Just Eat, which uses the slogan "give hunger the finger", has announced plans for stock market listing that could value the online takeaway service at as much as £900m.
The company, which is part of London's Tech City hub, wants to raise £100m to fund expansion and acquisitions, with the quoted company expected to have a market value of between £700m and £900m.
Its website and mobile apps handled more than 40m takeaway orders last year. The chief executive, David Buttress, said Just Eat was "one of the most exciting global growth companies in Europe", and added: "I believe we have a strong platform for continued rapid growth."
Buttress, whose favourite takeaway dish is said to be a lamb madras, joined the business in 2006 when it relocated from its native Denmark to London. He stepped up to replace the long-serving boss Klaus Nyengaard when he returned to Denmark last year.
Just Eat charges restaurants nearly 11% commission on each order placed, worth an average of £2.11 per order last year. It has more than 36,000 takeaways on its books, with the global industry said to be worth an estimated £58bn in 2013.
The company says the restaurants – which deliver the orders themselves – benefit from the relationship as customers spend 30% more when orders are placed online rather than over the phone.
Last year Just Eat made a profit before financial charges of £14m on sales of £97m. The initial public offering will trigger a windfall for Just Eat's venture capitalist owners as well as the management team.
Recent IPOs of internet companies have been well-received by investors. AO World, the online domestic appliances retailer, and boohoo.com, the clothing website, both saw their shares surge above their offer prices on their market debuts.
Although Tech City is yet to produce a digital success story to rival the likes of Facebook or Twitter, the Just Eat IPO would mark its biggest exit to date.