The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the food-delivery service industry forward a few years. Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and DoorDash have all reported a significant increase in orders between February and March 2022.
According to research, sales of food delivery services increased by 15% in August 2021. Because of the ongoing pandemic, more Americans are making their first purchase on demand food delivery app development. According to studies, 50 percent of U.S. consumers ordered from any of the food delivery services in August 2021, up from 43 percent a year ago. In the third week of the lockdown, grocery delivery service Instacart announced that it had met its 2022 targets.
The buzz has grown to the point where we can’t imagine our lives without online food delivery apps. It was and continues to be one of the most promising businesses during the pandemic. One of the fastest-growing industries is online food delivery services. According to research, the online food delivery industry will grow by 8.4 percent by 2022.
To keep the business running smoothly and to deliver food safely and on time to its users, multiple companies have rolled out new features such as priority delivery, contact-less delivery, and more. So, if you want to get started with on-demand food delivery app development, you’ve come to the right place. This article will walk you through the process of developing a food delivery app. I will answer all of your questions about “starting an on demand food delivery app development business.”
Food Delivery Apps Are Taking Off
The convenience and transparency for app users and merchants is one of the primary reasons for the growth of food delivery apps.
According to a National Restaurant Association survey, 60 percent of U.S. adults and 71 percent of millennials are more likely than ever to order delivery. And people will continue to deliver even after the pandemic is over. It is no secret that people prefer things that are quick, simple, and inexpensive.
These are the most important reasons for the rise of food delivery apps. As a result, if you choose to ignore the arrival of mobile food delivery solutions, your food business may suffer.
Flow of a Food Delivery App: How Does It Work?
The following is the most basic flow of a food delivery app.
- The app will be browsed and searched by the users. They’ll browse the feed for restaurants of their choice.
- They’ll look through the menu and add their favorites to the cart.
- Customers can choose their orders and check out.
- Following that, they will check out using a variety of payment methods.
- Customers can track their orders in real-time in the app once the restaurant accepts the order and begins preparing it.
- The final step is for customers to have their food delivered.
This is how a food delivery app works. It may differ slightly depending on which business models you select. Let’s look at the various types of business models.
Food Delivery App: Business Model
The answer to “how to create a food delivery app” begins with determining its business model. There are four primary business models, each with advantages and disadvantages. Let us investigate:
I. Order-Only Model
Restaurants are very important in this model. Because the restaurant is the only one who manages everything, this model has very little to do with aggregators. Customers can order food from a specific restaurant; they place an order, it is accepted, the restaurant prepares the meal, and the food is delivered. This model was pioneered by first-generation restaurants such as Domino’s. This model was responsible for the transition from a phone-based ordering system to a website-based ordering system.
II. Model of Order and Delivery
These are the traditional aggregator models. It is an improved version of the order-only model used by companies such as Uber and DoorDash. In this model, the aggregator provides users with a variety of restaurant options. Customers can look for their favorite restaurants, place orders, and pay.
The restaurant then accepts and processes the orders, assigns a delivery person to the order, and the customer receives their orders. This model relies on a vast network of deliverers who are compensated based on the distance traveled. Furthermore, customers must pay between 20% and 30% of the total cost of their order.
How to Create a Food Delivery App in 6 Easy Steps
You must choose an appropriate business model or niche for your business based on the services you intend to provide. Furthermore, the steps of your on-demand food delivery app development will differ depending on the model.
The Aggregator model and the Order Only model are two of the most well-known food delivery business models. These two models enable users to order food with a few mouse clicks. Many well-known companies have adopted the Aggregator model and reaped the benefits of increased user and sales. As a result, the Aggregator model is preferable to both of these models.
Step one is to decide which model will go with your food delivery app concept. Let us now look at how to create one. Here are six easy steps to get you started.
Step 1: Stay Current on Market Trends
The first step in developing a food ordering app is to conduct extensive research. This includes researching the most recent trends, business models, consumer types, and so on. These elements will help you define your app’s main goal and direction. Knowing your customers and their needs in depth is one of the most significant advantages of conducting market research.
When developing a food ordering app, you must first research current market trends. Let’s take a look at some recent trends:
I. Tweet Ordering
Companies such as Dominos developed the concept of ordering via tweet. People can place pizza orders by simply tagging Dominos. All users have to do is:
Make a profile for your pizza.
Describe their favorite pizza.
Fill out the section for default orders.
Connect a Pizza profile to their Twitter account.
II. Using a Virtual Assistant to Place Orders
One of the most popular trends in food delivery apps these days is the use of virtual assistants. Alexa, Google Assistant, and other virtual assistants have become foodies’ best friends all over the world.
Dom, Domino’s Facebook messenger bot, will assist you in ordering pizza with an emoji or text. Grubhub and Justeat have capitalized on these trends by integrating with Alexa (and similar virtual assistants) to book orders via voice. The simplicity of the process is the most appealing feature for users in this trend.
III. Use a Smartwatch to Place an Order
Dominos was also a forerunner in the use of Android smartwatches to order and track pizza.
