With the Covid-19 crisis, everything changed overnight. Customers want to stay away from contamination. That’s why online food delivery apps have become valuable. Customers can order food online from their place and have it delivered directly to their homes. And that’s super!
As a food delivery company, you might be able to improve your efforts by developing a robust delivery app like UberEats or GrubHub. Here are some critical aspects of developing on-demand food delivery apps to strengthen your efforts.
Let’s dive into it!
Delivering food on-demand as a business
Imagine relaxing with your friends, watching your favorite web series, and enjoying the food you just ordered online. The experience is fun and convenient.
The concept of food delivery has been around for a while. Yet the whole business of food delivery has become more prominent than ever. Here are some statistics that underscore this.
| Statistics on online ordering and delivery
60% of US consumers order food once a week for pickup or delivery. (Source.)
Digital ordering and delivery have increased 300% over restaurant food ordering since 2014. (Source.)
The on-demand meal delivery industry has experienced unprecedented growth globally at a CAGR of over 14% between 2018 and 2020. (Source.)
On-demand delivery apps Instarcart, Walmart Grocery, Shipt, and Target have recently recorded increases in daily downloads of 218%, 160%, 124%, and 98% respectively. (Source.)
According to Statista, by 2024, revenue in the e-services Online Food Delivery Platform-to-Consumer Delivery segment will reach approximately USD 96,864.4 million worldwide.
The increasing demand from consumers to order food online is driving the growth of the market. It makes good sense that you should consider developing a mobile app to increase your ROI. The market is filled with opportunities and it’s time you take advantage of them.
Key features to consider when developing a food delivery app with examples
When planning to develop a food delivery app, you should know some of the most popular features. Here are some of the most important features that can help you develop an excellent app for your food business.
The first thing you need to know when developing an app for on-demand food delivery is to find your primary users/stakeholders.
It’s very simple, you need to…
- Customer
- The manager and
- Courier or messenger.
Now you can study their patterns, tastes, preferences, needs, and requirements. It’s good to have features that best suit these users. So you can consider three different types of mobile food ordering apps for your platform. These are.
- The client-side of the app
- The management panel
- The courier or delivery app
The user-specific features help make your food delivery app more usable. Here are some key features for each type of food delivery app.
| Customer app
Your customers will use your food delivery app often, so it will help if the app is intuitive and easy to use. The customer app should allow your customers to find the right restaurant or the right dish they want to order. Once you’ve ordered, the payment process should be seamless.
1| Register and create a profile
The registration process is probably one of the first steps in the customer’s interaction with your app.
A quick tip – it helps make the registration process seamless and quick.
Keep in mind that your customers may choose not to complete the process if it’s complicated.
So make the registration simple and let the user complete the registration via social media accounts. Later, users can customize the profile according to their needs. The profile management function should be supported by a secure and robust backend to protect user data.
2| Search for food
This feature is the core of the food delivery app. Once the registration process is completed, the user logs in. Now the user is ready to search for restaurants and food. When the user finds what he/she wants, it results in quick order.
What can you do? You can add a smart list function.
The facet can organize restaurants and kitchens based on location, food preferences (gluten-free diets, nutrient-rich foods, desserts), and food type (gourmet or fast food) as well as dishes from different nationalities. You can research food preferences and make it as easy as possible for the user to find the dishes he/she wants.
3| Restaurant profile tour
Customers may also choose to view the restaurant profile when ordering food. They may want to see where the restaurant is located, what food it offers, and what the prices are. This feature helps complete the ordering process, so be sure to add it to your app.
4| Adding food to your cart and schedule orders
When customers find the food they want to order, they will want to add items to their cart. Users may prefer to order food from multiple locations.
This is where the shopping cart feature comes in handy. This allows customers to place an order at once without having to place multiple orders at different locations.
Another important feature is the scheduling of orders. Imagine having friends over after work; you don’t want to go home and cook.
It would be convenient to order food and have it delivered on time. The convenience of being able to order your food and have it delivered at the right time makes this function indispensable. In a COVID-19 situation, contactless delivery could be an advantage.
5| Make it easy to pay
As a business owner, payments are crucial for your food delivery business. Making the payment process simple and secure will help.
What can you do to make this happen? You can choose to include any payment gateway or app service in your mobile wallets. You can find services such as PayPal, iOS Wallet, Stripe, etc.
These payment options give your customers a wide range of options. You can also give promotional or coupon codes to make it more exciting.
A quick tip – you should thoroughly check that your online payment details are secure. Any compromise in security can ruin your reputation.
Admin apps
Who will manage the orders, set the prices and make sure the service runs efficiently? You’re right – the administrator. The admin function is essential for the service to run efficiently.
Here are some of the key features that can be useful for food ordering app developers.
1| Registration and management of profiles
The registration process is the same for all three types of apps. Logically, an administrator will need to complete the registration process.
A quick tip – for an aggregator model that shows different restaurants to customers, this feature can come in handy.
Now restaurants can register for your service and share their profile, e.g. name and address, menu, prices, offers, etc. Once registered, restaurants can start taking orders from customers.
2| Search for food
This feature is the core of the food delivery app. Once the registration process is completed, the user logs in. Now the user is ready to search for restaurants and food. When the user finds what he/she wants, it results in quick order.
What can you do? You can add a smart list function.
