Running a restaurant without an online ordering system is like cooking without a recipe. It just doesn’t work!
Everything is possible with an online food ordering system, from taking orders to managing the team. Restaurant businesses cannot be successful if they don’t have an online ordering system. Therefore, restaurants should invest in these platforms to run their operations easily.
As consumer preferences shift toward convenience, restaurants must adapt by implementing online food ordering systems. With an increasing number of customers relying on mobile devices for food orders over 40% of food delivery sales now come from mobile applications.
So, if you want to create an online food ordering system and take complete control over your operations, then you should create an online ordering platform.
This blog will walk you through the essential steps to create a successful online food ordering system, ensuring your restaurant stays competitive in this industry.
What is an Online Food Ordering System?
The online food ordering system is a system that allows customers to place orders online from the restaurant website or third-party apps.
As a restaurant owner, an online ordering platform lets you manage and process orders, track sales, design an online menu, and more.
The main objective of the online food ordering system is to:
- Make the food ordering process simple for users.
- Simplify the ordering process.
- Manage all the deliveries from the single platform.
- Help restaurants to boost customer satisfaction and sales.
- Help restaurants to reduce the manual handling of tasks.
Moreover, the online ordering system is essential for small to large-sized businesses. So, if any restaurant owner wants to expand their business and attract more customers, they should invest in online food delivery software.
How Does an Online Ordering System Work?
You must understand how the open source food delivery app works when you plan to develop an online food ordering solution. Here is a detailed process that help you understand it in detail.
Step 1: Customers Browse the Menu
In this step, customers browse the menu and prices on the restaurant online ordering system using their smartphone or computer. The custom order option is also available for customers.
Step 2: Customer Finalize the Order
The customers add the food items to their cart and then process the payment method. The customers have the option of making an online payment or cash on delivery. Customers must provide their credit card information if they choose an online method. After all this information is provided, the order is placed.
Step 3: The Restaurant Receives an Order Notification
The restaurant receives an order from the customer and then starts working on it. The chefs follow the customer’s guidelines and prepare the order.
Step 4: Rider Picks the Order
The restaurant informs the rider once the meal is ready by sending the delivery alert on their app. The rider receives the notification and picks up the parcel from the restaurant.
Step 5: Customer Receive the Notification
Once the meal is ready the rider picks up the order. The customer is notified that their order is ready for pick up or is out for delivery.
Step 6: Customer Receives an Order
The customer receives an order and provides feedback and ratings to restaurants and riders about their overall experience.
Supercharge your deliveries with Enatega.
What to Look For in a Good Online Ordering System?
Selecting the online ordering system for your business is an important step. The right system can help you streamline your process, increase sales, and boost customer satisfaction.
Below are some key factors you must consider when choosing the online ordering system for your business.
Customizability
Customizability is an important thing that you need to consider when picking the online ordering system. Always pick the one that best reflects your brand identity and meets your needs.
With this feature, restaurants can easily customize the system that best meets their needs and provide a better experience to customers.
User-Friendly Interface
It is another main thing that you need to consider. The user-friendly interface helps you manage your business operations efficiently. With a good design, customers can easily use your system to place orders.
Mobile Compatibility
Mobile compatibility is a must-feature in the growing trend of mobile phone ordering. The food ordering system should be easy to use on various platforms, including tablets, smartphones, and desktop PCs, and provide a seamless experience.
Order Management
Efficient order management can greatly impact your business. You can easily manage your pick and delivery operations with a great system. Order tracking in real-time, order notifications, and integrations with your existing POS system are the main features that must be included.
Customer Support
It is vital to pick the system that provides excellent customer support. You will face many issues without them, so pay attention to this feature.
Cost-Effectiveness
Check the pricing structure. Some systems deduct a portion of sales, while others charge a fixed monthly cost. When choosing a system, weighing the advantages and disadvantages is critical. Compare the prices with different ordering platforms and then choose the best one.
