Restaurant Mobile App Development: A Game-Changer for Your Business

Has business at your restaurant increased in terms of customers and phone orders? Do you commonly make mistakes due to human error when you record orders you get over the phone? Do you fear for the brand's reputation or your business?

We understand that these concerns and queries are valid in the contemporary environment when people frequently select the following option without considering it. A food delivery app can attract, retain, and manage customers.

Restaurants now need to develop an food ordering app in order to compete in the industry. By offering an app that makes it easier for consumers to place orders, track deliveries, and make payments, restaurants may improve their customer experience and bring in new customers. The development of a food ordering app is simple. It shouldn't be treated carelessly because a mistake or a malfunctioning program can turn users off.

In this blog post, We’ve answered in detail about your why, how and what about the mobile app development for your restaurants.

The benefit of developing a restaurant-specific food ordering app

Making an food ordering app for your restaurant could have a lot of benefits. Giving your customers a straightforward platform to order food, track deliveries, and make payments can first and foremost enhance their overall experience. This simplicity might increase consumer loyalty and repeat business. Second, a food ordering app for a restaurant can increase the visibility and clientele of your business because it's simple for customers to find and place orders there. Additionally, an app can offer important information on customer preferences and behavior that you can use to improve your menu and marketing strategies. Finally, a mobile app that allows users to order food on demand will help you grow your clientele and develop new sources of income for your business.

What kind of service a restaurant can offer through mobile application?

These are the three alternatives available to restaurants that want to offer food ordering service using a mobile app.

• Customized mobile application

A restaurant can create a mobile app with its own branding. Typically, a restaurant ordering app offers pickup/carryout and delivery choices.

The development of a customized food ordering app for restaurants is motivated by four key factors:

1. Higher demand: According to GloriaFood, 86% of US consumers use food ordering services at least once each month. Online reservations for hotels, car rentals, and taxis are much less common.
2. Wide range of clients: A prospective consumer is anyone with a smartphone, and a desire for pizza, wings, burgers, Mexican, Thai, or Chinese food.
3. Additional revenue: Orders placed using a mobile restaurant ordering system are typically $4 more expensive than orders placed in person, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
4. Avoiding commission: Restaurants can avoid paying the 15% to 30% commission that food delivery and ordering services charge by using an independent platform.

On the one hand, you have more control over the standard of the food provided and the speed of delivery by leaving delivery operations in the hands of an internal staff.

On the other hand, creating a food delivery app involves money and technological know-how. We are here to help you with the technical aspect.

• The third-party platform

The second option is for a restaurant to collaborate with an outside delivery service.

Three important factors should be considered when selecting a third-party distribution platform:

1. Logistics outsourcing is convenient 
2. Possibility of gaining access to a bigger customer base and rising sales
3. Less expensive as there is no need to establish and maintain a delivery team

There are two different business models for food delivery, so bear that in mind while looking at third-party platforms. The aggregator model is one. By working together, you can bring people to your restaurant. Restaurants view customer orders placed through the aggregator platform and complete them. The aggregator does not handle the delivery.

However, there are platforms that offer logistic assistance. Customers submit orders on this kind of platform when you partner with it. The platform will then deploy a delivery partner to pick up and deliver the order to the customer while you accept and complete the order.

• Hybrid platform

Restaurants can use both their own app and a third-party company's services together. A hybrid platform refers to this combination.

This is how it goes: You start by giving the development of your app to a business that specializes in food delivery apps. Orders placed using the app are monitored by your internal manager, and delivery is handled by a contracted company.

The development of a hybrid platform is driven by three key factors:

1. You may concentrate on completing transactions without delay.
2. Though a hybrid platform requires some initial technological investment, in the long run, your delivery costs will be reduced.
3. Through your app, you may communicate with consumers and create greater brand loyalty.

Most of the drawbacks of working with a third-party delivery service can be eliminated by using a hybrid restaurant ordering platform. But poor packaging remains a risk to consumers. Think about using specialized packing to reduce such risk and get the food delivered hassle-free.

Features of food ordering apps for customers

The next step after choosing to develop a food ordering app is to determine what features it should offer. These fundamental characteristics need to be included in a customer-focused food ordering service app or user interface:

• A sign-up page: Getting a customer to stay loyal to you requires a sign-up page that is straightforward, effective, and appealing. For added convenience, your sign-up page should allow users to register for a new account using a login and password or through a third-party service like Facebook or Google.

• An account/profile page: An online buying system should have a profile/account page that customers can see after they have registered for an account. An order history with the option to reorder, saved payment options, and the ability to save favourite restaurants and menu items may all be found in this profile.

• Restaurant search/locator: A restaurant finder displays which restaurants clients may order from using the app, either in list or map format. To assist consumers in narrowing down their options, some type of search tool is required (by distance, time, or cuisine). There should be easy access to information about each restaurant, including its address, menu items (preferably with images), prices, special deals or promotions, and comments or customer reviews.

• Ordering: After comparing restaurants and selecting one, a consumer should be able to swiftly and conveniently make their order via the online ordering system. Before making a payment, an order summary should be shown to the client so they may make any last adjustments. Customers should be able to add or remove products from orders as needed. A useful extra feature may be the ability to choose a delivery time (as soon as feasible or at a certain time).

