City Express is reshaping the local food delivery landscape by giving entrepreneurs the chance to run their own community-based delivery marketplace. Rather than competing head-on with the national giants, franchisees build a loyal local network of restaurants, shops and customers—supported by proven UK technology and a lean, scalable business model.
Franchise · Food & Catering
City Express Franchise
Local food delivery app franchise on UK-built tech with a £10,000 total investment
£4,000
personal capital
£10kk
investment
100
UK locations
How much does a City Express franchise cost?
Personal capital
Own funds required to complete the financing
£4,000
Total investment
Estimated total budget for the opening
£10,000
Locations in the country
100
Figures declared by the franchisor — sources and verification date at the bottom of the page.
What it's about
- Founded
- 2018
- Locations
- 100
- Type of business
- Local food and retail delivery app franchise
- Company
- City Express
Fact sheet
Inside City Express
The right questions before you start
The concept at a glance
City Express operates a local food and shop delivery app that connects independent restaurants and retailers with nearby customers. Franchisees are responsible for onboarding local businesses onto the platform, promoting the app within their community, and earning a commission on every order processed. The platform runs on UK-developed Redbox software, giving franchisees a reliable, ready-to-use technology backbone without the need to manage complex tech infrastructure themselves.
By offering lower commission rates than the major delivery aggregators, City Express positions itself as the fairer, more community-minded alternative—helping local businesses retain more of their revenue while strengthening ties within the towns and neighbourhoods it serves.
Why join this franchise?
- Low investment, high potential: A lean cost structure compared with traditional bricks-and-mortar franchises.
- Scalable earnings: Commission-based revenue grows as more restaurants and orders are added to the platform.
- Full operator support: UK-based training, marketing guidance and ongoing technical assistance.
- Strong sector tailwinds: The UK food delivery market is valued at roughly £14.3 billion in 2025 and continues to grow, with over 30% of consumers ordering delivery weekly.
- Market gap advantage: Many restaurants are frustrated by the 25–35% commissions charged by major aggregators, creating strong demand for a fairer local alternative.
Who they're looking for
City Express is seeking driven, community-oriented individuals rather than experienced restaurateurs or tech specialists. Ideal franchisees typically show:
- An entrepreneurial mindset and genuine enthusiasm for supporting local business growth
- Sales and marketing ability, particularly for onboarding restaurants and promoting the marketplace
- Strong networking and relationship-building skills within their local community
- A committed, growth-focused approach to scaling their operation
Requirements and investment
City Express has been designed as an accessible entry point into franchising, with a liquid capital requirement of around £4,000 needed to help secure any necessary financing. The total investment to launch, inclusive of initial fees, is set at £10,000, with an initial franchise fee element of £6,000 built into that figure. This comparatively modest outlay reflects the app-based, low-overhead nature of the business, with no premises or stock to manage. Ongoing support is provided from the UK head office, covering training, marketing strategy and technical assistance, allowing franchisees to focus on growing their local network rather than managing technology.
Key facts
- Year founded: 2018
- Number of locations: around 100
- Average franchisee age: 35
- Total investment: £10,000
- Franchise fee: £6,000
- Liquid capital required: £4,000
- Average annual turnover: £80,000
If you're looking for an affordable, technology-led franchise opportunity with genuine growth potential and a positive local impact, City Express could be the right fit. Request more information today to find out how you can become a City Express franchisee in your area.
How much does a City Express franchise cost?
The total investment is £10,000, of which £6,000 is the initial franchise fee, and candidates need around £4,000 in liquid capital to help secure any financing. Because the business is app-based, there are no premises or stock to fund.
How does a City Express franchisee make money?
Franchisees sign up local restaurants and shops to the delivery platform, promote the app in their community and earn commission on each order processed. Revenue scales as more businesses and orders join, and the network reports average annual turnover of around £80,000.
Do I need restaurant or tech experience to join City Express?
No. The platform runs on UK-developed Redbox software, so franchisees never manage complex technology themselves. What counts is an entrepreneurial mindset, sales and marketing ability for signing up local businesses, and strong networking and relationship-building skills.
What support does City Express offer its franchisees?
Support comes from the UK head office and covers training, marketing strategy and ongoing technical assistance. That frees franchisees to concentrate on growing their local network of restaurants and customers rather than running the technology behind the marketplace.
Why choose City Express over the big delivery platforms?
The brand charges lower commission rates than the major national aggregators, which typically take 25-35% from restaurants. That positions each local marketplace as a fairer, community-minded alternative in a UK food delivery market valued at roughly £14.3 billion in 2025.
Sources and data verification
The figures on this page come from the following sources:
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