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The indie takeaway service in Leeds that’s championing our favourite food vendors

"It's all about creating a big impact on communities, whilst having as little impact on the planet as possible". 

Sophie Smith - 27th January 2022

Slap and Pickle, Doh'hut and Fat Annies have all signed up to the new app.

There's a new independent delivery service coming to Leeds and it's championing all of our favourite brands.

Originally based in Ilkley, Pronto, a delivery service app is expanding its reach and adding Leeds to its services. The idea is that by using the app, you're supporting the planet, local businesses and real people reap the profits, rather than a faceless corporation that's doing nothing for global warming or the local hospitality scene.

Charging a low 10% commission, and focusing on restaurants as well as end customer service, has led to a lot of happy customers in Ilkley and this will be carried through to their new set-up in Leeds city centre.

Instead of working with call centres, restaurants can change their menu whenever they like through the backend system - putting them in control to change prices, add specials, and tweak lots of other settings too. 

Pronto has integrated with a full rider network including bikes, scooters and cars. Restaurants can choose to use the rider network, or use their own drivers instead, and they can select collection, or table service too. The rider network was chosen as it is committed to providing staff with guaranteed hourly rates, regardless of how many orders they deliver, again showcasing Pronto’s passion for being ethical and providing a fair system. 

Co-Founder of Pronto, Cat Barrett has expressed her excitement at the launch: “We are so proud and passionate about Pronto. For us, it’s not just about creating a business, it’s about bringing communities together. That was particularly important during the pandemic and various lockdowns, but it continues to be important now. The fact that we can bring great, independent businesses together with the people living in West Yorkshire is what gives us a spring in our step every day.”

At present, you can expect all of your favourite eateries, but it is hoped that as Pronto launches, more independent businesses will join the delivery service. The expansion of the app into Leeds Leeds will see customers accessing food from Doh'hut, Slap and Pickle, Manjits Kitchen, Humpit, and Crowd of Favours, as well as many other hugely popular indie staples. 

The original Ilkley-based app came from a lockdown success story. Launching in March 2020, Pronto is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team, Cat and Mark Barrett who live in Ilkley and work in Leeds.

As lockdown swept the nation, the couple wanted to provide residents in Ilkley with access to great food, at the same time as supporting the huge hospitality sector within the town with a better, fairer, deal. 

Pronto isn't just about enabling more people to access indie eateries, though. It's their level of customer service that sets them apart. Whilst they provide an online presence for the restaurants on the app, some of which have never had that before, they also offer full circle support. 

The benefits don’t end there because the Pronto app also reduces the need for so many phone calls, freeing the business up to do what it does best – providing their local community with incredible food.

Given Pronto only charges 10% commission to businesses on the app, as opposed to the 30-35% charged by big national takeaway brands, this is a significant way to support your local independents.

The examples of local businesses that Pronto have supported over the last two years speak for themselves. Owner of Host & Joels Chicken Buns in Ilkley, Joel Monkman, says: “We jumped at the chance to get Host on the Pronto platform, which has very low commission rates.

"It's effortless to make menu changes within the system and if you ever get stuck, the customer service provided by pronto is personal, fast and highly effective. Our take-out has become so popular that we have now launched an additional take-out business, Joel’s Chicken Buns, which is also on the Pronto app.”

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As if that wasn't enough sustainability is an integral part of the process for Cat and Mark, who love that many of the businesses they represent use locally sourced produce and utilise sustainable practices: "it's all about creating a big impact on communities, whilst having as little impact on the planet as possible". 

You can find more information or order an indie takeaway for yourself by downloading their Android or Apple apps via the Pronto website.

Feature Image- Pronto