The facet can organize restaurants and kitchens based on location, food preferences (gluten-free diets, nutrient-rich foods, desserts), and food type (gourmet or fast food) as well as dishes from different nationalities. You can research food preferences and make it as easy as possible for the user to find the dishes he/she wants.
3| Restaurant profile tour
Customers may also choose to view the restaurant profile when ordering food. They may want to see where the restaurant is located, what food it offers, and what the prices are. This feature helps complete the ordering process, so be sure to add it to your app.
4| Adding food to your cart and schedule orders
When customers find the food they want to order, they will want to add items to their cart. Users may prefer to order food from multiple locations.
This is where the shopping cart feature comes in handy. This allows customers to place an order at once without having to place multiple orders at different locations.
Another important feature is the scheduling of orders. Imagine having friends over after work; you don’t want to go home and cook.
It would be convenient to order food and have it delivered on time. The convenience of being able to order your food and have it delivered at the right time makes this function indispensable. In a COVID-19 situation, contactless delivery could be an advantage.
5| Make it easy to pay
As a business owner, payments are crucial for your food delivery business. Making the payment process simple and secure will help.
What can you do to make this happen? You can choose to include any payment gateway or app service in your mobile wallets. You can find services such as PayPal, iOS Wallet, Stripe, etc.
These payment options give your customers a wide range of options. You can also give promotional or coupon codes to make it more exciting.
A quick tip – you should thoroughly check that your online payment details are secure. Any compromise in security can ruin your reputation.
Who will manage the orders, set the prices and make sure the service runs efficiently? You’re right – the administrator. The admin function is essential for the service to run efficiently.
Here are some of the key features that can be useful for food ordering app developers.
1| Registration and management of profiles
The registration process is the same for all three types of apps. Logically, an administrator will need to complete the registration process.
A quick tip – for an aggregator model that shows different restaurants to customers, this feature can come in handy.
Now restaurants can register for your service and share their profile, e.g. name and address, menu, prices, offers, etc. Once registered, restaurants can start taking orders from customers.
2| Allocate orders
Allocating orders is an essential feature. It allows you or the restaurant to use the administration panel and assign order requests to delivery people.
3| Dashboard
The dashboard is one of the most important features for the efficient operation of your service. It allows you to better manage your restaurant. What else is there? The dashboard gives you a quick overview of orders, deliveries, and payments. It will help you run your business much more efficiently.
Dashboard for the Administration Panel
4| Managing content and orders
Content is the core of your business. With the latest information, customers can quickly view restaurant details. To get the best UX, you need optimized content on the admin dashboard.
The aggregator model allows restaurant owners to manage information such as name, address, menus, opening hours, etc. Users can be sure to get the latest and greatest content from the food delivery platform.
Another fascinating feature is order management. Restaurants can easily manage orders. What else is there? Through the management panel, they can also manage payments, order history, etc.
5| Other functions of the control panel
Here are a few more features that should be included in the admin panel for developing a food delivery portal.The admin application should have the ability to manage and edit payment and financial accounts.
The admin page should have the ability to send messages to users. The push notification center can notify users about offers and discounts. The center can also analyze the user’s order history.
The dashboard should be able to create loyalty campaigns and new offers.
Analytics plays a vital role in the food delivery industry. With this aspect, you can quickly get an overview of the number of customers, orders received daily, etc.
Application for distributor
The food ordering app has another important user – the dispatcher. Your app should have features that are appropriate for a distributor or courier.
1| Profile entry and customization
The first step for a courier or delivery person is to complete the registration process. Once the process is completed, the delivery person can edit the profile and review it.
The restaurant or food delivery service can perform the verification. Finally, the staff can begin to receive and deliver the orders. For example, DoorDash has its fleet of drivers, called Dashers.
Quick tip – creating and verifying your profile is vital as it can curb criminal intentions. It also protects your online customers from any kind of fraud.
2|Handlling Orders
Suppliers can effectively check order requests with this feature. They can quickly accept or reject new calls, making it easier for them to process all orders.
3| GPS tracking and navigation
Finding the exact delivery location is crucial for the supplier. GPS navigation and tracking play a key role here. The staff can deliver the order at the right time with this function.
4| Status update
As a customer, imagine that you are waiting for an order and you receive an update on the status of the order. It is a great feeling to know the status of your order.
The delivery agent is responsible for status updates. They can let you know if the order is in progress, delayed, or delivered for a specific order. The customer receives a push notification and stays informed.
5| Process payments through the Wallet function.
For delivery staff, receiving payments and fees electronically is important. The Wallet feature allows the individual to receive and manage payments from the app and the restaurant. They can check how much money they have in their wallet and withdraw money.
6| Delivery history
Delivery staff may want to check deliveries and payments. The supplier can use this function to check all previous deliveries and payment information.
Describing the success
For food delivery business owners, there are no ready-made solutions for success. There are no secrets to staying ahead of the competition. The best way is to understand your customers, assess their specific needs, and develop a useful application.
On-demand food apps are popular and customers can benefit from your specific app. If you are planning to invest in developing mobile on-demand apps, now is the time. You can turn your idea into a profitable business.
The mobile app cost calculator
Develop a successful on-demand food delivery app with Imagination.
The food delivery industry has a strong growth curve. Now is the time to start your journey to develop a food delivery app and make an impact in the world of mobile apps. If you are looking for the right partner to guide you through the process. If you are looking for an app developer there are many software development companies and app development companies that can help you create a thriving on-demand food delivery app.
