The Australian food delivery landscape is shifting as Menulog, a homegrown service operating for two decades, announces it will cease operations. The news, confirmed on November 12, 2025, means the platform will accept its final orders on November 26, leaving restaurant owners in the Illawarra region to adapt.
Local Businesses Weigh In On The Closure
While the end of an era for a local app might seem sombre, some Illawarra restaurant owners told the Illawarra Mercury they won't particularly miss the service. One Wollongong business owner expressed conflicted emotions about the closure.
"I know it's the Australian one, and it's sad to see the Australian app leave the market and the international ones coming and dominating," they said. However, they noted significant operational issues, specifically with delivery reliability. Despite using the same pool of drivers as other apps, they received consistent complaints about orders not arriving when customers used Menulog.
The owner's solution was direct: "When I receive this type of complaint, I tell them, 'Look, order through Uber Eats', because I don't have this problem with Uber Eats."
The Financial Reality for Restaurants
The financial data from this owner highlights a stark contrast in market share. In the week leading up to the announcement, sales from Menulog had dwindled to just $1,000. In a telling comparison, Uber Eats generated about $6,000 in sales for the same establishment during the same period.
Although the fee difference between the services was a mere 2 per cent, the owner emphasised that these small percentages accumulate into substantial sums over time. This financial pressure exists despite their view that "Uber is the worst one in some ways," pointing to the platform's powerful market dominance.
The owner explained the precarious position restaurants are in, stating that refusing to work with major delivery apps like Uber Eats and Doorash comes at a high cost. "If you want to stop working with delivery drivers... there is no sale, literally there is no sale," they said.
Service Issues and Unanswered Complaints
Another local takeaway shop owner confirmed that Menulog's departure would not significantly impact their business. They reported that the DoorDash service is better than both Menulog and Uber.
Their experience mirrored the first owner's, with service quality declining over time. "When we started with Menulog it was very good, but the problem was drivers were taking it easy," they recalled. This led to food arriving cold, which inevitably left customers "pissed."
Attempts to resolve these service failures were futile. The owner stated they complained to Menulog frequently, but "they weren't acting on it" and "not much happened." The situation escalated to the point where drivers "misbehaved with us in front of customers as well."
Menulog's history in the Wollongong area has been checkered. In 2020, the company drew local attention for misspelling the city's name on large billboards at the Kembla Grange and Dapto Showgrounds, a blunder that did little to endear them to the community.
As the November 26 final order date approaches, Illawarra's food scene is preparing for a new chapter, one increasingly dominated by international delivery giants.
