Online food delivery companies are experiencing tremendous growth even after the pandemic has subsided.
The online food delivery market generated $7.7 billion revenue in 2019, it is expected to breach $12 billion by 2023.
Food delivery apps in the UK rose in popularity after the pandemic forced lockdown enhanced its adoption. Hence now a gamut of businesses are offering online food delivery services.
There’s clear distinction between meal delivery services, which is providing recipe cards, ingredients, and meal plans. While food delivery services, is delivering fully cooked meals ASAP.
The online meal delivery market generated $4.8 billion in 2019 and should touch $6.7 billion by 2023.
We discuss below the top 5 food delivery apps in the UK. However, before moving on, it is necessary to understand the significance of food delivery services as well as the many business models available for online food ordering businesses.
The Future Of Food Delivery Apps In The UK
The convenience and ease of ordering is responsible for the growing popularity of food delivery apps among the masses. Thus you may experience the flavor and quality of restaurant food right on your dining table.
Food delivery apps in the UK have altered the way people order food. You no longer have to wait at a restaurant or make a reservation in advance. Simply open a food delivery app, browse the menu, and order food with a few clicks.
But what does the future hold for these apps? Will they hold their course, or will other methods of ordering food eventually replace them?
Only newer technologies can make further in-roads to convenience, but one thing is certain: food delivery apps in the UK are going to prevail. With new features and improvements being added all the time, they can only get better.
The food delivery market has grown by 73% in the last decade, here’s the top food delivery apps in the UK.
Food Delivery Apps & Their Business Models
UberEats was the most popular food delivery app in the UK in 2021, with nearly six million downloads. Deliveroo came in second, with five million downloads that year. With over four million downloads, the restaurant service Just Eat came in third place.
Let’s take a look at the defining features and business models of the top 5 food delivery apps in the UK.
It provides real-time updates on everything from cooking to delivery. The app sends delivery status notifications. It also allows you to schedule an order as per your convenience. Furthermore you can track the rider as he makes the delivery run. View your order history, download receipts and securely save multiple payment methods.
Uber Eats
It provides real-time updates on everything from cooking to delivery. The app sends delivery status notifications. It also allows you to schedule an order as per your convenience. Furthermore you can track the rider as he makes the delivery run. View your order history, download receipts and securely save multiple payment methods.
Uber Eats is another major player in the U.K. market, benefiting from the strong brand presence of Uber. It offers fast food delivery from a range of restaurants, often leveraging its existing driver network to ensure efficiency. Uber Eats frequently runs promotional campaigns and partnerships with well-known chains, helping to attract a large customer base. Its integration with the Uber app also makes it convenient for users already familiar with the platform.
Uber Eats food delivery app was launched in the year 2014 by Dara Khosrowshahi. This app allows you to browse nearby restaurants and search for food based on the name of the restaurant, diet, dish, meal, and cuisine. Order dishes from the menu, add it to the cart and make the payment. You can schedule the delivery or get it right away.
Furthermore, the user can view the delivery agent as he arrives and the estimated time of delivery is displayed. The app accepts secure payments via Uber Cash or debit/credit card. It provides a promo code for any discounts that are available.
The delivery platform has become a key driver for Uber’s overall growth. In 2021, the delivery platform saw a 114% surge in growth rate. The delivery platform also surpassed the gross bookings in comparison to the mobility platform. The delivery platform earned $6.9 billion, and the mobility platform around $3 billion. The pandemic had a say in this.
Deliveroo
Deliveroo is a food delivery app that was founded in the year 2013 by Will and Greg Orlowski. It allows the user to order food from any of the fine dine restaurants, whether they are local favorites or national favorites. You can search by category, cuisine, or restaurant.
Deliveroo is one of the most popular food delivery platforms in the U.K., known for its wide range of restaurant partnerships. It offers quick delivery from high-end restaurants to local favorites. Deliveroo also has a subscription service, Deliveroo Plus, which offers free delivery for regular users. Its success is driven by an easy-to-use interface, fast delivery times, and a broad selection of cuisines. Recently, Deliveroo has also ventured into grocery delivery, further expanding its reach.
