Our wants in recent years have been changing. Maybe it’s because of the kind of time we live in. But nowadays, people no longer prefer standing in front of long queues for pizza or having to wait so long at a restaurant. The convenience of eating at home for most people is pure bliss and the emergence of food delivery apps even makes it better. This is why considering the functionality of the app is necessary.
Ever since the COVID-19 virus struck and movement was restricted, food delivery apps have become more popular. It’s only normal it becomes the need of the moment when you also consider how social distancing is now the norm.
Food delivery apps are beneficial to both the consumer and restaurants. Consumers can easily get their food delivered to their doorstep with a few clicks and for restaurant owners, the app means being able to reach a wider audience and get more business. If you’re a restaurant owner wondering how this can benefit you or how it works, then you should keep reading.
What is a Food Delivery App?
Any mobile application that allows a customer to use their gadget with an internet connection to order food from a restaurant in a particular location is a food delivery app.
Food delivery apps as stated earlier are becoming the in-things as restaurant owners are focused on creating their own food app so anyone with a device can request their services without being physically present.
However, not all food delivery apps are created by restaurants. Anyone with the right resources can decide to create one and get restaurants to collaborate with them. The user can select the food they want from his or her restaurant of choice, the order gets transferred from the platform to the said restaurant. Depending on the agreement with the restaurant, delivery can either be done by the platform or food vendor.
This type of online food delivery system typically includes some of these features:
- Online food ordering feature for clients
- Delivery option
- An order accepting and management app for both the creators and the restaurant
- Support
- Logistics company app for proper processing of orders
How Does a Food Delivery App Work?
Understanding how food delivery apps work is important as there isn’t a single app that fits all the processes. Whether as a restaurant owner or a customer trying to find great restaurants you can order food from, it is essential for you to be familiar with the functionality of the app. To create an effective app, there are 3 food major platforms each with their individual functionality that makes the ordering and delivery process smooth. They’re explained below:
- Customer App
This is to be installed by your customers and should have a great UI/UX interface and be user-friendly. Clients should be able to compare and contrast different restaurants.
After downloading the app, customers should be able to sign in and sign up also inputting a delivery address in their profile. They can then proceed to search through the food menu on the app for what they want before placing an order. After their order is confirmed, the user pays and can track the delivery. All of this can be done on the customer’s app.
- Restaurant App/Admin Panel
The restaurant app is one where using the admin panel, the owner can manage delivery orders from the customer app. It is from here that the restaurant lists the food available along with their prices. They get to receive orders either confirming or rejecting them.
If confirmed, the order is prepared and assigned to a delivery person. The history of completed orders can be looked at from the app. Simply put, it helps the restaurant manage its operations.
- Delivery Driver App
The delivery app would be used by personnel to manage order pick-ups and drop-offs. The delivery guys will have to sign up on the app so they get to receive orders which they can either accept or reject depending on their availability. After accepting, they would view the task details.
There’s to be a map on the app they can navigate that will also show them what routes to take when picking or delivering an order. After the delivery and receiving tips from the client, they tap on the order completed on the app.
That just about sums up how a food delivery app works. It is quite profitable but you need to be ready and willing to put in the work. A piece of advice if you’re just starting out, don’t try to compete with the big names in the game. They’ve got funding to invest in marketing so you can just start with your current customers and gradually scale to become big.