Google, or email to sign up for a new account.
- You will first need to verify your phone number before you can log in using a 6-digit code.
- Enter your personal details such as your name, phone number and address. You will also need to add your payment information as well.
- Once you have successfully signed up you can either order using your browser or download the app directly from the website.
- Sign in to the app using the information you entered when signing up and choose from the thousands of delicious options available to you.
3. UberEats
UberEats initially started out as a private taxi service and has successfully branched out into the world of food delivery.
It officially joined the UK market in 2016 and provides services to 60 areas in the UK.
Its simple and easy-to-use interface has made it a hit among UK residents.
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Fees and Membership
UberEats charges its users a service fee of 10% of their subtotal and this can range from a minimum of £1.60 to a maximum of £3.50.
The minimum order depends on the restaurant you order from.
You can also get several discounts and promo codes depending on the promotion being offered at the time, but your actual delivery fees depend on your distance from the restaurant.
You can save more with Uber One, a membership for only £5.99 a month.
It’s an all-in-one membership for Uber Rides, UberEats deliveries, and grocery orders. Members get free deliveries on selected stores and restaurants.
On top of that, members are also guaranteed a 5% discount on selected UberEats deliveries and Uber Rides and a 10% discount on premium Uber Rides.
Other benefits members have are priority service and free cancellations. If the order is late, members also receive £5 Uber Cash as compensation.
Pros
Most delivery apps either do not allow customers to order below a certain amount or charge a higher service fee for small orders.
However, for Uber Eats, there is no minimum order amount. Another unique feature of the UberEats app is that it gives users specific details about riders that will deliver their meals such as their vehicle licence plate number and full name.
You can also track your order at every delivery stage. Another advantage is the free cancellation only before the restaurant accepts the order.
However, once the restaurant accepts the order, it can be difficult to cancel it from there on.
Cons
On average, studies have found that UberEats orders are around 25% more expensive than just ordering directly from a restaurant.
UberEats charges several fees, such as delivery fees, service fees, and small order fees.
So if you plan to order just one piece of burger, expect the cost to be much more expensive than buying three pieces because of the small order fee charge.
How to Sign Up
- Download the app from either the Google Play Store or the App Store. You could alternatively visit the Uber Eats website to find a link to these app stores.
- Once you have done this you can sign in using your Google account, Facebook account or email.
- You will then receive a code via SMS to verify your account.
- That’s it. You now have the go-ahead to order anything you like.
4. Food Hub
Food Hub was launched in 2017 and partners with more than 15,000 food outlets to provide UK residents with one of the largest varieties of cuisines in the market.
While most food delivery apps make money by charging a commission fee to the restaurants, Food Hub guarantees 100% commission free to support local restaurants.
It is comparatively cheaper than other apps since they don’t usually charge delivery and service fees.
Fees and Membership
Food Hub does not charge its users extra fees, instead, it charges the restaurant that uses its services a monthly charge of £100, which makes it super affordable for both restaurants and customers.
Pros
The fact that this app does not charge any service fee certainly makes it a cut above the rest!
To add to this, it boasts a user-friendly interface and a number of convenient payment solutions.
Cons
A number of users have previously complained about technical glitches when making payments on the app, and for the most part, these seem to have been dealt with by the company.
Moreover, based on online reviews, the delivery usually arrives late and getting a customer service agent to help on issues can be quite difficult.
How to Sign Up
- You can sign up by first visiting the official Food Hub website or once you have downloaded the app from Google Play or the App Store.
- Click on the tab in the top right corner that says ‘sign up’or ‘log in’, and use your Facebook, email, or Google ID to sign up for a new account.
- Once you have successfully signed in, you need to enter your postcode and a list of available restaurants will pop up on your screen
- You can search either by restaurant name or type of cuisine to find a meal that best suits you.
5. Zomato
Zomato is an Indian-based company established in 2008 by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah.
Today, it operates in 24 countries in the world. It is one of the largest services in the market with an estimated revenue of close to 600 million dollars in 2021.
