The Australian-born food-delivery platform Menulog has announced it will cease operations in Australia on 26 November 2025 at 23:59 AEDT.
After nearly 20 years of service (it launched in Sydney in 2006), the company’s owner, Dutch multinational Just Eat Takeaway.com, says the decision is part of a strategic shift to focus on other markets.
What the company has announced
Menulog is providing a transition period for its users: customers are urged to redeem any unused vouchers or credits before the shutdown date.
For its direct employees (~120 in Australia), the company confirmed that it will offer “redundancy packages above legal requirements” and outplacement support for those impacted.
For its courier workforce - a far larger group working on gig-style arrangements - Menulog has stated that “eligible couriers will be entitled to a four-week voluntary payment” based on average earnings, provided they meet criteria such as having worked for six months and made a delivery in the last eight weeks.
The parent company has described the decision as “tough” and “not taken lightly” and emphasised that support for couriers, customers, and restaurant partners is now a priority.
When it comes into effect
The firm has given about two weeks’ notice from announcement to shutdown: Menulog’s Australian platform will stop accepting orders after 26 November 2025. The short timeframe has raised concerns about how smooth the transition will be, especially for couriers who depend on income from the platform.
What it means for international students in the gig industry
For many international students in Australia, delivery-app work forms part of the “study-work-life” model: flexible hours, relatively easy onboarding, and the ability to juggle study and income. The closure of Menulog removes one of the major delivery platforms and thus reduces one avenue of gig work that many students may have relied on.
Here are some of the key implications:
- Reduced options: With Menulog exiting, the delivery-gig market becomes more concentrated (major players like Uber Eats and DoorDash remain). That means there is less competition for couriers.
- Income uncertainty: Students who had built routines or earnings around Menulog may find their income disrupted. The four-week payment is helpful but is a short-term buffer rather than a long-term solution. Without Menulog, couriers might need to switch apps (which can involve new registrations, new ratings, and different terms).
- Flexibility versus security: Many international students favour gig work because of its flexibility (fit around lectures, tutorials, assignments). But the Menulog case highlights how precarious gig platforms can be. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has flagged that in the gig economy, workers still face “below-minimum wage rates, no sick leave or superannuation and deadly pressure to rush to make a living and avoid being deactivated.”
- Work rights and reforms: The closure comes at a time when Australia is introducing reforms to the gig economy (the Closing Loopholes Act), which aim to bring minimum standards to employee-like workers in on-demand delivery. For international students working in the gig sector, this signals a changing regulatory environment - one to pay attention to, especially if you rely on these platforms as your income.
- Switching platforms or diversifying income: For international students, the practical advice is to avoid over-reliance on a single platform. Having multiple income streams, whether via tutoring, campus casual jobs, other delivery or rideshare apps (if eligible), or paid internships, provides better resilience if one platform exits or alters its terms.
If you are experiencing financial hardship as an international student, reach out to your education provider or relevant study body in your state or territory for support.