• Payment processing: It's excellent to be able to pay for an order using an online ordering system. Your app should support a variety of payment methods, including coupons, credit cards, cash on delivery, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Android Pay, and payment processing should be quick and safe.

All of these elements should be present in the basic food ordering app. Additional qualities that are desirable include:

• Real-time monitoring or alerts: Keeping clients updated on the status of their orders (placed, being prepared, or on the way) with notifications or a real-time tracker is a fantastic extra feature.
• Social media integrations: Giving customers the option to link their social media accounts to upload images of their food is a simple approach to increase customer loyalty and draw more attention to your restaurant and app.
• A loyalty or rewards programme: Offering awards to users is another excellent approach to increase loyalty (either through the app or through a specific restaurant). Offering free delivery on every fifth order, for instance, will encourage consumers to use your app again or place an order from the same location. Other promotions, subscription options, and referral schemes may attract customers to continue using your app. By thanking users for their dedication as brand ambassadors, you may convince them to invite their friends to join.

A food ordering app's objective is to draw new customers and keep existing ones. Making it simple for people to compare offers from different restaurants, place orders, pay, and receive their meals is crucial. It's simple to increase loyalty to a certain software, service, or restaurant by offering extra features or prizes.

Features of food ordering apps for restaurants

The following features need to be present in the app or user experience designed for restaurants:

• A registration page: On this page, restaurants should be able to register accounts with information about their establishments (name, address, operating hours, etc.).

• Content management: Provide a user-friendly interface that enables restaurants to manage their menus, including photographs, prices, ingredients (particularly for those with allergies or food intolerances), promotions, and any other crucial information about what they have to offer. This is known as content management functionality. So that restaurants can easily update their information as needed, this page should be simple to change.

• Track and manage orders: Restaurant employees should have access to incoming orders and the ability to amend order statuses. It's crucial to keep track of where orders are in the processing chain. This feature also includes real-time updates for orders that have been finished, cancelled, and are on their way to delivery.

• Cross-interface communication abilities: This is essential for both aggregators and new kinds of delivery apps since they allow you to inform both the consumer and the courier/delivery person about the status of your order. Notifying the customer or the courier that an order is available for pickup or is being delivered is what cross-interface communication is all about.

This app's objective is to efficiently transfer consumer order data to the restaurant. Deliveries should be made either by the restaurant itself or by a courier or delivery driver through the app, and restaurants should be able to manage orders in a way that matches their prep process.

Features of food ordering apps for couriers and drivers

Basic elements like the ones listed below should be present in any application or user interface designed for couriers or delivery drivers:

• A sign-up page: It enables users to create accounts with just a username and password or another type of authentication.

• Management of pickup/dropoff and order status: Show a list of available orders, together with information about each one (size, estimated delivery time, supplementary information, etc.), as well as pick-up and drop-off locations. It's also crucial to provide real-time order tracking statuses (placed, accepted, in progress, refused, cancelled, etc.). Push notifications and other similar services can be used to swiftly transmit statuses. Couriers should be able to simply book a delivery they want to make by browsing existing orders and filtering by pertinent information (distance, time, etc.). To let other couriers know that an order has been claimed, this booking feature ought to update the app in real time.

• Cross-interface abilities: It's crucial for a delivery driver to be able to keep both the customer and the restaurant informed in real time on the status of an order. They ought to be able to alter an order's status after claiming a delivery using the booking feature, either to notify the restaurant that they will pick up the order or to notify the customer that they will deliver it.

A courier-focused app or interface may also benefit from the following enhancements:

• Account history: The ability to see completed deliveries and record information about clients or restaurants may be useful to drivers and enable them to mark challenging deliveries for future reference.

• Loyalty program: A loyalty or incentives program could increase customer loyalty to delivery services. A great way to assure brand loyalty and raise brand awareness is to provide drivers bonuses or rewards for promoting their friends to place orders through the app or sign up as drivers.

How much does it cost to develop an app for food ordering for your restaurant?

Your food delivery app development cost will be influenced by a variety of factors, including platform, backend infrastructure, design, and functionality. Additionally, the country you select to outsource your development also makes a big difference. It is always better to go with a country like India that offers the best offshore practice at the most reasonable rates

According to our experience, it can take two to three months to design and develop a straightforward app with a menu, geolocation, push notifications, reviews, comments, and social sharing. An app that combines everything in the simple app with payments, table reservations, pre-ordering, beacons, and social network integration may take even a year to develop as for the sophisticated option. However, a variety of factors influence the price and time of developing an app. As a result, we advise you to ask our team of experienced developers for an estimate on your project.

Start creating your own restaurant food ordering mobile applications

Creating a mobile ordering app is a fantastic personal business strategy given the fast growing use of tablets and smartphones globally.

If you're considering about creating a food delivery app, be sure to think it out carefully and keep the needs of your users in mind. If you're not sure where to begin or need guidance and resources when it comes to on-demand food delivery app development, we are there to help you at any moment.

After reading, get in touch with us to find out more information. Our team of experts will be happy to assist you!