Menulog shuts down Australian operation
Katy Perry was one of a host of celebrities to front Menulog's campaigns,
Australian-born food delivery platform Menulog has announced it will shut down its Australian operations, ending nearly two decades of service.
Customers were notified via email that the platform will cease operations from 26 November, with the closure expected to affect around 120 jobs, according to 7News.
“As the only Australian-born platform, Menulog has a proud history, but ultimately, as a business, we have been navigating challenging circumstances and the decision was made to close local operations,” the email read. The company said it would honour any outstanding orders or vouchers for the next two weeks.
Menulog also has a New Zealand operation, but its future remains uncertain following the decision to close Australian operations.
Founded in Sydney in 2006, Menulog was acquired by Holland-based Just Eat in 2015 for around A$855 million, integrating the brand into the global Just Eat Takeaway.com network while maintaining its presence in Australia and New Zealand.
Menulog has been known for its memorable advertising, particularly the “Did somebody say Menulog” jingle, created by McCann London in 2019 for Just Eat and adapted for Menulog’s local markets.
Over the years, the brand has enlisted celebrities including Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera and Snoop Dogg to promote its campaigns,
Perry was notably launched as the face of Menulog during game one of the State of Origin in 2022.
In 2023, the brand appointed Thinkerbell as its official Australian creative agency to manage campaigns, earned media and owned content, with the agency having previously worked with Menulog and McCann London on localising the brand’s global campaigns.
Thinkerbell’s work on the State of Origin campaign, which included a series showcasing footy legend Big Dell, aka Wendell Sailor, doing mundane things at home, won Menulog Nine’s State of Originality, together with its media agency UM.
The Big Dell campaign was a tongue-in-cheek response to fan backlash over the previous Katy Perry campaign, which some felt disrupted their Origin viewing experience.
Speaking at the time, Menulog Australia marketing director Simon Cheng said: “We may have slightly overcooked it for footy fans with our advertising during game 1 of State of Origin. But we get it…the fans tune in for some great footy.
“Our Katy Perry ad is definitely not going anywhere and Aussies can expect to see and hear it many more times, but for game 2 of Origin, we wanted to give them something a little closer to home with a bit of Wendell.”