Not only can you have food delivered to your doorstep, but get honest customer reviews from Zomato users and updated restaurant photos of the menu.
Moreover, it boasts a dependable grocery service via Blinkit. However, grocery service in the UK is not yet available and is only available in India.
Fees and Membership
As with most food delivery services, this app’s delivery charges are based on how far your location is from the restaurant and other factors such as how busy the roads are at that time.
You will also be happy to know that Zomato does not have a minimum order amount.
The rest of the costs are dependent on the restaurant as Zomato operates on a commission-based model, and charges its partner outlets a percentage of each transaction.
You can become a member when you join Pro Plus. However, not all users are able to join since this is an invite-only and limited edition membership.
To check if you get an invitation to join Pro Plus, visit the Pro tab from the app.
Pro Plus members benefit from free deliveries, exclusive deals, and more discounts.
Moreover, members are not charged distance and surcharge fees. These benefits are applicable on all orders.
Pros
Zomato lets users read restaurant reviews made by other users, and this is a great help to people who just want to try something new.
Additionally, it offers an extensive selection of restaurants to choose from various locations.
You can easily select a restaurant according to your location, whether you’re in Northern Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland.
Cons
This service has become a bit notorious for its mistreatment of workers, with many complaints about its low wages and extreme working hours and conditions.
Hopefully, they will work more on improving their employee satisfaction as this would go a long way to raise customers’ trust in the brand.
So if you support fair labour work, this is something you may have to look into.
How to Sign Up
- You can access Zomato on the web or via the app from the App Store or Google Play. The user interface for both these options is seamless.
- Once you have logged in using your Google or email account, you will be asked to verify your account with an OTP code.
- You can then make orders by searching for restaurants by name, or by cuisine. The app even has the option to add tags to make it easier to find what you want.
6. Gousto
Gousto was founded in 2012 and takes the online food app business one step further by catering to those who like to have ingredients pre-prepared and be cooked at home.
Instead of the typical restaurant ready-made food delivery, Gousto offers recipe meal kits to be delivered, which comprises partially-prepared food ingredients for easy cooking.
It’s a great option for those who like to still make it a priority to have healthy food options and prepare it themselves.
You can choose from more than 75 recipe boxes every week, which includes over 28 veggie options and over 10 vegan recipes.
Apart from the usual search options, you can also filter your searches according to whether the meals are vegan and gluten or dairy free. You can even choose the number of calories you want to consume.
Fees and Membership
On your first recipe box order, you can get a 60% discount and 25% discount in the first two months of use. You can choose between a Regular box and a Large box.
A Regular box is good for two adults or one adult and up to two children for only £42.99 per box.
A Large box is best for four adults or two adults with up to three children for only £50.25 per box.
Gousto also offers a subscription service that you can set to get recipe boxes (two, three, or four recipes per box) every week, two weeks, or a month.
The advantage of getting a subscription is that you are allowed to skip a box or delivery if you want to.
Moreover, if you think you won’t be needing a recipe box for a longer period of time, you can simply pause your subscription.
Pros
Customers appreciate its wide variety of recipes to choose from which can be cooked for 10 minutes.
Moreover, it caters to special food preferences such as plant-based or gluten-free. In terms of quality, most customers love its fresh ingredients.
Plus, the recipes they offer are usually easy to follow and the app is user-friendly. It’s easy to choose a recipe thanks to the available photos for reference.
Cons
Gousto is probably not suitable for those who don’t like to cook and prefer meals that are readily available to eat.
Moreover, some may still find it restricting in terms of recipes and ingredients you may want to add additionally to the recipe.
Of course, ordering food ingredients from Gousto will be more expensive than buying from your local grocery store or supermarket.
How to Sign Up
- Sign up by clicking the Get Started button in the homepage. Alternatively, download the app via Google Play and App Store.
- Choose between a Regular box and Large box.
- Input the UK Postcode and click Continue.
- Choose the delivery date and time.
- The page directs you to “See this week‘s menu”.
- Select the recipe’s you like and click + Add recipe.
