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Just Eat quadruples service charge on some orders

Emma Lunn
Written By:
Emma Lunn
Posted:
Updated:
30/07/2021

The takeaway app’s service charge will go up from 50p to £1.99 for some customers – with delivery fees on top.

Just Eat has moved from a flat 50p service charge to charging 5% of the food order value, capped at £1.99.

The pricing change applies to orders where Just Eat, rather than the restaurant, takes care of the delivery. These are usually branded restaurant groups.

The company hasn’t made an official announcement about the price change, but it has been spotted by eagled-eyed customers at the point of payment. The price changes are buried away in Just Eat’s ‘help’ section on its website.

A “total” without the service charge is displayed earlier in the ordering process. If you’re paying by card, the new charge is underneath where you confirm your card details and click “place my order”.

Just Eat levies a service charge on top of delivery fees, which are typically between 99p and £2.

A Just Eat spokesperson said: “To help us ensure we continue to deliver the best takeaway experience for all of our customers on behalf of our restaurant partners, we have moved from the current fixed service charge to a variable charge depending on the food order value.

“The change will only apply to orders from restaurants where Just Eat takes care of the delivery and simply reflects the continued investment in our delivery service.”

Rival delivery app Deliveroo also charges a 5% service charge, but it’s capped at 99p. Uber Eats service fee is capped at £2.99. Foodhub doesn’t have a service charge – it charges restaurants a monthly fee instead.

In response to Just Eat’s increased service charge, Foodhub is offering customers a £1.99 discount. To get the money off their order, Foodhub customers need to use the discount code ‘JustNo’.

Ardian Mula, CEO of rival delivery app Foodhub, said: “We never charge a service fee or a convenience fee to the consumer, unlike our rivals. But we were upset that so many Just Eat customers are already being affected by this new hiked service charge.

“So we decided to do something about it – offering the equivalent to that extra £1.99 service charge off the price of a meal from Foodhub, dedicated to unhappy Just Eat customers.

“Takeaway apps have been some of the most successful businesses over lockdown due to the lack of viable alternatives for food and drink in the hospitality industry. However now we’re easing out of lockdown, takeaway aggregators need to do their part to support not only the consumer but, also, the rest of the hospitality industry, and not put profit before progress as the economy strives to recover.”