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2020 has not been a good year for eating out, but clever apps make it easier for us to find the restaurants we like, or, when we’re not allowed out, the food we need delivered right to our door.

If there are any silver linings to COVID-19 then one of them is that the booming delivery industry has brought greater convenience to our lives, as has working from home. But when technical issues strike the home office, it’s a good idea to have at hand trusted IT support, like EC-MSP. And while the techies work their magic, why not order in some lunch?

Here are some of the best choices for restaurant apps in the UK…

dining in

JUST EAT

Just Eat UK is a food delivery and takeaway app that brings all of your local restaurants and takeaway stores together in one single location. This includes all of the information you need on restaurants, and you can search by name, location, cuisine, rating, review score or special offers. You can pay by cash on delivery or by credit or debit card. Just Eat offers a wide selection of eating options, extremely fast delivery and excellent customer service.

ZOMATO

A restaurant review, guide and food delivery app that has a database of 1.5 million restaurants in 24 countries around the world. They are currently offering contactless delivery and contactless dining to show they are able to adapt to the new normal. As well as a wide restaurant database, the Zomato app offers menus, photos, map & directions, ratings and reviews. In addition to food delivery at any time, you can also get your groceries delivered. You can easily track your orders to see when they will arrive.

DELIVEROO

Deliveroo is another food delivery service that handles everything for you in a single app by connecting you with a wide selection of restaurants and takeaways in your area. The company has been particularly successful as a result of their fast delivery times and the consistency of their service. Whatever it is that takes your fancy, you are likely to find a suitable meal on Deliveroo.

UBER EATS

Uber Eats and Deliveroo are in hot competition, both using the latest tech to run fast, easy-to-use apps and pinging numerous offers into your inbox to tempt you. Uber Eats has loads of choice, grouped into all your favourite categories – pizza, burgers, healthy, street food, Halal, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Mexican, sushi, comfort food, desserts and even breakfast. Just plug in your address, browse, order and enjoy!

FOODHUB

A UK food delivery company, Foodhub stands out from the crowd in that it doesn’t charge commission to restaurants, so they are able to offer discounts to attract more customers. There are also no service charges for customers, so extra money can be saved here. It is easy to check the discounts and special deals offered by each restaurant, and you can clearly track your order through the stages of preparation and delivery.

dining out

OPENTABLE

In the UK and around the world, OpenTable has a database of more than 50,000 restaurants, so it is great for finding the right place to eat wherever you happen to be. Here you can make reservations, invite friends, and receive recommendations. It is possible to search by location, cuisine, ratings and price, and look at photos, reviews and menus. It is also possible to organise your discounts and loyalty points, as well as dietary preferences and travel offers. This is a reliable restaurant app with a strong connection with restaurants.

LUXURY RESTAURANT GUIDE

For those of us that like to dine in style, this is a restaurant guide and digital membership app that finds you the finest places to eat in the UK. The expert rankings in the guide are taken from AA, Michelin and the Sunday Times Top 100, and users can search by nearby restaurants or by location, and make bookings directly. The club that is available through the app has an optional monthly subscription fee through which you can make savings on meals and enjoy complimentary champagne and dining upgrades.

HAPPYCOW

For vegetarians and vegans, HappyCow is an extremely useful app to have on your phone, with a large selection of restaurants and information on their dining options. As well as vegetarian and vegan, this includes the choices for people with special dietary requirements, such as organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free meals. There is no special option for delivery in-app, but you can contact restaurants to ask for more information. HappyCow is an excellent source of photos, reviews and details on different restaurants.

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With the help of useful and efficient restaurant and food delivery apps, we can be more prepared in challenging times. These apps can bring us all the information that we need instantly, and give us options for booking, payment and delivery. Each app has a slightly different feel so it is worth trying out a few to find the most suitable for you.