How the Just Eat, Deliveroo & Uber Eats Algorithms Work

Short answer: Each app ranks restaurants on how likely a customer is to order and be happy. Just Eat uses distance, repeat orders from new customers, order volume, successful and accurate orders, and the customer's own history. Deliveroo uses the customer's order history, the order and the restaurant, with ratings and item availability named. Uber Eats uses delivery speed and ratings, and personalises results. All three show different lists to different customers. You can't reset or trick the algorithm, but you can pay for extra visibility.

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The short answer

The apps want customers to order and come back. So they show first the restaurants that are close, that people order from again, and that get orders right. Your food matters, but so do your settings, your speed and your ratings.

What each app says decides your position

App	What it says matters
Just Eat	Distance to the customer; new customers ordering again; order volume, reorder rate, successful orders and accuracy; the customer's own order history. Up to 20 new businesses in an area get a short boost.
Deliveroo	The customer's order history, the order itself and the restaurant. Also cuisine trends, item availability and money (revenue and cost). Restaurants with good ratings appear higher. New restaurants get a boost for 30 days.
Uber Eats	Faster overall delivery time and higher ratings. Results are personalised to each customer.

For each app in detail: rank higher on Just Eat, rank higher on Deliveroo and Uber Eats Top Eats.

Why two customers see different lists

All three apps personalise. A customer who often orders pizza sees more pizza places. Distance also changes the list on every street. So when you check your position, check from a few postcodes, and remember one phone is only one customer's view.

Can you pay to be higher?

Yes, on all three:

Just Eat says its sponsorship service improves your position, but only up to a limit linked to where you already rank. Paid spots show a "sponsored" label.
Deliveroo adverts appear on the homepage, the cuisine list and search, and you pay for each menu click.
Uber Eats ads raise your visibility, and you set a daily budget in Uber Eats Manager.

Paying sends people to your menu. If your menu doesn't turn visits into orders, you pay for clicks that don't buy. More in delivery app marketing.

Can you reset the algorithm?

None of the apps describes a way to reset your ranking. What it measures is your recent performance, so the way to "reset" is to change what it measures: fewer missed and wrong orders, faster prep, better ratings. Uber Eats gives most weight to the last 90 days of ratings, so improvements there show sooner.

Can you trick it?

Fake orders, fake reviews or paying people for 5 stars is not worth it. It breaks the apps' rules and can cost you your account. Since April 2025, fake reviews and hidden paid reviews are banned under UK consumer law.

What to work on first

Get every order right. Accuracy is named by Just Eat and drives ratings everywhere.
Never miss an order. Keep the tablet on, charged and loud.
Keep your best dishes switched on.
Make the first order good, so new customers order again.
Set a real prep time, then bring it down.

Not sure which one is holding you back? Send us your listing and we'll tell you, free.

How does the algorithm see your restaurant?

We'll check where you really appear in the areas around you, compare you with the restaurants above you, and tell you the 3 to 5 fixes to make first. Free, within 24 to 48 hours. Get your free diagnostic →

Sources

Platforms change their rules and fees. Figures were checked on the date above. Restaurant Hero is independent. We're not part of, or endorsed by, Just Eat, Deliveroo or Uber Eats.

How the Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats algorithms work