Guides › Home and Delivery › Takeaways, Restaurants and Food Delivery
Takeaways, Restaurants and Food Delivery
A meal in a restaurant or from a takeaway is a service, so it must be provided with reasonable care and skill. Food businesses must give you allergen information, and takeaways must give it both when you order and when the food arrives. Report food poisoning, poor hygiene or wrong allergen information to your council's food safety team.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Your Meal
Service and Quality
A restaurant or takeaway meal is a service that must be provided with reasonable care and skill. If it is not, you can ask for it to be put right or for a price reduction. Raise it straight away if you can. source
Food Safety
Allergen Information
Food law identifies 14 allergens. Restaurants and cafés must provide you with allergen information, in writing or verbally; if it is given verbally, the business must show you where to find it. source
Takeaways and Delivery
Ordering a takeaway counts as distance selling, so allergen information must be available at two stages: when you order and when the food is delivered. source
Reporting Food Safety Problems
Report suspected food poisoning, a foreign object in food, dirty premises, poor hygiene or handling, mouldy or out-of-date food, and missing or wrong allergen information to your council's food safety team. It does not handle food quality or customer service complaints. source
Tips
Where Tips Go
Since 1 October 2024 employers must pass on all tips to workers without deductions, under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023. The code covers tips, gratuities and service charges. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- See belowRaise a problem with your mealStraight away, while you are there if possible
- See belowAllergen information for takeawaysWhen you order and when it is delivered
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Free routes to escalate, and when each one applies.
The Restaurant, Takeaway or Delivery App
Always start here, with photos and your order details.
Your Council Food Safety Team
Food poisoning, hygiene and allergen information problems.
Citizens Advice Consumer Service
Free advice on refunds and service complaints.
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 6
Tell staff about a problem with your meal straight away.
Step 2 of 6
Ask for allergen information before you order if you have an allergy.
Step 3 of 6
For delivery problems, report them through the app or to the restaurant, with photos.
Step 4 of 6
Ask for a refund or price reduction in writing if it is not put right.
Step 5 of 6
Report food safety problems to your council's food safety team.
Step 6 of 6
If you paid by card and get nowhere, ask your card provider about a chargeback.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Evidence and Your Letter
Gather your evidence, then build a letter you can send in minutes.
Evidence Checklist
0 of 5 gatheredTap each one when you have it.
CPUKLetter Generator
How This Works
- 1
Tick off the evidence you already have, and see what is still missing.
- 2
Answer the letter questions. Your answers fill in the wording for you.
- 3
Copy or download the letter, check every detail, and send it yourself.
A template, not legal advice.
Watch Out For
Common traps and scams to avoid.
Eating most of a meal before complaining: raise it straight away.
Assuming allergen information is optional: you have a right to ask for it.
Fake delivery refund texts: use the app itself.
Recent or changing rules: tap to read
Checked 13 October 2026. The Food Standards Agency's own reporting page could not be read; the GOV.UK food safety team finder was used instead.
Common Problems
Step-by-step help for a specific problem covered by this guide.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Not sure where you stand? Try our action plan tool or the free letter templates.
Sources and official links
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-ab Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/find-your-local-food-safety-team Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/government/publications/distributing-tips-fairly-statutory-code-of-practi Checked 13 October 2026
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.