Food App of The Week: Just Eat

15 May 2013

Food App of The Week: Just Eat

App: Just Eat

Price: Free

Available on: iPhone and Android

What is it?

In simple terms Just Eat’s app is a useful tool for foodies; it has the menus of thousands of takeaways in every corner of the UK, and all you have to do is find the place you want to order from and click on the food you want to eat.

Just Eat, which was initially a website, eliminates the hassle of engaged or noisy restaurant phone lines and puts 15,000 takeaway restaurants, and their menus, in the palm of your hand.

How it works:

Once you’ve downloaded the app on to your device, your next takeaway order is just a few moments away. Start by putting in your postcode and Just Eat will match it to takeaways near you.

When using the app, I was offered over 50 choices of places to order my takeaway. Everything from fried chicken stops, tandoori restaurants, pizza houses, and Chinese, Indian and Italian eateries, all popped up in a list for me to choose from.

For those thinking that 50 takeaway choices is too confusing, fear not, the app has excellent and easy-to-use features that allow you to filter takeaways by your preferred cuisine and sort through customer rating. For example, I opted to order an Indian takeout from a place that had a 5-star user rating.

Once you’ve selected the food you would like to order, you can easily pay for the takeaway by card and have it delivered to your door, or you can opt to pay the delivery person by cash.

The great thing is that you can login using your existing JUST EAT account, or if it’s your first time then creating a new one is quick and simple too.

We Love:

Instead of being hunched over a computer or laptop trying to find a menu online, your chosen takeaway has a detailed menu on the Just Eat app.

You’ll be alerted to any offers, for example, one of the takeaways in my area had a ‘20% off when you spend £20’ offer, which was clearly displayed in the list.

Furthermore, when you are at the menu stage, food is clearly listed under sub-headings; for the Indian takeaway menu I chose there was ‘starters’, ‘tandoori dishes’, ‘biryani dishes’, ‘vegetable dishes’, ‘sundries’, ‘chef’s special’, ‘kebabs’, and ‘drinks and desserts’. That’s not all; under many of the dishes was a brief description of the ingredients, especially useful for those who may not want something too spicy, or even those who do!

The emphasis on user interaction is also a feature we love. Before ordering you can check restaurant feedback from other Just Eat users and see how your chosen takeaway has been rated. 

The appeal of the Just Eat app is in both the fact that some deals are cheaper than it would be over the phone and in the simplicity of the ordering process. 

Downfall:

Though the Just Eat app offers a somewhat revolutionary yet simple and effective way of ordering a takeaway, you could argue that it pushes us closer to a world without human interaction, save the delivery person.

Despite this, it is hard to fault the app as it fulfils its purpose very well.

Verdict:

I have used the Just Eat app on many occasions now and every time the order process seems to get quicker and easier. I also found that when ordering certain takeaways like burgers and pizzas, the apps features go as far as allowing you to select extra toppings, sauces and salad options, as well as a way to easily change and add to your order too - something that tends to be rushed, ignored or mistake-ridden on phone orders.

And with 15,000 takeaways at your disposal, Just Eat can be used anywhere in the country, not just when it’s takeout night at home.

For me, Just Eat is the answer for all those constantly on-the-go who want a quick and easy way to get food delivered to their door, and for those who want to cut out the bother of ordering food over the phone. 

Where the app really wins is the user-friendly layout and the quality of the menus and features. It’s also great for discovering new takeaways and a variety of cuisines available in your area.

On its website the Just Eat app is described as ‘a little takeaway chef in your pocket’, that it really is. For staying true to its motto and purpose, the app scores a tasty 4/5.