How delivery addresses are checked on your website
When a customer chooses delivery, the website checks their address at several points before the order reaches your kitchen. This article explains what the customer sees at each step, so you can answer their questions.
A full postcode is always required
The delivery charge for an order is calculated from the customer's full postcode, so the website will not accept a delivery address without one.
- When a customer searches for their address, they are asked to type their full postcode if the search result only has a partial one (for example "N14" instead of "N14 6RG").
- When a customer enters their address manually, the postcode field is required.
- If a returning customer has an older saved address without a full postcode, they are asked to confirm their postcode once when they select it. The postcode is then saved to their address, so they won't be asked again.
Note: Saved addresses without a full postcode are no longer applied automatically when a returning customer visits the website. The customer simply taps their saved address and confirms the postcode — a one-time step.
The address must be inside your delivery zone
After the postcode check, the website looks up the address against your delivery zones. If the address is outside every zone, the customer sees "Outside delivery zone" and cannot start a delivery order to that address.
When this happens the customer is offered a way to keep ordering rather than being left at a dead end:
- Switch to Pickup — moves them straight to a collection order, if your store offers collection.
- Call the restaurant — dials the store's phone number.
Delivery zones, delivery charges, and minimum order values are set per store in your back office.
The zone is confirmed before anything goes in the basket
The website re-checks the delivery zone with your back office at the moment the customer adds their first item, not just when they enter their address. This matters for returning customers: someone who saved an address months ago, or who changed address mid-visit, could previously fill a basket and only be told at the payment step that you don't deliver to them.
If the address is no longer in a delivery zone, the item is not added. The customer is returned to the home page with the message "Sorry, we don't deliver to this address" and the recovery options above.
Note: This is a check, not a second set of rules. Your back office remains the single source of truth for zones, charges, and minimums — the website simply asks it sooner so the customer finds out before they have shopped.
Customers see the charge and the minimum up front
Once an address is validated, the delivery charge and minimum order value for that zone are shown on the home page, next to the "Within delivery zone" badge — for example "Delivery £1.50 · £20.00 minimum". If delivery is free for that zone, it reads "Free delivery".
The same figures appear in the basket, so the customer can see what they still need to add before they reach the payment page.
The order must meet your minimum delivery value
If your delivery zone has a minimum order value, the basket shows a Minimum order line alongside the subtotal. Customers with a basket below it see a message such as "Add £8.00 more for delivery. Minimum order is £20.00." and the checkout button stays disabled until they add more items.
What to check if customers report delivery problems
- "It says you don't deliver to me" — check the customer's postcode falls inside one of the store's delivery zones in the back office.
- "It won't let me check out" — the basket is usually below the minimum delivery value for the zone, or the customer hasn't selected a delivery address yet.
- "It keeps asking for my postcode" — the customer's saved address predates postcode validation. Confirming it once updates the saved address permanently.
- "It won't let me add anything to my basket" — the address is outside your delivery zones. This is checked before the first item is added. Confirm the zone covers their postcode, or ask them to switch to pickup.
- "A regular customer suddenly can't order" — check whether your delivery zones have changed recently. A saved address that used to be covered is re-checked on every visit, so a narrowed zone takes effect immediately for returning customers.