How to Get Restaurant Food Delivery in London (eating out without going out)

Whether you're new to London or not, you will have noticed that in comparison to refrigerators in America, the fridges in London are a fraction of the siz. The freezer is only large enough to hold one bag of ice! Since hoarding perishables is not an option, you may need to resort to ordering delivery especially when you don't feel like going grocery shopping for the 3rd time this week. It's also a great alternative if you're just bored of eating chicken noodle soup or whatever you made in a batch for the next 3 days. So, how do you order food to your doorstep?

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The fresh produce in the UK is much fresher than what is in the major American grocery stores. But as a trade off for freshness, I noticed that the produce doesn't last as long. It was a rude awakening because I started to wonder why the apples in America can last a month while they mold here after a few days. Even green vegetables in London last less than a week while it can keep for longer in the States. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but the only thing I can think of that's different is pesticides and GMO used in American farms. But when you want to take a break from cooking at home, where do we turn?

My husband and I are trying to do more online grocery delivery options, but at this point in time, Ocado isn't taking new customers (you're fortunate if you are an existing customer) and if you look for delivery time slots, many places including Sainsbury and Morrisons do not have any available times/dates for at least a month. But don't panic! There are always solutions to problems.

I'm now seeing restaurants only allow take-out and delivery services, when they hadn't before. The restaurants are taking extra care to make sure everything is very hygienically prepared and that the staff are well and healthy. They need to survive and so do we. I'm providing you a list of meal delivery services (not groceries - I have that on another post called Grocery Delivery Services in London. Here are some great delivery services available also as mobile applications to make your life a bit easier.

1. Deliveroo

Deliveroo has to be my favourite food delivery service. The States have decent similar services, but this is by far the most streamlined application I've seen. And I would know because I was very guilty of ordering delivery at least twice a week back in the States.

Deliveroo provides you with step-by-step information on the estimated time of arrival of your meal, when your order is being prepared, when your driver has picked it up, when your driver is on their way, and when they've arrived. There's even a real-time map to show all of this information. The best thing is that usually the order takes less time than the estimated time. If you sign up for a delivery membership, your orders do not have a delivery fee.

2. Uber Eats

Uber Eats is available in the States as well as in London. It works the same way. It doesn't provide as much step-by-step information as Deliveroo does, but it provides essential information such as estimated delivery time, how close your driver is to you, and when it's time to go meet your driver.

You can also choose whether you want your driver to deliver to your door or you'll meet them at their vehicle. When I can't find what I'm looking for on Deliveroo, I look for it on Uber Eats. The positive side to the two applications not always having overlapping restaurants is that you have that many more options to choose from. Uber eats charges you a delivery fee of £3.50 for each order, so keep that in mind.

3. Foodhub

Personally, I don't like the restaurants listed on this application, but I wanted to provide you with the option to take a look. It just looks like a lot of fast food such as fried chicken, unauthentic Chinese and Indian take out, milkshakes, and pizza. I'm listing it here as an option for you to take a gander, but maybe stick with the previous two apps I mentioned.

Currently, many dine-in restaurants are switching modes to add takeaway and delivery services even outside of these delivery service applications. I've been following some on social media and receiving emails from a few as well on updates. If you check out your favourite restaurants' websites directly, they'll let you know if they're allowing takeaway or delivery directly from their website. Remember to first check if you're within their delivery radius by entering your zip code. If you're not, remember that takeaway may still be available, assuming you're in walking distance or have a car.

Food is important to me and I'm sure it is to you. It can elevate your mood when you bite into something you were craving for hours or days. Sharing a meal with your friends and family, or whomever is currently under your roof during self-isolation, is where bonding takes place. But there are definitely some days you don't want to deal with the cooking and cleaning. Utilise these avenues I've provided for you to still get a decent meal without you having to make too much of an effort.

Above all of these things, I hope you maintain good health, you remain safe, and stay in good spirits despite all that is going on around us. Let me know how your food delivery experiences goes. I would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment or send me an email. I can't wait to hear from you.

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