The user can view the most popular meals and restaurants in their area.
It provides real-time updates on everything from cooking to delivery. The app sends delivery status notifications. It also allows you to schedule an order as per your convenience. Furthermore you can track the rider as he makes the delivery run. View your order history, download receipts and securely save multiple payment methods.
Just Eat
Just Eat is a London-based online ordering and delivery service that was founded in 2001 in Kolding, Denmark. In 2006 the company moved its headquarters to London until its merger with takeaway.com in 2020.
It is also functional in other countries such as Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. It handled 221.2 million orders in 2019.
It has a payment gateway for safe payment. Furthermore, it delivers food quickly and is an excellent choice when you are hungry. Just Eat offers numerous pickup and delivery options.
Just Eat is one of the earliest food delivery platforms in the U.K. and remains highly successful. Unlike Deliveroo and Uber Eats, Just Eat partners with a larger number of local, smaller restaurants and takeaways, especially in suburban areas. Its established user base and easy ordering process make it a top choice for many customers. Additionally, Just Eat has invested heavily in marketing, contributing to its ongoing dominance in the U.K. food delivery scene.
Until February 2020 Just Eat was listed separately on the London Stock Exchange. After that it was acquired by Takeaway.com and the two companies merged to form Just Eat Takeaway.com. This replaced Just Eat’s listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Food Hub
FoodHub is a food delivery app that was launched in 2017 with the main goal of operating on a subscription model rather than a commission model. It provides a diverse range of cuisines. It detects the user’s location and displays all the favorite takeaways, from Indian curry to pan pizza.
Restaurants and takeaways do not pay a commission, thereby you could frequently end up finding exclusive deals.
It also includes secure payment options such as cash on delivery, debit or credit card payments. Furthermore, the app includes a meal tracker that allows you to track the progress of your meal from the takeaway’s kitchen to your door. Finally, order history allows users to quickly repeat those orders with a single click.
Hungry House
This is yet another well-known food delivery app, with over 10,000 restaurant partners. Shane Lake and Tony Charles founded it in 2006, and it later merged with Just Eat in 2018.
The app provides a huge choice of over 10,000 restaurants. The app’s dependability and ease of use, aids in attracting the user’s attention. The app includes a GPS code and a postal code. This allows clients to order online based on their location. It follows a similar business model to Just Eat since it was acquired by that company.
Benefits Of Launching A Food Delivery Business
- Starting a food delivery business is significantly cheaper than any other business. The investment ranges between $500 and $35,000.
- Starting a food delivery company can be extremely rewarding as you’re solving a pressing problem that you genuinely care about.
- High customer retention rates: When a customer purchases your product, they are investing their time and energy in using your product/service. When the customer values the work done, they become loyal to your service.
- Pick and choose your clients: Food delivery companies have the ability to pick and choose their clients. You can just go ahead and work with a few loyal clients.
- Workload control: When you start a food delivery business, you have the choice to choose how much work you prefer doing.
- Other advantages include: no restrictions on reaching your target audience and developing a well-known brand.
Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs
The U.K. food delivery market thrives on variety, speed, and convenience. Offering a diverse selection of restaurants, partnering with local favorites, and ensuring fast and reliable delivery are critical factors. You could also explore subscription models, partnerships with grocery stores, or niche offerings to differentiate your service from the established giants.
Conclusion: Food Delivery Apps In The UK
These food delivery companies use aggregators, new or innovative delivery services, or full-service on-demand services as their business models.
iDeliver can assist you if you are impressed with all of these food delivery apps, their progress in the industry and want to start your own food delivery service.
Our in-house team consisting of designer, developers and testers have the ability to understand and meet your requirements. Our restaurant delivery script is designed to meet the unique needs of restaurants with a simple, intuitive and cost-effective solution.
Therefore, try iDeliver, the top food delivery software that can be modified as per your requirements. This will help you create an affordable solution if you are eager to establish a food delivery app for your business.