IV. Ordering From Your Automobile
This is one of the potential future trends in the food delivery industry in the United States, which is not yet widely used. The concept is straightforward: order food while keeping your hands on the steering wheel.
For example, Pizza Hut has collaborated with companies such as Accenture and Visa to develop an in-car pizza ordering system. It enables users to order pizza by placing their hands on the wheels.
Step 2: Create a Food Delivery App
This quote is well-known, and it has even been proven to be correct over time. The most important aspect of an app, especially a food delivery app, is its design. The success of your app is entirely dependent on its design and user experience.
Food provides a satisfying feeling, so the ordering process must reflect this. Food ordering should be a fun, exciting, and unforgettably simple experience. The design attracts users and keeps them on the app. As a result, your app requires a good user experience. Food delivery apps require good UX design:
- To attract users.
- to provide them with an excellent user experience
- To make a long-lasting impression
- It is extremely effective in terms of customer retention.
A good UX design attracts users and keeps them on the app. Users will naturally continue to use them only if they are more comfortable. Users are notoriously difficult to please. So, if you want users to keep using your app, you must master the user experience. A good user experience design also creates an excellent first impression.
Companies are investing more in app design and navigation because they understand the importance of it. And you should, too! As a result, you must excel at user experience.
Important Considerations When Designing UX For A Food Delivery App
Several factors contribute to the development of an excellent food app design. Here are some important factors to consider when developing an on-demand food delivery app:
I. Minimalist Style
When users open your app, the first thing they will notice is the design. As a result, fonts, icons, and transition effects all contribute to the overall look and feel of your app.
A clutter-free appearance is always effective!
Take a minimalist approach. Make the user interface as simple as possible, with clear lines and plenty of space. Users will feel more at ease using the app this way.
II. Color Theory of Hungry People
I believe we can all agree that the psychology of colour and design has a significant impact on the minds of viewers. The colours used on the app interface should stimulate rather than suppress the user’s appetite.
One significant advantage of having a good design is that it will keep customers on your application. For example, if you look at GrubHub’s interface, you’ll notice that the colors red and green are used subtly. This way, the app satisfies its users’ hunger while they browse. As a result, I recommend that you take some notes from popular apps and play the color game carefully.
Contact an on-demand food delivery app development company with a dedicated UI/UX designer who can design the app after learning about your users’ needs. Take an interactive demo to see how the booking app UX and UI can alter how users interact with your app.
Step 3: Set Yourself Apart From the Competition: What is your unique selling point?
No app is flawless. There is always room for advancement. And if you’re offering something that others aren’t, your app will be a hit! Users are always looking for the simplest solutions. As a user, I’ve always wanted to be able to book my order simply by giving verbal instructions. Perhaps someone will develop this feature soon. That someone could be you!
The point is that you need a unique selling proposition value to attract your users’ attention. You must ensure that your application has an intuitive and interactive design that is simple to use. Let’s take a look at some pointers to help you find your USP or stand out:
I. Movement Ease
From logging in to paying for the order, the simplest user interface wins! Any hiccups will only complicate and annoy the ordering process. Users will leave your app and most likely go to your competitors if you do this. As a result, the ease of movement should be the most important factor in your app. Collaborate with your development partner to create the most simple user interface possible.
II. A Low-Effort Onboarding Process
It goes without saying that users will expect the onboarding process to be simple. Choose one- or two-step verification processes that are as simple as possible.
III. Real-Time Positioning
The following point is location tracking. I’ve always wanted to see which restaurants are nearby and order from them rather than those that are further away. And I don’t just mean using filters to find the closest restaurants. I’d like to see it on a real-time map, along with the cost of each restaurant per person. This is a straightforward feature to implement. So, perhaps you can have it built!
IV. Simple Search and Find
Nobody wants to spend their time searching and finding when they are hungry. Legacy food delivery apps provide multiple filters to help users narrow down their search. However, the filters are insufficient. Users must still jump through hundreds of hoops (read: hundred filters) to order their favorite pizza. So, perhaps you can implement a filter algorithm that makes it easier for users to find food. Filters can also be applied within the restaurant’s menu page. This feature is not available in the majority of tools.
Optional live tracking and support
After the users have completed their orders, the waiting period begins. Here is another UX requirement that your app will require. Aside from live tracking, users frequently require live support. Assume a user encounters a problem after placing an order or wishes to add something to the order. To change their order, they’ll need to contact live support. This is a simple and doable feature that none of the legacy food delivery apps have.
Step 4: Select a Technical Partner and a Technology Stack
Because the development of an online food delivery app is complicated, you should work with technical experts. When looking for technical experts, you have two choices:
IT Freelancers Company
Choose one based on your company’s needs. I would recommend hiring an IT company because they will make your life much easier. Here are some of the reasons:
They have skilled professionals working in various verticals, making collaboration easier.
They have experience with app development and have assisted businesses, so you’ll be in good hands.
Every phase of development will have an ETA, and each phase will have set hierarchies to ensure that the ETAs match. You wouldn’t have to supervise and manage everything yourself.
Everything will be covered, including design, maintenance, testing, security, marketing strategies, and launch.
