In these uncertain times, having something to look forward to is as important as ever. We’re banished from the office, our social life exists entirely on Houseparty, Zoom and FaceTime, and the Coronavirus Daily Update has replaced Love Island as the programme we’re all tuning into each night. However, there is one thing we can still get excited about: eating and drinking. At the press of a button, we can transport our taste buds to exotic destinations and treat ourselves to some much-needed (culinary) escapism. But with so many London food delivery services out there, it can be hard to know which ones to choose. That’s where we come in.
For food from your favourite restaurants: Deliveroo
Has your favourite restaurant closed its doors? It’s worth checking out whether they’re on Deliveroo—the popular London food delivery app. Thanks to Deliveroo, you can keep supporting your favourite local restaurants throughout this difficult period. The app has a no-contact drop-off service, which means you can request in the app that your rider leaves the food on your doorstep—removing the need for direct contact for both parties. The app also allows you to filter by FSA hygiene rating if you want to ensure premium safety.
How: Download the Deliveroo app
Where: Deliveroo operates London-wide and is in more than 200 UK cities
Delivery fees: The closer you are to the restaurant you’re ordering from, the lower your delivery fee will be. In cases where restaurants use their own delivery drivers, the restaurant sets its own delivery fee.
For booze: The Drop Store
Bars and pubs may have closed their doors. But isolation needn’t equal sobriety. The Drop Store is still delivering artisanal spirits and craft beer across London and is currently featuring some excellent discounts on brand new tipples (such as JJ Whitley Raspberry Vodka (70cl) reduced by £3.00 to £17.00).
How: Visit The Drop Store website
Where: The Drop Store operates UK-wide
Delivery fees: Free for orders over £30.00, otherwise £4.99 for orders under 10kg and £9.95 for orders over 10kg
For sustainability: Karma
Normally, users of the Karma app can find delicious surplus food from restaurants, cafes and grocery stores to enjoy at half the regular price. However, recent events have meant that Karma has (temporarily) pivoted its business to offer delivery from its partners in London to support restaurants and increase access to food for its users. All food is still 50% off. That makes Karma an affordable and sustainable choice.
How: Download the Karma app
Where: Delivery is offered at more than 30 London locations. View the full list on the Karma website
Delivery fees: Karma may charge a small fee per order to cover for the cost of operations, but there is no set delivery fee
For a banging home-bar: The Bottle Club
The Bottle Club delivers inspiring wines, spirits, handcrafted beers, champagnes and whiskies from around the world, as well as hard to find and limited-edition drinks. But their unique selling point is that they can bring everything you need to create a bar at home direct to your door. That inclues snacks (including gourmet popcorn, gummy bears and chocolate) and even barware.
How: Visit The Bottle Club website
Where: The Bottle Club operates UK-wide
Delivery fees: Standard deliveries cost £4.99, but are free when you spend £100.00 or more
For effortless ordering: Uber Eats
Uber Eats, the American food delivery service, is here to make life a little easier for anyone struggling to get the food they need at the supermarket. Hundreds of local restaurants and convenience stores are added to the app each week and there’s even free delivery being offered at more than 15,000 restaurants (as well as tonnes of special discounts). Uber Eats also has a new “Leave at Door” delivery option, making contactless deliveries easier for both you and your driver.
How: Download the Uber Eats app
Where: Uber Eats operates across London and in more than 40 UK cities
Delivery fees: Uber Eats has recently waived delivery fees in the UK to support restaurants hit by decreasing demand during the coronavirus crisis
For all your pasta needs: Pasta Evangelists
Pasta through your letterbox sounds a bit too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, thanks to fresh pasta delivery service Pasta Evangelists, it’s not. Launched in 2017 by a team of pasta lovers, the service delivers fresh pasta, sauces and garnishes in insulated packaging alongside chilled ice packs – meaning your food will stay cool and fresh until you’re ready to unpack it. Dishes will keep in the fridge for up to three days and are suitable for freezing too.
How: Visit the Pasta Evangelists website
Where: Pasta Evangelists operates London-wide
Delivery fees: Next-day and select-day delivery (including weekends) is £3.50, but free for all orders over £25.00
For a huge selection: Just Eat
If you’re not already familiar with Just Eat, you’ve probably seen their humorous adverts on the tube (‘Man… I feel like a wonton’ ring any bells?). The popular delivery service works with more than 30,000 restaurants nationwide. Tuesday is the best day to order Just Eat thanks to their ‘Cheeky Tuesday’ promotion where you can get 20% off takeaways from selected restaurants (with a minimum spend of £15.00). Top tip: if you sign up to cashback site TopCashback before the end of May, you can get an extra £15.00 cashback when you use the Just Eat site for the first time.
How: Download the Just Eat app
Where: Just Eat operates all across London and the UK
Delivery fees: Delivery fees vary from restaurant to restaurant, but are generally £2.50, £2.00 or free
