Hard to swallow: the 30% price hike that gets delivered with your meal

Restaurants say they have no choice but to pass on fees charged by the big food courier apps

The pandemic was a boom time for food delivery as Britons relied on apps such as Deliveroo to get dishes brought to their door. But that convenience comes at a price, as consumers are often being charged higher prices – in some cases almost a third more – on takeaway menus as well as service and delivery fees.

Using apps such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat will often cost more than if you were ordering the same food in a restaurant or cafe, because restaurateurs say they need to make up for the fees levied by the apps, which are frequently around 30% of the price of the order.