Basically, you won’t have to worry about anything; simply send in your specifications, explain them, and let the company handle the rest.
Choose a Technical Stack
You can choose a technology platform based on your app’s needs and business models. You’ll also need to create an app for people who use various devices. Your app must be responsive, interactive, and user-friendly.
Step 5: Develop Features for Your Food Delivery App
Before you begin developing a food delivery app, you must define features for each application based on your users’ personas. Each application will have some features in common and some that are unique. I’ve listed some of the features you’ll need in your application to assist you. Define the feature you want for your application and give your technical partner the specifics.
Geographical location:
This feature will assist users in locating restaurants based on their location. They can also track the delivery person and know the exact location of their food as well as the estimated delivery time once the order is placed. As a result, the entire process is transparent.
Restaurants List: Provide the user with a list of restaurants, including information such as ratings, feedback, and other users. This gives users an idea of the restaurant, which helps them decide which restaurant to order from.
Delivery address:This is a basic feature that you will need to provide users with in order for them to enter the delivery address for the parcel. You can also add tagging options to label their address, such as home, work, or custom tags.
Food Truck:
A food cart is an essential component of food delivery application development; it functions similarly to an add-to-cart opinion. Users can select multiple meal options from the same restaurant at the same time and then check out at the end.
Modules of Payment:
You will need to provide your customers with multiple payment options, such as cash on delivery, credit/debit cards, Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and so on, so make sure to integrate various payment methods.
Scheduling Orders:
Users can schedule their meals to be delivered during their lunch break or at any other time.
Rating and review:
Allow users to leave reviews for restaurants, food, and delivery people to help make the food ordering process more transparent. It will assist other users in making decisions when ordering food.
History of Orders:
The order history feature allows users to easily reorder the same food if necessary. It will even assist you in better understanding your users and recommending restaurants and dishes based on previous orders.
Notifications via Push:
This could be a good marketing strategy for you. Push notifications can be used to notify users about discounts, coupon codes, the status of their orders, and cart abandonment. This will redirect the user to your application.
Tracking in Real Time:
Integrate a map into your application to allow users to track their food in real time.
Multiple Filters: Filters help users efficiently search for specific cuisines or restaurants—filters such as location, price, cuisines, restaurants, ratings, and more.
Coupons for Promotion:
Provide users with timely promotional coupons and discounts to help you retain customers.
Assistance and assistance:
Integrate a support and chat system into the app to allow users to easily interact with your customer service to solve their problems.
Admin User Interface
The admin panel is a centralized system where the administrator can manage the entire application.
Dashboard with One Click:
The dashboard is the central location from which the administrator can control the entire application. They can handle all backend operations, including order tracking, inventory management, and more.
Profile Administration and Registration:
All profiles and registration features are accessible to the administrator. Administrators can check the profiles of drivers, customers, and restaurants. They gain access to features after registering, depending on their profile type.
Payment Administration:
Admin can manage all application transactions and review prepaid and COD orders to keep track of payments and food orders. Admin keeps track of all transactions and manages tax and commission information. They can also set commission rates and accept all forms of payment.
Driver Control:
This feature allows the administrator to efficiently manage drivers and have all necessary information about them. The administrator has the ability to add, edit, and remove drivers. Admin can view each driver’s login time, trip details, contact information, travel time, number of orders delivered, and customer feedback.
Order Administration:
Order management allows the administrator to assign orders to specific drivers. They can see the order status, the amount earned per order, canceled/missed orders, and other information.
Modify App Elements: The administrator has complete access to the application and can make changes to it as they see fit. They can customize and change the dashboard settings, as well as the application’s theme.
Campaign Administration:
Admin can run and manage various campaigns directly from the application, assisting in customer retention. They can run a variety of discount campaigns using coupon codes, discounts on specific debit cards, special events, and so on.
Run Discounts and Promotions:To attract customers, the administrator can run various discounts and promotions throughout the application.
Manage Restaurants:The administrator can manage restaurants and have all of the necessary information about them, such as ratings, service details, working hours, and so on. The administrator can also add and remove restaurants from their listings.
Management of Feedback:
Customers’ ratings and feedback for food, restaurant services, and other items can be viewed by admin.
Analytics and reporting:
Admins can view real-time analytics about their application, such as peak times, popular cuisines, restaurant reviews, and so on. They can share this information with restaurants, allowing them to better adapt to demand.
Conclusion
I hope I was able to answer all of your questions about “how to start a food delivery business.”
The meal delivery industry is currently thriving as people prefer to order online. Based on the aforementioned online food delivery trends, now is the best time to launch an app. When it comes to food delivery apps today, the ease and utility of an app are the most important factors. We can assist you in developing a user-friendly app. Furthermore, you’ll need to create an app with several distinct features.
The cost of developing a food delivery app varies from project to project. So it will depend on the features you choose, the platform on which you want to build your app, the advanced features you include, and a hundred other factors. As a result, it is best to contact development experts and request a quote. We are a food delivery app development company that can assist you in harnessing the power of current trends for your food delivery app development.
