Currently, we are using multiple best food delivery apps for delivering food. Some popular online apps for food delivery are Grubhub, Doordash, UberEats, Postmates, etc.
Now, with the help of these apps, you can order food online from the comfort of your home or anywhere, and instantly, food is delivered to your place. However, how to make a food delivery app like these great platforms is still a question in the minds of some food business owners.
Understanding how these food delivery apps work will give us an idea of how to create your own food delivery app like theirs. Food delivery app implementation requires working with multiple stakeholders. You will be dealing with restaurant owners, riders for logistics and delivery, and the customers who can place their orders.
This blog guide walks you through the essential steps to build a food delivery app, from understanding key features to choosing the right tech stack. Whether you’re starting fresh or expanding your services, now is the time to transform your business with a custom app.
Benefits of “Create Your Own Food Delivery App”
Below are the benefits of creating your own food delivery app for your food business.
Customer Loyalty
Creating your food delivery app can improve customer loyalty through the loyalty program. With the help of this program, you can build a loyal customer base. The customers get rewards and incentives for their purchases.
Customization
You can easily customize the app according to your needs. By creating your own food delivery app, you can create a user-friendly interface and add the features of your choice, which can lead to higher user satisfaction and retention.
Data Security
Customer data privacy is important in the food delivery industry. You can easily save your customer information, like payment details, addresses, etc, in a more secure way by creating your own food delivery app.
Get More Orders
Customers prefer ordering directly from their favorite restaurant, not third-party apps. Through this, the restaurants get more orders and save on the fees associated with third-party delivery platforms.
Control Delivery
With the food delivery app builder, you fully control the delivery process and provide a better customer experience.
Supercharge your deliveries with Enatega.
Key Features of a Successful Food Delivery Application
Before the food app development, you must know the main features that should be included in your food delivery app.
Login: This will allow users to log in to your app using email or social network profiles. You will also need their phone number so you can make a verification of the order placed.
Search: Search should be available so users can easily find their favorite restaurants. Also, filtering options should be available, for example, if the user wants to find vegetarian or Chinese restaurants in their area. It also includes a map option so users can check restaurants near themselves as well on the platform.
Order Placing: Order placement is a must-feature. When an order is placed, the users want a quick update and get a notification when the order status changes. The user is also notified when the order should not take more than 45 minutes.
Order checkout and Payment: Users should be able to pay using multiple channels. It can be PayPal, Credit Card, Debit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Cash on delivery.
Notifications: Through push notifications or SMS, users need to be informed about new deals, promotions, and discounts.
Order Tracking: Showing live tracking of the rider increases the user experience. They need to be informed about where their order is; they can be informed by seeing a live update on a Google map.
User Reviews: To see reviews of restaurants is very important. Based on those reviews, customers can make intelligent decisions that make restaurants accountable for giving the best services.
Steps to Build a Food Delivery App
Creating a food delivery app needs a few essential steps. It requires proper planning. You can create a great app that satisfies your customer needs with it.
Therefore, for your help, we gathered some steps to help you in the “how to create a food delivery app” phase.
1. Start Research
First, you must start your market research and understand the food delivery industry. In this phase, you can do these things:
- Know your competitors.
- Analyze them and know what they do and where they lack.
- Know your target audience by prioritizing gender, age, income, and nationality.
- Understand the food delivery business model.
This information should be used to develop a strategy that differentiates your app from the other market solutions.
2. Choose your Key App Features
Your features will drive the entire online food ordering app development lifecycle. Select the app’s key features that you need to include. For example, you can add basic features like login and registration in your app. Other key features included in your app are:
- Search
- Order tracking
- Reviews and ratings
- Payment notifications
- Order history
- In-app chat
- Customize orders and more
To make the whole delivery system work, you need to have multiple apps talking to one another so the whole app can work correctly. For a customer app, you need a dashboard to store restaurant data for users and riders. The dashboard should also give you an overview of your whole project.