- After selecting all your desired recipes, click Checkout.
- The page leads you to a form where you will create an account.
- Input your email address and create a password.
- Click Continue to Delivery and proceed to payment.
Benefits of UK Food Delivery Apps
On average, UK residents make around 7.5 billion food delivery orders in a year and more than 50% of these orders are made online.
This number is only expected to increase with time. The reasons for this are mainly that apart from offering convenience, there are a number of benefits to food delivery services.
Let’s take a look at some of the main advantages.
1. Choose from a Wide Variety of Cuisines and Restaurants
Most food delivery apps have the advantage of offering a large number of restaurants in one app.
This means that you do not have to search from website to website for the type of food you want since everything is organised according to each restaurant’s menu and the type of cuisine you want to eat.
2. Can Handle a High Volume of Orders
Most restaurants are not equipped with the resources to manage extremely large sales volumes for deliveries.
Therefore, it makes more sense for restaurants to partner with a delivery service to increase their capacity to handle a large number of orders.
3. Get Deals and Discounts
Most food delivery apps run marketing campaigns that include special deals and promotions. This can significantly increase a restaurant’s appeal to customers.
4. Expect Faster Delivery Times
With a larger number of employees and riders, a delivery service can make sure that all their orders are delivered on time and without hassle.
This helps build up a good reputation among its users and also the restaurants that they represent.
5. Choose from Available Healthy Options
These days, food delivery services have made it much easier to stick to our diets while still providing users with a wealth of nutritious choices.
It is no longer the case that the only food delivered to homes is junk food like pizza or burgers.
There are now a number of fine dining establishments that also use the services of delivery apps.
6. Always be in the Loop about New Restaurants and Cuisines in Your Area.
Food delivery apps always keep users informed about new restaurants in their area.
This makes it easier to try new things, and more than that, users are no longer bound to eat food from their locality.
They can branch out and try different cuisines from further away, and without a delivery service, such things would not be feasible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest and most profitable food service app in the UK?
In 2021, Just Eat was the UK’s top food delivery app with a 45% share in the market.
Moreover, it has approximately 65 million users worldwide, of which the majority of the users are in the UK.
What factors should a user consider before downloading and signing up in a food delivery app?
Before you download and sign up, check if the app can cater to all your preferences.
Some factors to consider are the number of restaurants available, reliable customer service, and multiple payment options.
How do food delivery apps work?
A food delivery app allows users to choose from the menus of a large number of restaurants and place an order for delivery, dine in or pick up. The user then adds menu items to their cart and places an order.
Once the restaurant receives confirmation of an order, they prepare the meal and it is then picked up by a driver from the app and delivered to the mentioned location. Alternatively, the meal is prepared and then picked up by the user.
How do food delivery apps make a profit?
Most food delivery apps earn money through commission, and they get a percentage of every sale made through the app.
They also charge users delivery fees that depend on how far away a user is from the restaurant they have ordered from. Lastly, certain restaurants pay more than usual to have their business featured on the app.
Are food delivery apps safe?
Any good delivery app worth its salt will have security measures in place to protect your personal details and more importantly your banking details.
Make sure you are using an app that is safe by checking whether they offer two-factor authentication and they must have procedures in place to verify your identity.
Identity verification is needed in order to avoid impersonation or other scammers using your name.
Are there any disadvantages to using a food delivery app?
Almost every new innovation has its good and bad sides, and food delivery apps are no exception.
Studies have shown that the popularity of these apps has led to an increase in the already high level of isolation felt by UK residents.
More and more people find themselves living essentially in a virtual world in which they prefer to dine alone while streaming something interesting to watch instead of engaging in much-needed social interaction during family meals.
Moreover, food deliveries may not be as fresh and hot as they are when it comes to eating out in restaurants.
Final Thoughts
Judging by all the information you have just read, it’s clear to see that the food delivery service market in the UK is a booming industry.
It is an excellent option for those who want a hassle-free lunch or take away dinner for the family and kids. Trying new international cuisines and supporting local restaurants are all possible with a simple app.
