• More than EUR 150 million in financing disbursed to restaurants and takeaways across the partnership since launch
• 13,500+ financings with returning merchants generating more funding activity than first-time borrowers

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London, 7th July 2026 – Global embedded financing platform YouLend and global on-demand delivery company Just Eat Takeaway.com today announced a major milestone in their partnership, having provided more than €150 million in financing to restaurants and takeaways across seven European markets: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Poland.

Since launch, the partnership has supported more than 13,500 financings to hospitality businesses across Europe. Notably, returning merchants have accounted for more financing activity than first-time borrowers, highlighting how flexible funding is increasingly becoming part of everyday business planning for restaurants and takeaways.

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Embedded finance as a fast alternative in difficult times

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Initially launched in the UK in 2022 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns to support small businesses navigating an increasingly difficult trading environment, the financing programme helped restaurants manage rising inflation, soaring energy costs and the lasting impact of the pandemic. For many hospitality businesses, traditional lending processes were often too slow or inaccessible at a time when fast access to capital was critical.

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By embedding financing directly into the Just Eat platform, eligible merchants could access funding through a streamlined digital experience designed around the realities of running a hospitality business.

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The financing can be used to bridge short-term gaps or to fund concrete growth steps, such as purchasing new equipment, hiring additional staff or opening further locations.

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Repeat usage: when financing becomes part of growth planning

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The key point is that when financing becomes part of day-to-day operations, it becomes part of the planning process rather than just crisis management.

"A single financing decision changes little. A financing relationship that lasts for years changes a great deal," says Leonard Strigel, General Manager Europe at YouLend. "When a restaurant takes financing with us ten times over four years, it is no longer just a loan – it becomes part of its growth strategy. That is exactly what embedded finance is built for."

"Supporting our partners means more than connecting them with customers — it means giving them the tools to grow sustainably," says Bart van der Veldt,  Director Strategy & Planning Commercial at Just Eat Takeaway.com. "Embedding financing with YouLend into our platform has allowed thousands of restaurants across Europe to access capital quickly and on their terms. The repeat usage we're seeing shows that this isn't just crisis support — it's become infrastructure."

Financing built into the platforms that merchants already use

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For restaurants, financing feels like a core platform feature: a few clicks, fast approval and direct payout. This is made possible by YouLend's data-driven decision models, which provide access to capital for even the smallest businesses without long traditional credit history.

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YouLend and Just Eat Takeaway will continue to expand the partnership with a shared goal of improving access to capital for hospitality businesses across Europe and supporting merchants not only through periods of uncertainty, but also as they invest in long-term growth.