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Restaurants · head to head

Just Eat vs Lunchbox

Just Eat logo

Just Eat

Restaurants

European takeaway marketplace, merged with Grubhub as Just Eat Takeaway.com

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lunchbox logo

Lunchbox

Restaurants

First party ordering websites, apps and loyalty for growing multi unit restaurant brands

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Just Eat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Just Eat delivery speed and reliability on marketplace-only listings depend on the individual restaurant's own drivers, which is far less consistent than a platform-run logistics network.; Lunchbox the fee is charged per location per month regardless of how many direct orders you generate, so brands that do not fund marketing pay for a channel that stays quiet.
  • They diverge on capability: Just Eat covers Restaurant and takeaway marketplace, Lunchbox covers Branded ordering web and apps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Just Eat and Lunchbox actually diverge.

Attributes where Just Eat and Lunchbox differ
AttributeJust EatLunchbox
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree to download; delivery and service fees per order, set by restaurant and marketquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Just Eat

  • Restaurant and takeaway marketplace
  • Just Eat Delivery
  • Order tracking
  • Loyalty and voucher codes
  • Group and repeat ordering
  • Local brand names

Only in Lunchbox

  • Branded ordering web and apps
  • Loyalty and rewards
  • Guest data platform
  • Marketing automation
  • POS and delivery integrations
  • Catering and group ordering

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Just Eat

  • A diner in a market like the Netherlands or Germany wanting deep coverage of independent local takeawaysnot Lunchbox
  • Someone ordering from a restaurant that runs its own delivery rather than a platform-run rider networknot Lunchbox
  • A user who already has an account under a local brand such as Lieferando or Thuisbezorgdnot Lunchbox
  • A diner comparing marketplace commission and fee structures across Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats before orderingnot Lunchbox

Lunchbox

  • A fast casual chain of ten to thirty units trying to shift volume away from delivery marketplacesnot Just Eat
  • A brand that wants its own iOS and Android apps without commissioning a bespoke buildnot Just Eat
  • An operator who needs guest order history for retention campaigns rather than anonymous marketplace ordersnot Just Eat
  • A group launching catering that needs a separate ordering flow from standard checkoutnot Just Eat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Just Eat

  • Delivery speed and reliability on marketplace-only listings depend on the individual restaurant's own drivers, which is far less consistent than a platform-run logistics network.
  • The Grubhub acquisition was written down by billions of dollars within two years, a sign the US delivery market did not work economically for the company even at scale.
  • The parent company was taken private by Prosus in 2025, so a former public company with disclosed results is now reporting to a single owner instead.
  • Fee structures differ by country and even by restaurant within a country, making the total cost of an order harder to predict than a flat platform fee.
  • Brand fragmentation across Just Eat, Lieferando and Thuisbezorgd means account, loyalty points and order history do not necessarily carry over if you move between the markets that use different local names.

Lunchbox

  • The fee is charged per location per month regardless of how many direct orders you generate, so brands that do not fund marketing pay for a channel that stays quiet.
  • Moving customers off marketplaces requires sustained discounting and advertising that the restaurant funds, and none of that cost appears in the software quote.
  • The company has been through substantial restructuring since its peak funding, so integration maintenance and roadmap continuity are fair questions to put in writing before signing.
  • Native app launches involve app store review, brand assets and a build fee, so time to first order is measured in weeks rather than days.
  • The integration list is narrower than that of the large enterprise ordering vendors, and a group on an uncommon POS may find order injection limited or unsupported.

Pricing, plan by plan

Just Eat

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee where Just Eat Delivery is used
    • Service charge on order total in most markets
    • Restaurant-set delivery on marketplace-only listings, fee and speed vary by restaurant

Lunchbox

On request
  • Lunchbox$undefined/year
    • Priced per location per month with modules for ordering, loyalty and marketing
    • One time build and launch fee for web and mobile apps
    • App store submission and brand design handled during onboarding

Which should you pick?

Choose Just Eat if

  • You need restaurant and takeaway marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want just eat delivery.
Just Eat review

Choose Lunchbox if

  • You need branded ordering web and apps.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want loyalty and rewards.
Lunchbox review

Questions people ask

Is Just Eat or Lunchbox better?
Neither clearly leads. Just Eat starts at Free and Lunchbox at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Just Eat or Lunchbox?
Just Eat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Just Eat and On request for Lunchbox.
Does Just Eat or Lunchbox run on more platforms?
Just Eat runs on iOS, Android, Web. Lunchbox runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Just Eat for free?
Yes. Just Eat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lunchbox starts at On request.
What is Just Eat best used for?
Just Eat is most often used for a diner in a market like the netherlands or germany wanting deep coverage of independent local takeaways, someone ordering from a restaurant that runs its own delivery rather than a platform-run rider network, a user who already has an account under a local brand such as lieferando or thuisbezorgd, a diner comparing marketplace commission and fee structures across just eat, deliveroo and uber eats before ordering. Of those, a diner in a market like the netherlands or germany wanting deep coverage of independent local takeaways and someone ordering from a restaurant that runs its own delivery rather than a platform-run rider network are not what Lunchbox is typically brought in for.
What can Just Eat do that Lunchbox cannot?
Just Eat covers Restaurant and takeaway marketplace, Just Eat Delivery, Order tracking, Loyalty and voucher codes. Lunchbox covers Branded ordering web and apps, Loyalty and rewards, Guest data platform, Marketing automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Just Eat: Is Just Eat the same company as Grubhub?

It was; Just Eat Takeaway.com bought Grubhub in 2021 but sold it to Wonder Group in 2024 after large write-downs.

Lunchbox: Does it stop me paying delivery commission?

Only on orders that move to your own channels. Orders still placed on DoorDash or Uber Eats carry their usual commission.

Just Eat: Why does the app have a different name in some countries?

Just Eat Takeaway.com operates local brands such as Lieferando in Germany and Austria and Thuisbezorgd in the Netherlands, all on shared underlying technology.

Lunchbox: Do I get my own branded mobile app?

Yes, native iOS and Android apps under your brand, built and submitted during onboarding for a one time fee on top of the subscription.

Just Eat: Is Just Eat still a publicly listed company?

No. Prosus took Just Eat Takeaway.com private in a 2025 acquisition.

Lunchbox: Who owns the customer data?

The restaurant. That is the central argument for first party ordering over marketplace ordering.

Lunchbox: What size of brand is it aimed at?

Multi unit groups, broadly five to fifty locations. Single sites usually do better with a cheaper ordering product.

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