Among all the on-demand service businesses, food delivery is one of the most popular ones and so does food delivery app development. Let me share with you a stat– the food delivery market is aiming for a staggering $320 billion in revenue globally and the number is increasing exponentially.
In addition, by 2029, this market is expected to see a remarkable growth, with the number of users projected to reach an impressive 1.5bn. I believe you more or less know about the stats of the on-demand food delivery business. To be successful in this industry, you need some capable apps that can cover all your business needs.
Well, in this article, I’ll be guiding you through the steps of developing successful on-demand food delivery apps. Read till the end to know everything you’ll ever need. Enough of this, it’s time to dive into the article. Let’s go!
What is an On-Demand Food Delivery Service?
An on-demand food delivery service creates/offers a platform that allows customers to order their desired foods from local restaurants and get them delivered to their doorsteps. This has been one of the most popular on-demand service businesses around the world.
Speaking about the popularity, using mobile platforms makes it even broader and more profitable for businesses. Now, mobile apps are the backbone of this business. How? The main reason is, “AUTOMATION”.
Apps handle crucial tasks like real-time order tracking, secure payments and delivery route optimization. Without apps, coordinating between customers, restaurants and drivers would be chaotic and inefficient.
That is why apps play a crucial role in the on-demand food delivery service business. If you are thinking about developing apps for your business, stop thinking and start developing those apps already.
Essential Features of a Food Delivery App
All popular on-demand food delivery businesses usually have 4 apps in total. They are the user/Customer App, Restaurant App, Deliveryman App and Admin App. All these four apps are interconnected with each other.
Now, let’s see some of the essential features of these apps:
User App:
- User registration and profile management.
- Restaurant browsing and search functionality.
- Order placement and customization options.
- Real-time order tracking.
- Multiple payment gateways.
- Ratings and reviews system.
Restaurant App:
- Menu management.
- Order management and notifications.
- Analytics and reporting tools.
Deliveryman App:
- Profile and availability status.
- Order delivery requests and navigation.
- Earnings and performance tracking.
Admin App:
- User, restaurant and delivery personnel management.
- Commission and payment management.
- Promotions and discount management.
You can’t develop apps with all the features initially. That’s why you should consider MVP features like those mentioned above. In the next section, you’ll find the development steps for these apps.
How to Develop a Food Delivery App
Here comes the most anticipated part, app development! Don’t worry, it’s not as frightening as it sounds. If you follow the following steps properly which are written, you will be able to develop on-demand food delivery apps effortlessly.
Market Research and Planning
- Start with solid groundwork.
- Identify who your customers are – busy professionals, students, or families. Each group has unique ordering patterns.
- Map out your initial delivery zones carefully.
- Start with areas showing high demand and gradually expand.
- Study your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. What makes them successful? Where do they fall short? Find those gaps – they’re your opportunities.
Defining the Business Model
Now, let’s talk about how your business can earn. Commission-based models take a percentage from each order – typically 15-30%. Whereas, Subscription models charge restaurants a fixed monthly fee. Many successful apps combine both approaches.
Here is the pro tip– Test different models in your target market. See what works best for your restaurants and customers.
Choosing the Technology Stack
This is one of the most crucial steps of this development cycle. You need to choose the technology that you’ll use to develop the apps. Among many front-end technologies, you can use React Native or Flutter to build apps that work smoothly on both iOS and Android. For the backend, Node.js or Python handles high-volume orders efficiently. Choose cloud databases like MongoDB or PostgreSQL for reliable data storage. If you choose the technology stack correctly, your app development and future modifications will become smoother.
UI/UX Design
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That means you need to create screens that users love to navigate in the first place. Keep the ordering process simple – 3-4 taps maximum from browsing to checkout. Otherwise, you’ll face issues like “Cart Abandonment”, which is common in this industry. Design for all users, including young generations to old ones. Test your interfaces with real users.
