Hungryhouse
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHungryhouse was a United Kingdom online takeaway-ordering platform that operated from 2006 until its integration into Just Eat in 2018.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Hungryhouse was a British online takeaway food-ordering service. The platform connected consumers with local restaurants and takeaway businesses, allowing users to search for participating establishments, review menus, place orders online and arrange delivery by the restaurant. Hungryhouse generally operated as an intermediary rather than as a restaurant operator: the food was prepared and delivered by the participating takeaway, while Hungryhouse provided the digital marketplace and charged a service fee for use of the platform. The business was founded by Shane Lake and Tony Charles in 2003, although its online platform launched in 2006. Its early development reflected the shift of local takeaway ordering from telephone-based transactions toward web-based discovery and ordering. In 2007, the founders appeared on BBC One's investment programme Dragons' Den. James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne offered to invest £100,000, but that proposed deal subsequently fell through. Hungryhouse instead obtained £150,000 from other business angels. The funding supported expansion of its restaurant network and platform operations. The company reported growth from approximately 150 restaurant partners in 2007 to about 2,500 by September 2010. In January 2013, Hungryhouse was acquired by Delivery Hero, a Berlin-based online food-ordering group. The acquisition placed the British service within a larger international food-delivery network. Delivery Hero was reported at the time to operate across 16 countries and to have approximately 60,000 restaurant partners. Hungryhouse continued to trade under its own brand in the United Kingdom during the Delivery Hero period. The next major change came in December 2016, when Just Eat announced an agreement to acquire Hungryhouse from Delivery Hero. The proposed consideration was reported as £200 million, with the possibility of an additional £40 million contingent on performance targets. Because the transaction combined two significant participants in the United Kingdom's online takeaway-ordering market, the Competition and Markets Authority referred it for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation in May 2017. The CMA gave preliminary approval in October 2017, allowing the transaction to proceed toward completion. In April 2018, Hungryhouse announced that it would cease trading as a standalone service and merge into Just Eat. The Hungryhouse website and service stopped accepting orders on 22 May 2018, after which customers were directed to Just Eat. Hungryhouse therefore ended as an independent consumer brand, but its business and customer proposition were absorbed into the larger Just Eat platform. Its history illustrates the consolidation of online takeaway marketplaces: an independently founded local-ordering service expanded through external funding, was acquired by an international platform group, and was later folded into a competing national marketplace following regulatory review.
History
Hungryhouse originated as a British internet business founded by Shane Lake and Tony Charles in 2003. Its online ordering platform launched in 2006, at a time when consumers were increasingly using websites to find local restaurants and replace telephone ordering with digital transactions. Hungryhouse did not prepare food itself. Instead, it operated a marketplace through which customers could locate participating takeaway restaurants, inspect menus and submit orders. Delivery was generally handled by the restaurant, while Hungryhouse earned revenue through a service charge or intermediary arrangement. The founders appeared on BBC One's Dragons' Den in 2007. James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne offered £100,000 in investment, but the proposed deal later collapsed. Hungryhouse subsequently secured £150,000 from alternative business angels. This early funding was used to expand the service and recruit additional restaurant partners. The company grew from around 150 restaurant partners in 2007 to approximately 2,500 by September 2010, indicating a move from a small start-up toward a broader national takeaway marketplace. In January 2013, Hungryhouse was purchased by Delivery Hero, a Berlin-based food-ordering company. At the time of the transaction, Delivery Hero was described as operating in 16 countries and working with roughly 60,000 restaurant partners. The acquisition gave Hungryhouse access to the resources and international structure of a larger digital food-ordering group while allowing the brand to continue serving the United Kingdom market. The ownership structure changed again when Just Eat announced in December 2016 that it intended to buy Hungryhouse from Delivery Hero. The announced transaction had a reported value of £200 million, with a possible further £40 million dependent on performance conditions. The deal attracted competition scrutiny because Just Eat and Hungryhouse were both active in online takeaway ordering in the United Kingdom. In May 2017, the Competition and Markets Authority sent the deal to an in-depth Phase 2 investigation. The CMA issued preliminary approval on 12 October 2017, permitting the acquisition to move forward subject to the applicable process. After the transaction, Hungryhouse was not maintained as a separate long-term consumer service. In April 2018, the brand announced that it would cease trading on 22 May 2018 and become part of Just Eat. Once the closure took effect, customers were redirected to Just Eat for online takeaway ordering. Hungryhouse consequently became a defunct standalone brand. Its trajectory—from independent start-up, through angel-backed expansion and acquisition by Delivery Hero, to consolidation into Just Eat—reflects the concentration of the online food-ordering sector around larger marketplace operators.
