Fast food delivery apps UberEats and Deliveroo launched in the city several months ago, giving customers a new way to eat their desired takeaways.
Customers can now order their favourite high street restaurant chains and have them delivered straight to their door.
However, not all local takeaways have signed up to the services.
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What do people think of the takeaway apps so far?
This is what Prestonians said about them:
Carley Stewart runs Little Vegan takeaway, selling a delicious variety of tasty vegan treats. It recently expanded to Preston’s first online Vegan supermarket. Little Vegan has not yet signed up to a takeaway app but Carley says she could consider it in the future.
Carley said: “The only information I gathered was that they’re quite pricey to have however worth it?
“I think they take a cut from each sale, it’s whether that cut out weighs doing it yourself! And if they get the food delivered in time for it not to get cold.
“I think with us we’d always use volunteers to deliver and pay them in food or cooking lessons. I believe in trading and educating others in return for their help.
“The benefit with the vegan industry is that we can easily source volunteers as they are all compassionate and willing to help, for the cause of veganism and what it could do to help people’s health, the planet and the animals. So in return they get free food and the feel good factor!”
Orders are placed through the apps or websites and then the food is delivered by couriers, often on a bicycle.
Johannes Christian von Vogel loves how he can choose sites from all over the city. He said: “I use ‘Just Eat’. Love it, no junk mail. Everything’s linked and I can pick and choose from sites all over preston with just a finger swipe. Plus I don’t need to hold cash.”
Diane Brown said: “Can’t stand them they are frustrating and take so long.id rather ring a number and order.”
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Denise Standing won’t be using them again. She said: “Uber eats is a joke we was 5 mins away from MacDonalds and he ends up in clitheroe got a refund but will not be using them again.”
Lisa Storey said: “Uber shocking, we ordered Maccies and they got half way here cancelled the order, didn’t tell us! Got a refund but still a joke.”
Mark Inglis believes food hygiene ratings should be showed on the apps. He said: “What annoys me is I think if delivery sites are going to endorse a takeaway they should be forced to show the food hygiene rating on the front page of each restaurant. Food outlets are quite happy to show off a five rating but it should be compulsory to show what ever rating you have in store and online.”
Tom Woolsgrove said: “I use uber eats to get McDonald’s but thats it. Use Just Eat quite a bit but there are some dodgy takeaways on there.”
Thomas Fisher believes the takeaways he uses are just as easy. He said: “Would use deliveroo but the don’t deliver to Cottam (have used it in other cities). No point in using any other takeaway apps, the takeaways I use have phone numbers and free delivery anyway.”
Angela Sellick use the apps but says she hates how they can’t be reviewed on there. She said: “I use both but depending on the takeaway there is often hidden charges built into their menus on top of the delivery charge. I.e our usual order from KFC is about £14 in store but if you order with Uber it’s about £21 including delivery – many meals are 10-20% more than the instore prices. I hate how they don’t have a review or complaint option either when you don’t get what you ordered. Once the driver put cartons of coke IN THE FOOD BAG which leaked all over the chips and burger bun before it got to us so half the order was soggy.”
Adele Thomas delivery took longer than expected, saying: “I used deliveroo once for getting KFC as the closest one is too far for me to get to with three kids. Cost a lot more then I expected and ‘meals’ were a lot smaller then if I had bought in KFC… which I couldn’t work out, if your paying the same money surely should get the same item? Also delivery said 55 minutes actually took two and a half hours.”
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Deliveroo is delighted with how the launch has gone. A spokesperson said: “We are delighted at how Deliveroo launch in Preston has gone – we are working with an amazing group of restaurants, takeaways, and riders.
“The feedback from customers so far has been overwhelmingly positive. We have been working hard to increase selection, giving customers more choice and providing restaurants the chance to grow even more.
“Obviously, it is early days but Preston has a great appetite for food and we are working hard to provide the best service possible.”
Uber Eats didn’t respond when asked for a comment.
What do you think about UberEats and Deliveroo coming to the city? Will you be using the fast food delivery app? Let us know in the comments below