Restaurant App Development: Everything You Need to Know

Is your restaurant ready for the mobile app era? Restaurant App Development is finally ready to ‘level up' and create one of the most crucial marketing and revenue-generating channels—the restaurant/diner app.

The restaurant application development industry is always evolving, and consumers continue to expect more from the technology of their favorite restaurants. Therefore, restaurants must stay on top of the newest trends in the industry.

Restaurants are going high-tech. The global online food delivery market is expected to grow by 12.33% between 2017 and 2027, according to a new report. Today, the leading restaurants are using technology to drive sales and engage for better customer service.

Why App Development for Restaurants Gaining All The Hype?

In a highly digital world, ordering food is as easy as using your phone. This convenience, though it may make us lazy, is worth it.

Think about this for a second: It’s the weekend, and the clock has struck 12. Sitting in your comfy onesie, all set for the much-awaited movie night. But now all of a sudden your stomach growls and grumbles – the only clear sign of hunger pangs leading to a feeling of emptiness. 

Too lazy to cook and too dark outside for a takeout. What to do now? Are you thinking what we are thinking? Yes! It’s time to order food via HOME DELIVERY! 

Restaurant and food delivery applications are becoming all the rage and now I see why – In my defense, they are just easy and accessible. Foodies can order food whenever they like whether it’s 2 in the morning or 5 in the evening. WHENEVER! We mean it. 

That’s just one side of the story – the customer’s side. A survey by Toast found that restaurants that offer online ordering have seen an average increase in repeat business of 35%.

We see why both sides of the story are quite exciting. Therefore, sales are one of the major reasons why your restaurant needs an application in this day and age. 

The restaurant industry is highly competitive, so it's important to keep up to attract and retain customers. A restaurant mobile app can be a useful tool for attracting new customers and staying ahead of the competition.

In this blog post, we will share all that you need to know for developing your food delivery application and how mobile applications can help your restaurant businesses in improving their financial situation. 

Different Types of Restaurant Apps

Restaurant apps can be used for a variety of things, from the simple to the complex. For example, there are restaurant apps that help you search for nearby restaurants and display their menus, specials, and prices. These are usually pretty simple to use and look like a traditional website.

There are also more advanced restaurant apps that offer features such as online ordering, real-time updates on your bill, and special deals. Some even allow you to pay your bill directly through the app! Here are some of the most popular types of app development for restaurants.

Reservation apps – Applications like Yelp and OpenTable allow customers to book their tables online in advance. No more waiting in long lines for dine-in. 

Restaurant finder apps – Apps like Zomato help users to find restaurants in their locality and track their orders. 

Delivery apps – Food delivery apps are quite popular in this day and age. Apps like Dominos Pizza are a perfect example with the help of which customers can have pizzas delivered to their front door. 

Loyalty & referral apps – Through which restaurants can offer rewards, redeem points, and exclusive deals to their regular customers. Customers can scan the QR codes and find all discounts and offerings.

On-table ordering apps – Customers can place their orders through their smartphones while sitting in a restaurant. All they have to do is scan the QR code to unlock the menu and place their order. 

Restaurant review app – Apps like Yelp where people can read reviews about different restaurants.

Reasons Why You Need a Restaurant App Development Solution

At the end of the day, it’s fairly all about the customers!

Convenience attracts more customers, every day

Customers seek convenience. Therefore, restaurant applications cut down the misery and bring in more joy! They no longer need to wait in long queues just to place and pick up their orders. Starbucks applications, for example, let coffeeholic buy their lattes and macchiatos straight from their smartphones. 

Customers can order ahead for pickup which is massively convenient specifically for the morning rushers – who like to grab their coffee on the go. This convenience births attraction which as a result keeps customers coming back for more and now you know what that means right?

Loyalty programs for customer retention

Restaurant apps facilitate businesses in not only boosting their revenues but also retaining their customers. Now you must be thinking how can people be loyal to just one brand, our brand? You may be right, people aren’t always loyal to just one brand. 

Similarly, if you want people to be loyal to you and only you, offer loyalty programs. Give them rewards after they have reached the maximum number of orders. Through mobile applications, customers can not only earn rewards but also redeem them. 

For example, Starbucks gives its regular customers free coffee after they have accumulated a certain number of stars. Loyalty programs always work because they make customers feel recognized and special.

Seamless payment options

Raise your hands if you look for easy payment options when making a purchase online. Majority rule! Mobile payments with a mix of contactless payments are becoming a new trend. 55 % of people prefer ordering food without having to interact with a person, according to Payments. Need we say more? 

Applications like Apple Pay and Google Wallet make paying for orders easier and more efficient for consumers. To stay up to date with customer demands, restaurant apps are necessary. These apps allow for secure credit card linking and automatic payment with each order.

I like ‘big data and I can not lie

That’s one for restaurant businesses. Among other things, developing an app for your restaurant allows you access to a pool of customer data, which is super advantageous for you in running targeted marketing campaigns and customizing offers and discounts for specific audience clusters. 

Data collected through the app helps familiarize customers and their needs, allowing for improved restaurant design and functionality to enhance their experience. 

Crank your brand awareness up a notch

Exciting ambiance, 5-star customer service, and good food can help retain your regular customers but not enough to reach new ones. The reason why mobile applications act as your right hand when it comes to brand awareness and maximum visibility. All it takes is one good marketing campaign and soon you will have the whole town talking about you, yes you!

A little feedback never hurt anybody

No need for lengthy questionnaires and surveys – when you can instantly get a review through your app. Restaurant apps offer a great way to collect customer feedback and reviews. These reviews can come in handy to guide businesses toward improving their services and performance.

Also, you can seamlessly tailor your restaurant apps and offerings in a truly customer-oriented way.