A restaurant needs a separate app to change the status of the order details of the order, and proper notifications are necessary so the restaurant knows about their orders. Some features, such as printing invoices, taxation, etc, are also included.
The driver app is important as well. It makes it easier for riders to change the order status when the food has been delivered to customers. Also, they communicate with the customers with an in-app feature.
3. Select the Technology stack
To develop the food ordering app, select the technology stack. For example, if you need to add a payment feature to your app, you can use different payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, etc. In addition, you can decide the technology stack according to whether to build an app for iOS or Android.
4. Start the Food Delivery App Development
After selecting the features and technology stack, start the on demand food delivery app development. However, if you don’t have expertise, hire the development team or work with app development experts to create a food delivery website or app.
The food delivery application development step can be divided into two phases:
App Design / Front-end: Design the UX design user-friendly that is attention-grabbing for the customers. Also, create a unique logo for the brand.
Back-end: Work on the back-end and implement all the app features.
5. Testing the App
Test the app before deployment. Remove all the errors and make it bug-free. Check all the features and run the app on different platforms to ensure that it provides the users with a seamless experience.
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Food App?
The cost of developing the food delivery platform depends on various factors, which include:
- App features
- Complexity
- Technology stack
- Development method
- Marketing cost
- Number of integrations
- Number of platforms
Typically, the best food ordering app for restaurant development costs $5000 per month to $100,000+. However, this price depends on the factors that are mentioned above.
Look at the table below and understand the estimated costs of building a food delivery system, ranging from basic to advanced features.
App Level | Description | Approximate Cost |
Basic | Simple app for ordering food | $5,000 – $30,000 |
Intermediate | Basic app + payment integration | $30,000 – $50,000 |
Advanced | Full-featured app + GPS tracking | $50,000 – $100,000 |
Enterprise | Custom solutions + extensive features | $100,000 and up |
Tips to Make Your Own Food Delivery App Like a Pro
Below are some tips to help you create a food delivery app that gives you success in the food delivery industry.
- Create a proper business plan that you follow throughout the entire food app development phase.
- Define the unique selling proposition (USP) that helps you make stand out from the competitors.
- Know your target market and competitors. It will help you create a great app and offer features that are missing in the competitor’s app.
- Understand your audience’s needs and keep them in mind when selecting the app features.
- Create a proper budget plan and stick to it.
FAQs
1. Which is the best app to order food?
Enatega is the best app for ordering food online from various restaurants. You can get a wide range of restaurants to deliver the food on time.
2. How do I set up an online food delivery service?
Below are steps that will help you create an online food delivery service.
- Make a plan
- Decide your budget
- Research the market
- Plan your business model
3. Do food delivery apps make money?
Yes, food delivery apps do make money through several revenue streams, such as:
Commission Fees: They typically charge restaurants a commission on each order placed through the app. This can range from 15% to as much as 30%.
Delivery Fees: Customers are charged a delivery fee, which varies based on distance, time, and other factors.
Advertising: Many apps offer advertising space for restaurants and businesses, allowing them to promote their offerings directly on the platform.
Subscriptions: Some apps provide subscription services to customers, offering benefits like reduced delivery fees or exclusive deals for a monthly fee.
Partnerships and Promotions: Apps may partner with brands or run promotional campaigns that generate additional revenue.
4. How long does it take to create a delivery app?
Building a delivery app can take between 2-3 months. However, it can vary and depend on your app features, complexity, timeline, and selection of platform.
Supercharge your deliveries with Enatega.
Conclusion
Creating a food delivery app is a good opportunity for food businesses looking to expand their reach and increase revenue. By following a structured approach you can build an app that stands out in the competitive market that is expected to be worth around USD 637.46 billion by 2034.
Whether you're a restaurant owner or an entrepreneur who wants to create a food app for business but is confused, then consult a food delivery app development company like Enatega. Our experts help you in turning your vision into reality. We have developed 100+ food apps and help businesses to drive growth for their business.
So, book a free demo with us now.