Review of MealPal - London

MealPal offers Londoners under £5 meals from select restaurants. If you buy your lunch everyday as I do, this scheme seems like a very good deal.

In fact it is. They offer two plans - 12 meals (£4.79 per meal) and 20 meals (£4.39 per meal). You  pay the monthly fee at the start of the plan and you have 30 days to use your meals. You can only get your meal during weekdays (Monday - Friday). Bank holidays and weekends are excluded.

The window to reserve you meal opens from 17.00 the previous day to 9.30 the next day. You can log in to their website and reserve your meal. You also have to choose the pick-up time so that your meal is ready when you arrive.

To pick up your meal you just have to show your confirmation email. No waiting in the queue.
Now that we have finished about describing the service. Let's get to the good and the bad.

Good:

1. You pay less than the menu price in some restaurants thus offering some saving.
2. No waiting in the queue
3. The whole process is very easy. You can filter you meals based on place and cuisine. You can also check the exact ingredients so that you can check for allergies.
4. Placing the order and pick-up is simple and easy. You just have to remember to do it during the time slot.They also have an app for iOS and android.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. Some forward planning is required. If you choose a 20 meal plan and if there are not 20 working days in your 30 day window, then you will lose your unused meals.
2. Similarly you have to decide what you are going to have for lunch the previous day.
3. You can only try out that one particular dish the restaurants as to offer on the day. No option to change the menu or try a different a different dish.For example: if you fancy chicken and the restaurant close to you or preferred serves fish, you may have to try a different place.

Future improvements:

1. Nutritional value of the meal can be provided for those who are into fitness.
2. Possibility to be able to carry forward unused meals.
3. Option to have your meal ready or be served hot when you arrive.