Business energy and utilities for takeaways
Fryers, grills and extraction running into the evening, a counter that takes most payments by card, and food waste and cooking oil to deal with. We look after the contracts behind a takeaway so you can get on with service.
- Electricity and gas quoted separately
- Card machine fees and funding from card takings explained in plain terms
- Food waste set up for the rules where you trade
How Helios helps takeaways.
Fryers, extraction, late hours and card-led takings. Helios puts every contract on one list and checks each one against your own bills.
One contact for the whole shop
Electricity, gas, waste, used cooking oil collection and your card terminals on one list, with one person to call.
Fryers and late hours priced properly
Fryers, extraction and late trading shape your usage. We compare rates against your own bills, not an average.
Card takings working for you
We check card machine fees from your statements and, if you need funding, set out how a cash advance would work in full.
Used cooking oil collected
We arrange collection of used cooking oil through a licensed partner, alongside your food waste and packaging collections.
What takeaways usually need from us
Fryers, extraction and late trading
The Carbon Trust says that typically 65% of the energy supplied by cooking equipment is extracted through the canopy as heat, and that refrigeration is a significant energy user in hospitality. In a takeaway, both run for most of the day.
If you sell hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am in England or Wales, that is late night refreshment, a licensable activity. Trading late also means more of your electricity is used in the evening, so we look at how your contract prices the hours you actually trade.
Sources: Carbon Trust (2018), GOV.UK
Food waste, packaging and used cooking oil
In England, cooking oil can go with small amounts of food waste or through a used cooking oil collection, but never down the drain. NetRegs guidance says oil used to cook meat or fish counts as catering waste, to be stored in suitable containers and removed by an authorised carrier. We arrange used cooking oil collection through a licensed partner, who collects the oil; Helios acts only as the broker. Tell us roughly how much you produce.
Simpler Recycling requires food waste, dry recyclables and general waste to be kept apart. Takeaways with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027. In Wales, takeaways are named in the workplace recycling guidance and no food waste of any amount may go to sewer.
Sources: GOV.UK, NetRegs, Welsh Government
Card takings and merchant cash advance
The British Business Bank describes a merchant cash advance as short-term funding for businesses that accept card payments, repaid from a percentage of card sales plus fees, and says it suits businesses with a substantial volume of card transactions. A typical deduction can be around 10% of each card sale, and repayment often runs over 3 to 18 months.
It also warns that the fees can make it more costly than other options and that early repayment is restricted. We set out the full cost before you decide. See cash advance and card machines.
Source: British Business Bank
Common problems we see in takeaways
Contracts nobody remembers signing
A new owner often inherits contracts with no paperwork. We find the end dates before quoting.
Uninsured staff
Employers’ liability insurance is compulsory once you employ staff, with cover of at least £5 million.
Source: GOV.UK
How Helios looks after a takeaway.
Here is how a takeaway’s contracts look in the Helios portal: every service, every end date and every document in one place.
- One contact for every service and every site
- Every end date and notice window tracked, with reminders
- Rates exactly as printed: electricity and gas always quoted separately
- Contracts, documents and meter readings in your Helios portal
Takeaway · Station RoadIllustration only- ElectricityFryers and extraction31/05/2027Live
- GasRanges and hot water31/05/2027Live
- WasteFood and packaging30/09/2027Live
- Used cooking oilLicensed partnerRollingLive
- Card machines2 terminals14/03/2027Renewal due
Taking over a takeaway?
Ofgem says you are responsible for the energy you use before a new contract starts, and your supplier could put you on deemed rates until you agree one.
- Take meter readings on the day you take over
- Ask the seller for the current suppliers and account numbers
- Tell the energy and water suppliers you have moved in
- Check who the waste collector is and how often they collect
What to send us
Send what you have and we will ask for anything else we need.
- Recent electricity and gas bills
- Your last one to three card machine statements
- Your waste invoice
- Your phone or broadband bill
- The date you took over the premises, if recent
One shop or several
A single takeaway
Most of the value is in getting the end dates right and the card fees clear. We do both before we quote anything.
Several shops
Each shop has its own meters and contracts. We check them site by site. See multi-site groups and franchises.
What we may find
It depends on your bills and contracts. These are the things we check.
- A deemed contract from a change of ownership
- Card machine rental on a terminal you no longer use
- No separate food waste collection yet
- A phone line kept only for an old card terminal
Get a quote for your takeaway
Tell us about your business and we’ll be in touch. We check your contract end dates and notice windows before we quote.
Prefer to talk? Call 020 4628 5727, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to sell hot food after 11pm?
In England and Wales, selling hot food or drink to the public between 11pm and 5am is late night refreshment, a licensable activity. Check with your local council.
Can used cooking oil go in the food waste bin?
In England, cooking oil can go with small amounts of food waste or through a used cooking oil collection, but never down the drain. Larger amounts need a separate collection, which we arrange through a licensed partner.
Is a merchant cash advance a loan?
It is a form of funding repaid from a share of your card sales rather than fixed monthly payments. The British Business Bank warns it can cost more than other options, so we show you the total before you decide.
Do I need employers’ liability insurance?
Yes, as soon as you employ staff, with cover of at least £5 million. There are limited exemptions, for example if you only employ close family members.
Bring your takeaway into one place.
Send us a recent bill and we will start with your contract dates and prices. Add the rest of your services whenever you are ready.
