- Just Eat launches a new Canc-elation service, delivering Brits funny excuses whenever they need to get out of social plans
- New research reveals a staggering nine in 10 Brits prefer a night in over a night out and feel “relieved” when plans are cancelled
- Launching on Thursday 20th March, lucky ‘flakers’ who use the service have the chance to enjoy £20 off their takeaway order
UK, 20 March 2025: Just Eat is now delivering excuses on-demand, empowering the nation to avoid plans they’re not in the mood for, and enjoy their perfect night in instead. It comes as new research by the delivery app reveals a huge nine in 10 (91%) Brits feel relieved when social plans are cancelled.
Hype culture surrounding the latest TV and straight-to-streaming film launches has never been stronger, and so there’s nothing Brits love more than curling up on the sofa ready to watch, while tucking into their favourite takeaway or snacks. Coupled with the unpredictability of the British weather, it is no wonder 93% of Brits prefer a cosy night in over a night out, and 51% crave the warmth of their home and comfort of their cosy clothes (55%).
However, in typical ‘polite British’ style, one in four (25%) Gen Z and two in five (21%) Millennials say they dread the awkwardness of cancelling plans, and over half (55%) struggle to come up with a good excuse.
Thankfully, from Thursday 20th March, Just Eat’s new ‘Canc-elation Service’ means cancelling plans is now more convenient than ever. The delivery app has enlisted the help of self-professed homebody and TikTok Comedian, Shabaz Ali a.k.a, @shabazsays, who has mastered the art of bailing on plans.
Shabaz, iconic for his cosy fits and his witty commentary, has crafted cheeky excuses to help the nation get out of unwanted social plans. From “going into hiding after texting ‘xx’ to your boss” to using a heavy gym leg day as a reason to stay in, Shabaz’s playful white lies will help secure a night-in instead. Just Eat’s Ai team has programmed these excuses into its Ai Assistant so now customers can get excuses delivered via the app in seconds.
Those in need of an emergency excuse should look out for the ‘sparkle’ icon in the app and enter ‘Help me bail’ into the Ai Assistant chatbot and the excuse generator will send a hilarious instant response, which can be shared with friends to gracefully bow out of plans.
Shabaz Ali, Just Eat’s Canc-elation King and TikTok Comedian said: “I’m totally guilty of last minute-flaking but I’m clearly not the only one. We’ve all tried to swerve plans with a dodgy excuse, but now you can have a laugh at the same time with Just Eat’s excuse generator, complete with excuses by yours truly. There’s no shame in admitting a night curled up in your oodie with your go-to Just Eat order beats a night on the town.”
To celebrate the launch, 1000 flakers who use the service will also be in with the chance of claiming a £20 voucher. Whether a conflicting conscience means they send the voucher to their cancelled-on friends, or dreams of their own perfect night-in mean they keep it quietly to themselves, the power - and cash - is in the cancellers' hands.
According to the research, the ultimate recipe for the ‘perfect night in’ includes curling up on a comfy sofa with a partner, a favourite takeaway, and chocolate! Almost a third (28%) also state that a bottle of wine is a must-have when staying in and 30% even prefer a perfect night on their own. And with new hit TV shows on our screens, another third (30%) agree the perfect evening must contain a series to binge, with the curtains firmly shut (27%).
The Canc-elation service is available on the Just Eat app from Thursday 20th March and free £20 vouchers will be available to select customers from 12-3pm on Thursday 20th March until Monday 24th March. Download the Just Eat app and access the service here.
For further information or imagery, get in touch with the Just Eat press team at justeat@mischiefpr.com
£20 voucher code T&Cs: One-time use only. Limited codes available to users on a first come, first serve basis from 12pm Thursday 20th until Monday 24th March. 200 codes available per day. Redeem at checkout. Must be used by 30th April 2025. Min. spend £21. Delivery and service charges apply. T&Cs apply. See just-eat.co.uk for further detail.
- I prefer the peace and quiet of home - 44%
- It’s too cold/rainy - 38%
- It’s too much hassle - 35%
- My social battery runs out - 34%
- I’m an introvert - 30%
- Don’t like the noise of a crowded pub or restaurant - 22%
- Socialising outside of the home is ‘hard work’ - 20%
- Saying you’re getting a cold when you know you’re not – 37%
- Saying you’re way too tired to do anything – 34%
- Saying you don’t have enough money to go out – 30%
- Pretending you have to work late – 29%
- Claiming you forgot about a family commitment when you don’t have anything on – 28%
- Saying your child is unwell so you have to stay home – 21%
- Pretending you have food poisoning – 13%
- Pretending a family member is ill and you have to rush to their side – 9%
- Pretending that your car has broken down – 9%
- Making up that your bus or train has been cancelled – 8%
- Saying you’ve got a dentist appointment that you forgot – 6%
- Pretending you have fallen over and hurt yourself – 5%
- Pretending you’ve got a water leak at home – 4%
- Claiming you have a funeral to attend instead – 3%
- Pretending you’ve lost your car keys – 3%
- Chinese (45 percent)
- Pizza (41 percent)
- Indian (28 percent)
- Fish and chips (27 percent)
- Burgers (21 percent)
- Fried chicken (20 percent)
- Kebab (16 percent)
- Thai (11 percent)
- Three in five (61%) of Brits secretly dread social plans, feeling elated when they’re cancelled by someone other than themselves.
- 4% confess that they’ve cancelled plans so many times, they’ve run out of excuses to give.
- The average Brit has 5 fibbing pals
- 85% they don’t mind at all as they believe it’s better for the other person to cancel on them rather than them bail on plans
- The main benefits of a night in were not having to get dressed up (55%), and enjoying the warmth of your home (51%)
- Almost one in five (19%) Brits claim they can tell when friends are making up excuses to bail
- Three in 10 (30%) have been caught with false excuses themselves.
- 30% of Brits have found that their friends laughed when they got caught out in a lie
- Almost a quarter of Brits (24%) admit they’ve made up excuses not to meet up
- Over three quarters (77%) have friends or family who regularly make plans, only to bail at the last minute with excuses
- Over half of Brits (53%) say they do feel guilty when cancelling plans
- 37 percent pretend to be disappointed when they get cancelled, really being secretly delighted
- Gen Z dreads nearly half (48%) of the social plans they make with friends
Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY) is one of the world’s leading global online food delivery companies.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Company is focused on connecting consumers and Partners through its platforms. With 731,000 connected Partners, Just Eat Takeaway.com offers consumers a wide variety of choices from restaurants to retail.
Just Eat Takeaway.com has rapidly grown to become a leading online food delivery marketplace with operations in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Most recent information is available on our corporate website and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
About Just Eat Takeaway.com
About Just Eat Takeaway.com
Just Eat Takeaway.com (LSE: JET, AMS: TKWY) is one of the world’s leading global online food delivery companies.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Company is focused on connecting consumers and Partners through its platforms. With 731,000 connected Partners, Just Eat Takeaway.com offers consumers a wide variety of choices from restaurants to retail.
Just Eat Takeaway.com has rapidly grown to become a leading online food delivery marketplace with operations in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Most recent information is available on our corporate website and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
Media: press@justeattakeaway.com
For more information please visit our corporate website: https://justeattakeaway.com