Benefits of Online Food Ordering System
The food delivery industry has experienced massive growth in recent years, benefiting restaurants and customers. Several factors contribute to this boom:
Convenience: Food ordering platforms are the lifesaver when you are at home and don’t feel like cooking anything or want to eat your favorite restaurant food. They provide an easy way to enjoy your favorite food from the comfort of your home.
Low Maintenance: Running the restaurant business online flawlessly because the maintenance cost will be reduced. You will save a lot of money you spend on hiring teams to manage everything.
More Customers: Several people use smartphones to place orders for food online. Therefore, if the restaurant business has an app or website, it can attract more customers and expand its reach.
Increase Visibility: The online food delivery business gains visibility with a delivery management app. The more people know about your business, the more they will place orders through your platform.
More Revenue: Revenue is important in the food ordering business. With revenue, businesses can grow and expand their operations. It can be used to form partnerships with more restaurants, offering customers a wider variety of choices.
Save Time: The online food and beverage delivery service apps save time for restaurants and customers. Restaurants can manage their tasks in no time and without hassle.
Variety of Food: Online food delivery apps provide a variety of foods to your doorstep. All local and international restaurants are available on the food ordering platform.
How to Create an Online Food Ordering System?
Creating an online food ordering system can be a manageable process, it is important to recognize that it involves several steps, and careful planning is crucial. Here is a simplified overview of the steps involved in creating an online food ordering system:
1. Define Your Objective
First, you must know your objective and build the ordering system for the right reasons. In this phase, you need to identify these points:
- What are your business goals?
- What do you want to achieve?
- How do you plan to reach customers?
2. Do Research
Conducting thorough research is necessary in creating an online food ordering system. In this step, you have to gather this type of information.
- Look into current trends in the food delivery industry. This includes popular cuisines, delivery methods, and customer preferences.
- Know your target audience’s interests and preferences.
- Identify key competitors in your market. Analyze their strengths and weaknesses, user reviews, and service offerings.
3. Identify Features
After deciding on the objective, the next step is to identify the main features of the ordering system. The features play an essential role when you want to attract more customers.
When you decide on the functionality, pay attention to your competitors. Study them and see where they lack, and your solution can benefit you and your target audience.
The main features that must be included in the food ordering and delivery platform are:
Customer App
- Search menu
- Order placement
- Track deliveries
- Order customization
Restaurant App
- Menu management
- Track deliveries
- Payment integration
Rider App
- Rider profile
- Order notifications
- Google Map integration
Admin Panel Dashboard
- Restaurant management
- Analytics and reporting
- Payment and commission management
4. Make a Budget
Before creating the food delivery application, establish your budget. However, keep these points in mind when making your budget.
- Keep the functionality when designing your online food ordering system.
- Do not allocate a lot of money if you build the platform on a budget.
5. Select the Tech Stack
Selecting the right tech stack for your online food ordering system is important for creating a scalable food app.
Here are some technologies you can consider for building a successful food ordering system.
| Category | Technologies | Description |
| Frontend | React.js | Component-based architecture for interactive UIs. |
| Vue.js | Lightweight and flexible for progressive web applications. | |
| Angular | Comprehensive framework for large applications. | |
| CSS Frameworks (Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS) | For responsive design and styling. | |
| Backend | Node.js | JavaScript runtime for scalable server-side applications. |
| Python (Django/Flask) | Rapid development with clean design. | |
| Ruby on Rails | Convention-over-configuration framework speeding up development. | |
| Express.js | Minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework. | |
| Spring Boot | Powerful framework for Java applications. | |
| Database | PostgreSQL | Reliable and feature-rich relational database. |
| MySQL | Widely used and easy-to-manage relational database. | |
| MongoDB | Document-oriented NoSQL database for unstructured data. | |
| Payment Processing | Stripe | Developer-friendly API for payment processing. |
| PayPal | Trusted payment solution. | |
| Cloud Services | AWS (Amazon Web Services) | Cloud services for hosting and storage. |
| Google Cloud Platform | Scalable infrastructure and machine learning capabilities. | |
| API Development | GraphQL | Efficient data fetching and flexible APIs. |
| RESTful Services | Traditional method for building APIs. | |
| Real-time Features | WebSockets | Real-time communication for order updates. |
| Firebase Realtime Database | Instant synchronization of data. | |
| Mobile Development | React Native | Cross-platform mobile apps using JavaScript. |
| Flutter | UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications. | |
| Deployment & DevOps | Docker | Containerizes applications for consistency across environments. |
| Kubernetes | Manages containerized applications at scale. | |
| CI/CD Tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions) | Automates testing and deployment processes. |
6. Select the Food Delivery App Development Company
Choose a good food app development company with experience developing food and delivery ordering systems. Their experience will help develop your food delivery system project.