- 2018
Standalone service closed
[1]Hungryhouse ceased trading on 22 May and customers were directed to Just Eat.
- 2017
Competition review
[1]The CMA referred the proposed acquisition to a Phase 2 investigation in May and gave preliminary approval in October.
- 2016
Just Eat announces acquisition agreement
[1]Just Eat announced its proposed acquisition of Hungryhouse from Delivery Hero for £200 million, plus a possible performance-related payment of £40 million.
- 2013
Acquired by Delivery Hero
[1]Delivery Hero acquired Hungryhouse, placing the British platform within its international food-ordering group.
- 2010
Restaurant network reaches approximately 2,500 partners
[1]Hungryhouse had expanded its restaurant partner base from approximately 150 in 2007 to about 2,500 by September 2010.
- 2007
Dragons' Den appearance and replacement funding
[1]The founders appeared on Dragons' Den. A proposed £100,000 investment from James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne later collapsed, after which Hungryhouse received £150,000 from other business angels.
- 2006
Online platform launched
[1]Hungryhouse launched its online takeaway-ordering platform.
- 2003
Company founded
[1]Shane Lake and Tony Charles founded Hungryhouse.
Products and positioning
A digital intermediary for discovering and ordering food from local takeaway restaurants, positioned around convenience, menu access and online ordering rather than direct restaurant ownership or food production.
Online food-ordering platform · 2006
Hungryhouse online marketplace
The core Hungryhouse service was a web-based marketplace for local takeaway food. Users could search for participating restaurants, browse menus and place orders online. Restaurants generally prepared the food and carried out delivery, while Hungryhouse supplied the customer-facing ordering infrastructure and charged a service fee. The service operated under the Hungryhouse brand until its integration into Just Eat in 2018.
Brand decisions
2018
Integration into Just EatStrategyBackground
Following regulatory review and the acquisition by Just Eat, maintaining two separate consumer-facing ordering services was replaced by a single Just Eat destination.
Action taken
Hungryhouse ceased trading on 22 May 2018 and redirected customers to Just Eat.
Aftermath
Hungryhouse ended as an independent brand and became part of Just Eat's service.
2016
Just Eat agrees to acquire HungryhouseM&ABackground
Just Eat proposed to acquire Hungryhouse from Delivery Hero in a market where both companies operated online takeaway-ordering platforms.
Action taken
Just Eat announced a £200 million acquisition agreement, with a possible additional £40 million linked to performance targets, subject to regulatory approval.
Aftermath
The Competition and Markets Authority conducted an in-depth review before giving preliminary approval in October 2017.
Announced acquisition consideration. £200 million, with a possible additional £40 million subject to performance targets (December 2016 announcement)
2013
Delivery Hero acquisitionM&ABackground
Hungryhouse was an established United Kingdom online takeaway marketplace seeking to operate within a larger international food-ordering network.
Action taken
Delivery Hero acquired Hungryhouse in January 2013.
Aftermath
Hungryhouse continued as a United Kingdom-facing brand within the Delivery Hero group until the later Just Eat transaction.
Recent events
Reported
Hungry House launches its first ghost kitchen in Brooklyn[2]
Hungry House announced the launch of its first ghost kitchen location in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with its Season 01 menus available for pickup and delivery in surrounding neighborhoods. The launch featured menu partnerships with chefs and food brands.
Sources2 sources
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