The Ultimate Guide to Online Food Delivery App Development Like Just Eat

Back in 1994, when Pizza Hut started online ordering, the concept of online food delivery wasn’t much developed or widespread as it is today. The popularity of online food ordering and delivery apps in the UK can be gauged by the fact that the market revenue for such apps is expected to reach US$48.21bn by the end of 2024. And if you’re from the UK, you probably know the industry giants like Just Eat. Considering the market potential and people’s growing interest in online food delivery, investing in online food delivery app development like Just Eat looks promising and lucrative. 

Although building an online food delivery app like Just Eat may take a significant investment, time, and effort, the potential for higher profits in this growing market of digital consumers can make it a lucrative venture in the long run. Just look at the success of Just Eat; this online food delivery app has been a leader in the UK’s restaurant and takeaway market for over 20 years now. Although it has a total monopoly on the UK market, there is still room for you to invest in online food delivery app development like Just Eat UK. 

So now that you got interested in building your very own food delivery app like Just Eat, let’s make things simple for you. This guide to online food ordering app development will help you understand the nitty-gritty of the process, from why you should invest in it to going through each step of the process and ultimately decoding the average cost of the project. So, let’s get started!

Is It Profitable to Invest in Food Delivery App Development in the UK?

It is obvious to ask questions like this before such a significant investment. So, as an industry insider, we believe ‘Yes’ it is profitable considering the current demand for such apps. As we said earlier, Just Eats dominates the UK’s online food delivery app, which makes it an ideal inspiration to follow. 

Did you know Just Eat’s sales during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 surged by over 300% compared to 2019? It could be due to the pandemic or consistent market growth in the UK’s food sector.  Today, the UK’s online food delivery industry is worth $8.5 billion, with over 11 million people ordering daily. That’s not all! There are many more reasons to focus your app on the Just Eat model. 

According to the latest survey, 80% of participants are aware of Just Eat, but only 38% know Uber Eats. So, think how lucrative it is to tap into such a massive market with a whopping revenue potential. 

Key Statistics on the Food Delivery App Development Industry in the UK

• The market size of the UK’s online food ordering and delivery services was valued at $3.6 billion in 2023. (Source: IBIS World)
• Just Eat Takeaway has over 65 million active users all around the UK. (Source: Dev Technosys)
• The UK’s food delivery penetration has increased by 56% compared to 2020. (Source: Kantar)
• In the United Kingdom, where In-person dining is so popular, people still order every three to four days. (Source: Kantar)
• 55% of consumers order online food for convenience, while 45% do so for a reward or treat. (Source: Kantar)

Prerequisite for Building Food Ordering App like Just Eat

So, now that you know the growing potential of online food delivery apps in the UK, let’s take a look at the essential tech stack features and components that are necessary to build a successful platform. 

Tech Stack for Developing Food Ordering App like Just Eats

Here, we have provided a list of all the required tech stacks for developing apps like Just Eat. Although the list isn’t final requirements may change according to businesses’s diverse demands, it will definitely give you a general overview of what it takes to develop an online food ordering app: 

Web Stack

• Frontend: React, Redux
• Backend: Nodejs, Express 4, MySQL, Redis

Mobile Stack

• iOS: Swift
• Android: Kotlin

Frameworks and Libraries

• Malling service: Amazon SES
• Push notifications: FOM
• 545 service: Twilio
• Synchronization: Socket.io
• Social media integration: Facebook SOK
• Addresses: Google Places
• Maps: Google Maps
• Navigation: Google Directions
• Payment processing: Braintree

Team Required for Online Food Delivering App Development

The success of your project greatly depends on your development team, so it is crucial to be choosy. Here’s a list of typical development teams required for your project: 

• Project Manager
• Business Analyst
• Solution Architect
• UI/UX designer
• Android engineer x 2
• IOS engineer
• Front-end developer
• Backend developer
• QA team
• DevOps Engineer

Core Features and Functionalities of an Online Food Ordering Apps 

To build a mobile app like Just Eat, you must be familiar with all the features and functionalities that make this app such a success. Your app should have four main panels for different entities: Admin, Restaurant, User, and Delivery Agent. 

So, let’s take a look at all the essential features and functionalities of these panels:

#1. Admin Panel

Admins are generally the owners of such food delivery app ventures. They have complete control of the app and oversee the approval of new user accounts across various roles.

Key functionalities of the Admin panel are:

• User Management: The admin is responsible for overseeing all platform users, including customers, restaurant owners, delivery staff, and partners.
• Restaurant Management: The admin has the authority to manage the roster of restaurants on the platform, with the ability to add or remove them as needed.
• Commission Management: The admin is tasked with setting the commission rates for associated restaurants, considering service fees, taxes, discounts, and other financial aspects.
• Ratings and Reviews: The admin monitors and curates user reviews, ensuring they are appropriate and reflect the platform's standards.
• Content Oversight: The admin curates the platform's content, including articles, FAQs, promotional banners, and navigational elements, to enhance user experience.
• Analytics and Reporting: The admin utilizes detailed reports on sales, user registrations, site traffic, orders, and partner performance to inform strategic decisions.
• Promotions and Incentives Management: The admin has the right to introduce special offers, deals, and loyalty programs to boost customer engagement and retention.
• Service Area Definition: The admin defines the geographical scope of service, aligning with demographic insights and business strategy.

