The propensity of UK shoppers to order online takeaways when it’s raining was underlined by figures this week from Just Eat.
The stockmarket-listed company, which operates what it says is the world’s largest online market for takeaway delivery, said this week that trading was slightly ahead of management expectations “in part as a result of the unusually wet winter weather in the UK and northern Europe.”
Orders rose by 51% in the three months to March 31, compared to the same time last year. In the UK, mobile orders rose to more than 50% of all orders following the launch of an iPad app.
Chief executive David Buttress said: “Just Eat’s continued growth reflects the further expansion of our contracted restaurant network giving our consumers an increased choice as they shift to online takeaway ordering.
“During a period of unusually wet winter weather in several of our key markets, our consumers ordered more takeaway online and via mobile than ever before.”
The three-month period also saw Just Eat buy Meal 2 Order.com, which develops takeaway-specific EPOS technology, as it looks to provide its restaurant partners with a central system for managing orders, whether they are walk-in, online or by telephone.
London-based Just Eat currently provides takeaway ordering for 20,000 restaurant partners in nine UK cities. It also operates in 13 countries, including India, Canada, Italy and Norway, working with more than 36,000 restaurants worldwide.