Benefits of Developing a Restaurant Mobile Application

• Instant table reservation options/ pre-bookings before arriving at the restaurant enhance customer experience.
• Restaurant apps provide location-based services meaning customers can look up restaurants in their nearby vicinity for order placements and more. 
• Customers can stay updated with their order status, offers, and discounts through push notifications.
• You can cater to a massive number of orders at the same time. 
• Mobile apps offer additional marketing options for brand awareness.
• Easier and faster order fulfillment.
• Higher volume of sales for restaurant businesses.
• Pre-bookings lead to better on-site service.
• Easy access to the menu.
• Helps restaurants in gaining a competitive edge in the market. 
• Last but not least, it facilitates restaurants to deliver personalized services.

Basic Features Every Restaurant App Should Have

So, did we finally manage to convince you to build an app for your restaurant? The next step for you is to familiarize yourself with the basic features your platform should have. So let’s jump right into it. 

• User accounts for customers and main admin panel for restaurant owners for order and inventory management.
• Photo gallery to showcase images of the restaurants followed by the restaurant’s info.
• Interactive menus – divided into categories for easy navigation.
• Table booking options, along with day, date, and time slots.
• Integration of loyalty programs and food vouchers. 
• News/ blog section. 
• Push notifications. 
• Review and rating section. 
• Integration with social media.
• Chat widget for customer support. Pro tip: Integrate a chatbot for faster responses.
• Multiple payment gateways.
• Pre-order and delivery options.
• Analytics for business owners to 
• Customer’s order history.
• Filters to sort by price, discounts, popularity, and cuisines.
• FAQ – frequently asked questions
• Geo-location for efficient order tracking and more.

How to Make a Restaurant App?

Developing your restaurant reservation app is not as straightforward as it may initially appear. It takes a good amount of time, effort, and money to create a successful app. However, if you are planning to plunge into mobile app development for restaurants, then you can simplify the process by following the tips below.

Cross-platform – Half of the world uses Apple and the other half prefers Android, the remaining few are all in for the desktops. So if your application does not cater to every platform, you are in trouble. 

Intuitive UX/UI – Make use of simple, clutter-free, minimalist, and modern design options. Avoid unnecessary elements that don’t serve a purpose.

Accessible – Everyone should be able to use the application equally irrespective of their disabilities or impairments.  

Responsive & optimized – Design flexible layouts for different screens. It should work great on mobiles, desktops, and iPads the same. 

User-friendly – A user-friendly app is the key to success, it can make or break your business – so much easier, and intuitive navigation is a must-have.

Speed – People value time more than money, so make sure your app is quick and efficient and doesn’t take more than 3 seconds to load.

Security – Data security is one of the most important concerns for customers nowadays. Therefore, make sure that your app meets all the security requirements and standards to keep sensitive customer data safe at all times. 

How Much Does It Cost to Make An App for a Restaurant?

There is no fixed price for the restaurant booking app development. The final on demand app development cost depends on the complexity of the features, the number of functionalities, the technology stack, the client’s requirements, the timeline, and business engagement models. 

But on average a food app with only the basic features such as the digital menu, geolocation, push notifications, reviews, and social sharing can cost around $10,000, more or less.

Otherwise, highly customized cross-platform apps can reach over $30 – 50,000, give or take. But if you are looking to integrate advanced functionalities such as 3D elements or AR, the price will be even higher, for obvious reasons.

If you are interested in developing your restaurant app on a budget, you should double check your restaurant profit margins and then choose one of these options: First – outsourcing is cost-efficient, so for one, outsource a restaurant mobile app development company to fulfill your development needs, or second look for pre-made templates and mobile applications rather than developing from the ground up. So what’s it gonna be?

Key Takeaways

Restaurants need to be on the latest app development bandwagon. Business has been on the rise and they are counting mostly on mobile devices to do the job. Restaurant delivery app development is not a simple task. Full-scale tracking is essential. Therefore, you should work with a team that has a serious track record in creating tailored restaurant apps for restaurants. 

There are plenty of different ways that restaurant reservation app development can be conducted, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that as long as you research your options beforehand, there's a good chance your app will meet all of the standards and requirements of the average restaurant. With so much at stake, it pays to do your due diligence.

With the rise of the mobile phone, people are using their mobile devices to interact with brands and services more than ever before. An increasing number of people are using their phones to book taxis and make reservations at restaurants. This means that if you don't have a mobile-ready website or app, your customers are going elsewhere. 

Invozone provides top-of-the-line restaurant custom app development services in the USA that can help you create a unique and memorable experience for your customers. We specialize in creating bespoke solutions that are tailored to your specific needs and budget so that you can grow your business without breaking the bank.

If you're looking for a partner who can help you grow your business with minimal investment and maximum results, contact us today for your restaurant app development services at InvoZone!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a restaurant mobile app?

A restaurant mobile app is a mobile application (or "app") that allows you to order food, pay for food, and find out about the restaurant.

Most restaurants have a mobile app. It's usually free to download and use. If you don't have one, you can use their website or call them instead.

Why should restaurants have a mobile app?

Restaurants should have a mobile app because it helps them connect with their customers in a way that is convenient, fast, and easy. This makes customers happy and more likely to come back.

A restaurant's app also allows them to get more information from their customers. This can be used in many ways including improving their service or products, creating new promotions and offers, or simply keeping track of customer preferences.

What features should a restaurant app have?

Here's an idea of what features a restaurant app should have:

• A loyalty program that rewards you for your purchases with points that can be redeemed for discounts or free food.
• The ability to order ahead so you can get in and out faster.
• A place where you can see all of the menu items, so you know what's available before you arrive.