Development and Testing
Now start developing the apps based on your prior methodology. If you are creating apps for your client, communicate with them to know their methodology. After developing apps, test everything thoroughly – order placement, payment processing, delivery, everything. Security testing is non-negotiable since you’re handling sensitive payment data.
Deployment and Launch
Both the App Store and Play Store have their own set of rules for publishing apps. You must follow those store guidelines strictly to avoid rejection. Plan your launch marketing – social media campaigns, local restaurant partnerships, promotional offers. Start with one area. Solve any issue before expanding. For marketing, run ads of your app where your target audiences spend time – social media, local events, or business districts.
Remember, successful food delivery apps evolve with user needs. Stay flexible and keep improving based on real-world usage.
Order and Delivery Models
Here comes an interesting part. As you are planning to launch this business, you must have seen that different businesses have different order and delivery models. Such as some prefer restaurant-first order confirmation whereas others use the deliveryman-first order confirmation model. These are the most used ones in the market. Let’s find out what they are–
1. Restaurant-first Order Confirmation Model
As the name suggests, when a customer places an order, the restaurant receives the details first. They review the items, check stock and confirm availability. If any item is unavailable, they often inform the customer or suggest alternatives. When the restaurant confirms the order, then it is prepared and passed on for delivery.
2. Deliveryman-first Order Confirmation Model
On the other hand, deliverymen confirm orders here. When an order is placed, it is sent to available nearby riders first. The driver confirms availability to pick up and deliver the order. Once the order is accepted an order notification is passed to the restaurant to prepare the food. After that, the deliveryman collects the order and delivers it to the destination.
Challenges and Solutions
If you followed the previous methods to develop the apps, you must have done it with ease. However, challenges can come when you enter the marketplace. Such as–
Challenges | Scenarios | Solutions |
---|---|---|
Real-time Synchronization | Keeping everyone in sync is tricky. A restaurant needs instant order notifications. Drivers must receive real-time updates. Customers want live tracking. | ✅ Implement WebSocket connections for instant updates. ✅ Use message queuing systems like RabbitMQ or Apache Kafka. |
Traffic and Scalability | Lunch hours bring massive order spikes. Weekend evenings can overwhelm servers. Holiday seasons multiply normal traffic. | ✅ Deploy auto-scaling cloud infrastructure. ✅ Use load balancers to distribute traffic evenly. ✅ Cache frequently accessed data. ✅ Break down your app into microservices. |
Data Security and Privacy | Apps store sensitive payment details. User addresses need protection. Restaurant earnings must remain confidential. | ✅ Encrypt all data transmissions using industry-standard protocols. ✅ Implement tokenization for payment processing. ✅ Use secure cloud storage with regular security audits. ✅ Follow GDPR and local data protection laws. ✅ Have regular penetration testing to keep vulnerabilities in check. |
Develop On-Demand Food Delivery App with Nagorik
Looking for a reliable development partner for your food delivery app? Here’s why Nagorik should be your first choice.
We have a decade of expertise in the on-demand app development sector. We have already developed several successful on-demand apps including Romoni (on-demand beauty service), Parts Cargo (on-demand e-commerce delivery), etc. Our portfolio showcases more than 300 successful projects delivered. We understand what makes a food delivery app and can help your app stand alone in the competitive market.
What sets us apart? In simple words, we are highly professional and value your vision. When you approach us with your app ideas, you’re not just getting developers. You’re getting a dedicated team that stays on your side from day one until launch.
Here’s what makes us different:
- A dedicated project manager for the entire development journey.
- Specialized teams assigned exclusively to your project.
- Direct communication channels for real-time updates.
- Proven track record in food delivery app development.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s talk. Share your vision with us and relax knowing you’re in expert hands.
Conclusion
In final words, the on-demand food delivery business is quite competitive compared to other services. That’s why app development for this business needs to be on par excellent. If you follow the steps that are discussed in this blog, you’ll be able to develop some perfectly working and user-friendly apps.
That being said, hope this blog is helpful to you. If it is, feel free to share your thoughts, You can also reach out to us with your queries and ideas. We are eagerly waiting to welcome you.