Last updated on May 24th, 2023
We live in an era where everything is available at lightning speed, be it knowledge, groceries, or love. People work day and night to build a better life for themselves and their loved ones. But in this fast-paced life, there is one thing that has to be compromised. We are talking about food. This is where Online Food Ordering App comes in to save the day.
What is the purpose of earning money and dreaming of a comfortable life when you forget to nourish your body with food? Here is a simple solution, get your food delivered to you from an Online Food Ordering App, and enjoy the small pleasures of life. If you are interested in launching your own Online Food Ordering App or are just curious to learn more, you have come to the right place. We have carefully designed this post to include everything you need about food apps. Let’s get started!
Is making an Online Food Ordering App a good idea?
Everyone remembers the horrors of the pandemic. The lockdown was an extremely trying time for a lot of people. Food Ordering Apps acted like an ointment on a painful wound. They also witnessed a booming business with multiple orders coming every second. Many apps that were limited to delivering restaurant foods also started providing groceries.
People loved the idea of enjoying restaurant food from the comfort of their homes. It has also evolved as of the most effective and lucrative industries when considering the current trend, mainly if you currently operate a restaurant and do not provide home delivery services.
Restaurateurs with an offline established system can launch an online food ordering service on their website. They can take orders from clients online and deliver tasty, fresh food to their doorstep.
By doing this, they are expanding the market for their company and building a strong reputation. Many interested people want to start a hip and lucrative Online Food Ordering App business after looking at its growth potential.
If all of this information has made you more excited to launch your food ordering app, then keep on reading because we have made the list of the top 10 features that need to be considered.
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10 Essential Features while building an Online Food Ordering App
1. Push Notifications
This works like a charm on your customers who have downloaded your app on their smartphones. By sending push notifications, you are always in their line of sight. It also helps you stay ahead of your competitors because you are more connected to your devoted and potential customers. One way to engage your customers is by informing them about any discounts, limited-period deals, and offers through push notifications.
2. Loyalty programs, cashback, and extra rewards
Everyone loves getting discounts and cashback on their orders. These are great ways to build brand loyalty and attract more customers to your Online Food Ordering App. Offering loyalty programs with additional benefits makes the customer feel special. They are more likely to use your app to order something because they know they are now a dedicated member of your world.
3. Multiple and convenient payments
In this age, nobody likes to fuss over overpayment. When an app or website shows limited payment options, the customers are most likely to get annoyed and leave the app/website. Learn from this mistake and give ample payment options to your customers. Also, make the entire process as convenient as possible for the customer. This way, they are more likely to return to your Online Food Ordering App.
4. QR Codes
QR codes are a great additional tool to modernize your app and bring more ease to the food ordering process. A customer who visits your Online Food Ordering App can just scan the QR Codes and get the menu of a cafe or a restaurant. It helps in skipping multiple steps and getting the job done quickly. QR codes can also be used for payments. Many apps provide referral codes that can be implemented using QR codes.
5. Geofencing
What makes food delivery different from other kinds of delivery? The more time passes, the less tasty the food will taste when it arrives. This, as a result, leads to customer dissatisfaction. If they cannot enjoy the food they ordered, they will most likely not return to that particular app the next time they need to place an order.
This is why ensure your Online Food Ordering App has a geofencing feature. It displays the estimated arrival time of the food to the customer. A notification is sent to the customer in case of traffic or any other delay. This keeps the customer updated on any immediate changes.
6. Order History
This is one of the most interesting features of any food delivery app. Why, might you ask? Well, human beings tend to forget the trivial details of their daily life. They may remember vividly the day they got an award but would scratch their heads if asked about their last meal.
This is where this Order History feature helps. Suppose a customer ordered a pizza from a lesser-known cafe a few days ago. He enjoyed it a lot and decided to order it again sometime soon.
The next time he opens the Online Food Ordering App to order the same thing, he cannot seem to remember the cafe’s name. An Order History feature would make it easier to look at previous orders.
7. Add Favorites feature
Everyone has a favorite restaurant or dish from a particular place. Having a Favorites feature helps the customer pin their preferred place and return to it whenever they wish to order something from there.
Apart from adding a place to the favorites, this feature also allows them to add a dish they liked to the Favorites.
8. Contactless Delivery
The pandemic has made people more cautious when it comes to human contact. They nowadays prefer the option of contactless delivery as much as possible. Adding this feature to your Online Food Ordering App will give them more peace of mind. They will feel comfortable and safe ordering from your app.
9. Integration on Social Media
Social media has become a powerhouse for promotions and brand awareness. Integration of your app on social media acts like a stamp of approval. The more views or likes your business garner on social media platforms, the more people will find it worth visiting.
10. Reviews
You are working hard and delivering excellent services to your customers. Giving them the option to provide honest reviews about your Online Food Ordering App will make them feel connected and generate more app visits.
What does the future look like for an Online Food Ordering App?
The development of an Online Food Ordering App is escalating due to the rising demand for these services. Furthermore, there has been a significant technological breakthrough in developing meal delivery apps.
Looking at the rosy future, companies are devising entirely new strategies to advertise their meal delivery app or provide better customer service.
Millennials are currently spending more money ordering food online than any other generation. They are regarded as the primary target market for meal delivery services in particular. Millennials always have more needs due to their greatest economic output, including one-step checkout, engagement, instant delivery, and seamless ordering.
And if the statistics are to be believed, the demand will increase in the coming future.
Cloud kitchens, cryptocurrency payments, the influence of big data, eco-friendly or green packaging, virtual reality, Artificial Intelligence or AI, and the impact of big data, are some of the forthcoming trends in the Online Food Ordering App business.
Drones are now being used in many meal delivery services to order and deliver food. These drones are currently capable of delivering meals fit for just two people. There are other updates in the pipeline for drones. These drones can deliver food in bulk to even the most remote areas if things go right.
This unique technology can effectively shorten delivery times by avoiding traffic jams, long routes, and detours. The companies that offer drone delivery services also provide to handle logistics for Online Food Ordering App businesses.
Related Article: How Much Does It Cost To Build A Food Delivery Application
Do you Want to Switch Your Offline Restaurant to Online?
Mobile applications that provide on-demand services thrive in this environment due to their simplicity. You can order anything you wish to eat with a simple touch on your phone. This is why many businesses are now concentrating on developing their own Online Food Ordering Apps.