The developers have the necessary knowledge and innovative ideas to develop the functionality and know how to handle or solve any issues that arise during the process.
7. Development of Online Ordering Platform
After you choose the best food delivery app development company like Enatega, you can get an NDA for safety. The developers will start working on the project, and you can discuss your ideas with the developers for their better understanding.
Now, you know all the steps that will help you in your “how to create an online food ordering system” phase. By following the above mentioned steps, you can easily create a great app.
How Much Does it Cost to Make a Food App?
The cost of developing the food ordering software varies and depends on your requirements, which include:
- Which platform do you use?
- Which technology do you use?
- What features do you use in your app or software?
- Where do you hire the development team?
The table below shows the estimated cost of a food-ordering app.
| Factor | Details | Time Required (Hours) | Hourly Rate (USD) | Total Cost (USD) |
| Platform | iOS, Android, Web | 400 | $50 | $20,000 |
| Technology | Native vs. Hybrid | 300 | $50 | $15,000 |
| Basic Features | User registration, menu display | 200 | $50 | $10,000 |
| Advanced Features | Payment integration, order tracking | 300 | $50 | $15,000 |
| UI/UX Design | Wireframing, prototyping | 150 | $50 | $7,500 |
| Testing & QA | Bug fixing, performance testing | 150 | $50 | $7,500 |
| Project Management | Coordination and oversight | 100 | $50 | $5,000 |
| Total Estimated Cost: $70,000 | ||||
For a better understanding, use the formula below and calculate the development cost of the food-ordering app.
| Formula |
| Total App Development Cost= Time Required to Develop an App * Developer’s Hourly Charge |
Use the proper formula and get an estimated cost for the ordering app.
For example, if we take the total hours estimated (1400 hours) and the hourly rate ($50):
- Total Cost = 1400 * 50 = $70,000
FAQs
- How do I start an online ordering business?
Below are some steps to help you start an online ordering business.
- Research your market
- Choose a niche
- Create a business plan
- Choose a platform
- Set up payment processing
- Design your website/app
- Market your business
- Launch and gather feedback
- How much does it cost to create an app like DoorDash?
Creating an app like DoorDash can cost between $50,000 to $300,000 or more. It depends on features, design, platform (iOS, Android, or both), and the development team’s location and expertise.
- How long does it take to develop a food delivery app?
Developing a food delivery app takes 3 to 6 months. It depends on the complexity of features and the development team’s experience.
Supercharge your deliveries with Enatega.
Conclusion
When you decide to create a food ordering system for your business, follow all the steps mentioned above. Analyze all the points and create a top-notch app that helps you in getting more revenue for your business.
Also, if you need help setting up an online ordering system, consult Enatega. We have experts that build the best food ordering platform according to your needs. Our team has developed more than 100 food clone apps like Foodpanda clone, Grubhub clone, and more.
So, book a free demo and automate your restaurant business.
About the author
Hudaibia Khalid is the creative force behind the blog—a maestro of words and ideas. Her distinctive style not only imparts wisdom but also leaves an indelible mark, transforming each post into a captivating journey through her unique perspective on the world.
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