Building a Food Delivery App like UberEats: Here’s What You Need to Know

A decade back, food delivery apps like UberEats Clone could have been a luxury. But as time and technology advances at an exponential rate, they have become a necessity among people. The fast-paced work nature has made it difficult for people to spend time reaching restaurants. The sheer convenience and accessibility of ordering food from desired eateries anywhere and anytime have made on-demand food delivery apps inevitable.

Apps like UberEats, Foodpanda, DoorDash, etc., have gained an irreplaceable market share. The market seems to have gained new color with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants that hesitated to join hands with third-party delivery platforms have no choice but to collaborate to reach out to their potential customers. With innumerable benefits to both restaurants and customers, it is pretty evident that food delivery apps are the future.
Are you an entrepreneur who aims to build a food delivery empire like UberEats Clone? If so, here’s a blog that outlines everything you need to know, right from the business model to the cost of app development. Let’s venture straight in.

#1 Be wary of choosing the right business model

Most entrepreneurs tend to follow the trend and end up being just another food delivery app. It is advisable to assess your resources before opting for any business model. Here are some business models to consider,

• The Order only model: If you’re entering into the sector with a limited budget, the order only model can be your best bet. All you need is a platform that links restaurants with customers in placing orders. As soon as the orders are placed, it is the responsibility of the restaurants to prepare and deliver the order at specified locations.
• Order and delivery model: Apps like UberEats, Foodpanda, etc., are based on this model. As per the name, apps with this business model take care of delivery as well. These platforms have a separate delivery chain to pick up food orders from restaurants and drop them at customer locations.
• The integrated or cloud kitchen model: This model is gaining massive reception in recent years. Virtual kitchens or ghost kitchens take the role of restaurants, a.k.a., food preparation. This way, users can order their desired food instead of looking for restaurants. The UberEats Clone platform acts as a centralized unit for placing, processing, and delivering food orders effortlessly.

#2 Implement the latest tech-stack

Tech-stack is crucial in creating an impact on the audience. Apps with primitive or outdated technology cannot sustain in a highly-competitive market space. Here is the latest tech-stack that you shouldn’t want to miss out on your food delivery application.

• Reactive Native for Android & iOS
• Braintree, PayPal, Stripe for Payments
• MySQL, MongoDB for back-end
• Google SDK, Facebook SDK for registration
• React.js, Node.js for front-end
• AWS, Google cloud for servers
• Google Maps API for navigation
• Twilio for SMS

#3 Incorporate cutting-edge features

Food delivery app development invariably involves developing separate apps for different stakeholders like,

• Customers
• Delivery drivers
• Restaurant owners
• The admin

Here’s the list of features for these apps.

Features for user app:

• Registration
• Search and filter
• Add to cart
• Multiple payment modes
• Real-time tracking
• Order history
• In-app chat/call
• In-app wallet
• Push notifications
• Ratings & Reviews

Features of service provider app:

• Registration with verification
• Availability toggle
• Accept/Reject requests
• In-app alerts
• Order management dashboard
• In-app navigation
• Track earnings
• Manage delivery

Features of the admin panel:

• Restaurant management dashboard
• Bird’s eye view
• Manage transactions
• CRM dashboard
• Heat map
• Real-time analytics

#4 Introduce a seamless workflow

Workflow directly impacts the app experience. Hence, it is critical to introduce an enticing workflow in your UberEats clone. Here’s a detailed, user-friendly workflow that can captivate the audience in no time.

• Initially, users register with the platform by specifying the necessary information or logging in via social media handles.
• Upon doing so, they can use the search and filter options to identify their favorite cuisines or restaurants.
• Users can add different food items to their cart, providing an unparalleled app experience.
• Users review their cart during checkout and proceed to place their orders.
• Users can choose from a multitude of payment options, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, net banking, or even opt for cash on delivery.
• Subsequently, after placing orders, users can track the assigned delivery executives in real-time.
• Users receive their food orders at their doorsteps and can rate and review the whole experience in the app.

Having such an uninterrupted workflow in your food delivery app is vital in ensuring success in the sector.

#5 The app development style decides the total cost

In today’s era of modern technological advancements, you can develop an UberEats Clone app in more than one way. There are two popular app development techniques. Let’s discuss them in brief here.

App development from scratch: In this conventional method, you approach app development companies or freelance developers to build an app from the ground up. The company conducts extensive market research, develops the app, and launches it across the Android & iOS platforms. This method is expensive and consumes a minimum of 5 months to build an app.

One cannot quote a fixed price for app development because it varies with the location. Here are the hourly development rates in different regions.

• The US: $80-$200 per hour
• The UK: $50-$150 per hour
• India, China: $10-$80 per hour

Roughly, it takes around 2000-3000 hours to develop a fully-functional food delivery app.

Customizing readymade clone apps: In this emerging app development technique, you needn’t worry about app development. App development companies roll out clone app solutions. All you have to do is make customizations based on your preferences.

An UberEats clone app is incredibly pocket-friendly, time-conserving, and highly scalable. Your 5-digit investment sum gets reduced to 4-digit numbers if you opt for clone app solutions.

Conclusion

The food delivery app proves to be an evergreen sector, thriving even amid the gloomy COVID-19 phase. As a result, do not hesitate to storm into the industry as the vast market is still unexplored. Incorporate variable commission schemes to house a wide range of low and medium-scale restaurants. The success formula is simple - choose your best-suited business model, implement the latest tech-stack, integrate unique features, incorporate an enticing workflow, and opt for the right app development technique based on your resources.