Just Eat takes UK AI ordering tool across Europe

Just Eat Takeaway, a food delivery company, is expanding its AI-powered voice ordering tool across Europe, following its initial launch in the UK earlier this year. The company has introduced the assistant in Poland, Spain, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland, complementing its existing operations in Britain and Germany. This new tool within Just Eat's app allows customers to either speak or type their orders, eliminating the need to manually search through individual restaurants and menus.

It can suggest food options based on various factors such as price, dietary requirements, nearby restaurants, and even groceries. According to early data from the UK launch, customers using the voice function found an order around 40% faster compared to those using the text-based AI assistant. Furthermore, they were 30% more likely to select a restaurant or dish recommended by the tool than those using the traditional search function.

These figures indicate the potential benefits of AI for Just Eat, although the company has not disclosed the exact number of UK customers who have used the assistant or the proportion of orders placed through it. Analysis of millions of customer journeys across Europe reveals that users typically examine around three restaurants before placing an order, with nearly a quarter browsing at least four.

About 43% of users go directly to a single restaurant. Jörg Gerbig, Just Eat Takeaway's chief corporate development officer, stated that the primary challenge in food delivery today is not finding restaurants but deciding what to order. The rollout of this AI tool comes seven months after Just Eat first introduced the voice assistant in the UK, initially integrated with their existing in-app chat service.

Though the company had initially planned an international expansion by 2026, they provided limited data on customer usage at that time. The latest figures offer evidence of faster searches among UK users but do not indicate whether the assistant has increased overall order volumes or spending. This push also reflects delivery companies' broader strategy to compete beyond price and delivery times.

Uber Eats, for instance, has introduced AI across multiple aspects of its service, including menu descriptions, review summaries, and food images. Other delivery businesses are experimenting with automation in customer service and fulfilment. Just Eat has also leveraged AI internally for tasks such as uploading restaurant menus and handling customer queries. Additionally, the company has previously outlined plans to automate some refund decisions.