Just Eat wants you to stop scrolling and start talking
Just Eat Takeaway has launched an AI voice assistant in its UK app, allowing customers to place orders by speaking rather than navigating menus.
The feature is integrated into Just Eat’s existing in-app chat function and lets users describe what they want in natural language.
The assistant then recommends restaurants, dishes and products across food, grocery and non-food categories, including pharmacy and beauty.
Just Eat claimed the tool is designed to address “choice overload” as the range of options on its platform continues to expand.
Unlike traditional search and filter-based ordering, the assistant aims to interpret intent from loosely phrased or informal requests, including vague or open-ended prompts.
It is set to support dozens of languages and allow users to switch between voice and touch during the ordering process.
Mert Öztekin, chief technology officer at Just Eat, said the launch marked a “major step forward, making our service more intuitive and accessible”.
“We are always innovating and continually focused on leveraging technology to improve the ordering journey for our millions of customers,” he said.
Takeaway giants turn to AI
The launch comes amid intensifying competition among delivery platforms to differentiate their apps beyond price and delivery speed.
Rivals like Uber Eats have rolled out generative AI tools to improve menu descriptions, summarise customer reviews and improve food imagery.
The Sillicon Valley platform also embedded live order chat features that allow merchants to contact customers directly before dispatch.
Elsewhere in the sector, companies are experimenting with automation across fulfilment and operations, like robotic and drone deliveries aimed at reducing labour costs and improving delivery times.
Just Eat has also expanded its use of automation internally.
The company has introduced AI tools to reduce the time required for partners to upload menus, rolled out customer service chatbots to handle common questions, and plans to introduce automated refund decisions to reduce manual workload.
It also partnered with drone delivery operators last year in select markets.
Just Eat said it had tested the voice assistant with customers over several weeks and saw a “significantly higher conversion rate” among users who interacted with the feature, though it did not disclose detailed figures.
The voice assistant launches first in the UK, with a wider international rollout planned for 2026, as delivery platforms continue to assess whether AI-driven features can meaningfully improve engagement.