Our refund policy in plain English — what qualifies, how long it takes, and what to do if you disagree with a decision.
In short: If the food's wrong, missing, cold, or very late, we'll refund, re-deliver, or credit you — usually within minutes, no receipt-hunting required.
Refunds on Chefsline are handled by a real person (with help from the system). You don't need to phone anyone, chase anything, or argue with a chatbot. Tap “Report a problem” on the order screen, pick what happened, and you'll get a decision while you're still looking at your food.
We refund in full or in part for:
Within 60 seconds of confirming: free cancellation, full refund.
After 60 seconds, before food is dispatched: partial refund — the restaurant may already have started cooking.
After dispatch: no refund for the food, but we can redirect the delivery if you're nearby.
If we cancel (restaurant unexpectedly closed, outside zone, payment issue), you get a full refund to your original payment method within 5 working days, plus a £5 apology credit.
Account credit: instant. Use it on your next order.
Original payment method: 3–5 working days, depending on your bank. Apple Pay and Google Pay are often faster.
Gift card or voucher: back onto the gift-card balance within 24 hours.
If our automated system declines a refund and you think that's wrong, reply to the decision email within 14 days with a short description and, if you have one, a photo. A human reviews every escalation within 24 hours.
For disputes we can't resolve, you can contact the UK Online Dispute Resolution platform at ec.europa.eu/odr. Our full complaints process is in the Terms of Service.
We refund generously on first report and tighten up on repeat claims that look unusual. That keeps the system fair for everyone — including the restaurants and riders who are being accused. If we close your account for suspected refund abuse, we'll tell you why and you can appeal.
Our team replies in under 4 hours, every day from 8am to midnight UK time.
