Guide on Food Delivery App Development

Food ordering apps have become a necessity in our daily lives providing convenience and a variety of food options for customers to choose from along with amazing business opportunities.

If you are also planning to create a food delivery app here is the ultimate guide that will help understand the important steps and things points about it.

Types of Food Delivery Apps

Have you ever wondered how many types of food service apps there actually are? They are countless. However, the choice must be wisely approached, as it will determine the monetization model, promotion method, and interaction with the clientele. And the price of thoughtlessness can cost a fortune.

Order-Only Platforms (Marketplace Model)

Order-only platforms work as austere go-betweens as they connect customers with local restaurants but leave the food prep and delivery up to the restaurant itself. These apps let users browse nearby options, compare menus, prices, and reviews, and then place an order directly.

Frankly speaking, this model works best for restaurants that already have their own delivery unit or who’ve outsourced delivery to external companies.

Order and Delivery Platforms (Logistics Support)

These apps run every piece, from ordering to delivery. Not only can users browse and order from a myriad of cafes and diners, but the app also takes care of the delivery part, often using independent drivers to get food to eaters’ doors.

How to make money on such applications? Typically, companies working per this model rake in cash through commissions and delivery fees, offering a full service that covers it all.

Aggregator Platforms

Aggregator apps bring together menus from tons of lunchrooms, so clients can easily compare nutrition options, prices, appraisals, and delivery choices all in one site. They do give a large selection of alternatives, but unfortunately don’t provide the actual delivery.

The main way for aggregators to earn money is through restaurant commissions, listing fees, and ads, but you need to understand that in order to break even, you first must publicize the platform.

Full-Stack Apps (Cloud Kitchens)

Also called “Cloud Kitchens” or “Ghost Kitchens,” these apps head both cooking and delivery, often out of kitchens built just for delivery orders.

The main trait of full-stacks (for example, Rebel Foods and CloudKitchens) is the complete absence of a room for eating, which is primarily aimed not so much at earning money as at reducing costs.

They often run multiple virtual trademarks from the same kitchen to lower overhead, so they can quickly expand.

Restaurant-Branded Apps

Giant restaurant chains sometimes have their own apps so customers can order directly without using third-party platforms.

These apps often come with deluxe deals, personalized offers, and loyalty programs to keep customers coming back. For example, Domino’s, McDonald’s, and Chipotle work this way.

Meal Kit Delivery Apps

Meal kit delivery services bring fresh, pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe cards right to your door so you can cook up restaurant-quality meals at home.

Unlike traditional food delivery, meal kits are great for people who adore cooking but don’t want to deal with meal planning or grocery shopping.

Must-Haves for a Food Delivery App

Building a food delivery app involves consolidating numerous components into a single app to create a convenient, and protected platform that meets the needs of both customers and businesses.

Customer App

The customer app is the primary touchpoint for users to create accounts, save preferences, and view order history.

Normally, it features an interface to browse menus and place orders, a payment gateway to make transactions, and tools to provide feedback and ratings.

Restaurant App

The restaurant app is a central component within the food delivery ecosystem. It provides a convenient interface for restaurants but the main purpose of it is to manage menus, update items, and adjust pricing.

Drivers App

The must-have features for a driver’s app include real-time monitoring to prove deliveries are completed as intended and navigation tools to help drivers find the quickest routes and fastest delivery times.

Admin Panel

The admin panel, or management panel, is the main control hub for app managers. It shows user details, handles orders, and gives a clear view of app performance stats—all in one neat setup.

How to Make a Food Delivery App: Our Process

The current app development market is full of techniques to be able to create a successful app for food delivery. However, no matter the technique employed, there has to be a well-defined stepwise approach that shows advancement from one stage to the next.

Gap Analysis

The steps of creating a food delivery application start from working on the full requirements. This stage deals with knowing the specific needs and objectives of the client and examining the market and the clientele.

UI/UX Design

It is pointless for a mobile application to be developed and maintained without a decent user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).

This clearly goes for food delivery applications as well. The range of aspects is large which includes convenient navigations, attractive branding options, and others that make the app practical, yet fun.

Frontend and Backend Development

The development phase is where the app is born. Our team of skilled developers works on both the front end and back end to provide a well-structured and appealing solution.

QA Testing

Prior to launching the app, a vigorous quality assurance (QA) lifecycle is done. This stage assists in enabling the determination of bugs, security breaches, and performance deficiencies.

Delivery and After-Launch Help

Once quality control has been performed, the app becomes deployment-ready. Our support does not cease at the time of deployment as maintenance and updates are necessary in order to ensure that the application is up to current standards.

Custom Food Delivery App Development Vs. Off-the-Shelf Solution

Indeed, the choice between custom mobile app development and a ready-made solution depends on particular circumstances and conditions. Consider your budget constraints, time sensitivity, and the need for personalized touches.

Custom Development

​​If your business usually has some specific needs, then custom development is the best option because it generates an app that fully integrates into the company branding.

It also allows for the execution of tests of any features and for growth planning. However, most of the time, custom development processes are lengthy and this incurs a great upfront cost.

Off-the-Shelf Solution

Many off-the-shelf solutions take less time to deploy since these solutions are built using existing features and templates. Cheaper and easier to implement, these solutions will offer no customization and only a few of the one-off features that a custom app will have.

How Much Time Does It Take to Build a Food Delivery Application?

How long it takes to build a food delivery app really depends on a few things, such as which features you want. Generally, it takes a few months. Here’s the typical timeline:

• Functional Assessment: 2-4 weeks
• UI/UX Design: 4-6 weeks
• Frontend and Backend Development: 12-20 weeks
• QA Testing: 4-6 weeks

Final Thoughts

The process of building an online ordering and logistic system for any kind of mobile application like Uber Eats is quite complicated as there are many moving parts involved.

This vast guide will allow you to be well on your way to deploying a successful food delivery app that is not just designed for your clients… but exceeds their anticipation.