#2. Restaurant Partner Panel

The contribution of restaurant partners is vital to the success of any online food delivery service. They engage with the marketplace to reach a broader customer base through the following roles:

• Registration: You should incorporate a hassle-free and quick account setup for the restaurant partners. Your app should be convenient enough to allow them to list their services based on the subscription model chosen, which may include one or multiple establishments.
• Order Handling: They manage incoming orders in real-time, addressing any changes, cancellations, or refunds to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Financial Tracking: They monitor total orders, revenue, and sales metrics to gauge their business performance.
• Delivery Monitoring: With a real-time delivery monitoring feature, they oversee their delivery operations, track drivers' locations, and communicate delivery estimates to customers.

#3. Users

The expansion of the customer base is a critical indicator of the company's trajectory and prosperity. It's imperative to build a food delivery service that aligns with the desires and needs of the client. 

Here are the features that customers can expect from such a platform:

• Registration: Incorporate a hassle-free and quick account setup through email, mobile number, or social media sign-in. 
• Address Input: Utilizing GPS technology, customers can either auto-detect their location or manually input their address for delivery.
• Restaurant Discovery: With sophisticated search capabilities, customers can effortlessly locate and order from their preferred eateries. Orders are transmitted directly to the chosen restaurant.
• Menu Exploration and Order Placement: Upon selecting an eatery, customers can peruse the menu, tailor their selections, and populate their shopping carts.
• Transaction and Payment: After finalizing their order, customers proceed to payment utilizing various secure methods provided by the platform.
• Order Monitoring: Allow users to monitor their order's progress and the anticipated delivery time.
• Feedback Submission: Encourage your users to rate and review their dining experience and the service provider after delivery.
• Discounts: As said earlier, 45% of users order online food to get a reward or discount. Offer something similar to your app users, like a Just Eat First Order discount. 
• Live Chat: Just Eat customer service is probably the best feature any food delivery app could have. Consider integrating the Live Chat feature to resolve user’s queries in real-time. 

#4. Delivery Partner Panel

The delivery partner's role is pivotal in ensuring prompt and accurate delivery. They may be coordinated by either the admin or the restaurant itself. Their panel includes:

• Sign-Up: Just like other panels, the delivery partner should be able to register on the platform hassle-free, either through the website or a dedicated app.
• Order Reception: Restaurants confirm orders through the app, which relays them to nearby delivery agents, who then accept or decline them based on their schedule.
• Order Handling: Delivery agents manage their deliveries through the app, optimizing their workflow and easily handling multiple orders.
• Navigation and Tracking: By leveraging route optimization and GPS, delivery agents navigate effectively, ensuring timely arrivals.
• Earnings Distribution: Upon successful delivery, agents receive their earnings credited to their digital wallet.

Revenue Model for Online Food Delivery App Development like Just Eat

Understanding Just Eat's monetization strategies is crucial to understanding its business model. Here's a simplified breakdown of the primary revenue streams for such online food delivery services:

Delivery Charges

The app imposes a variable delivery charge on orders, which fluctuates based on the delivery distance, the demand for deliveries, and local pricing strategies. This fee is a direct line of income from customers to the business.

Service Charges

Beyond delivery costs, the app also levies a service charge on each transaction. This additional fee, a fraction of the total order cost, helps defray the expenses associated with processing the order and maintaining customer support.

Restaurant Commissions

Most of the earnings for food delivery apps come from the commissions charged to restaurants for each order placed via the app. These commissions typically range from 15% to 30% of the order's value, varying by the terms agreed upon with each restaurant. This generates income and encourages a wide array of restaurants to partner with the service.

Subscription Model

Contrary to the belief that subscriptions are exclusive to media streaming services, Just Eat has introduced its own version with Just Eat Plus. This subscription scheme offers members benefits such as free delivery on orders exceeding a specified amount and discounts on service charges.

How to Build a Food Ordering & Delivery App Like Just Eat?

Creating a food delivery app like Just Eat is a lengthy process that includes everything from the initial concept to the final marketing push. 

Here’s how you can do so in a few easy steps: 

Step 1: Market Analysis

Before starting app development, conducting a thorough market analysis is crucial. This involves:

• Understanding the competitive landscape and pinpointing the key players, their business tactics, strengths, and areas for improvement.
• Understanding the pricing mechanisms in play and determining the most profitable approach.
• Staying attuned to your target consumers' evolving preferences and behaviors to ensure your app meets their expectations.
• Navigating through the legalities, including necessary permits, health regulations, and other statutory requirements.
• Getting insights from customer feedback on existing services to enhance your app's offerings.

Step 2: Selecting a Business Model

Choosing the right business model is crucial. The options include:

• The Order-Only Model: This model is about streamlining the order-taking process and passing the details to restaurant partners, who then handle the rest.
• The Order and Delivery Model: Here, you're involved in both order acquisition and delivery logistics, potentially managing a delivery fleet or collaborating with third-party couriers.
• The Fully Integrated Model: This comprehensive approach covers every stage, from order reception to food preparation and delivery, possibly through cloud kitchens or virtual setups for consistent quality control.

Step 3: Determining Your App's Essential Functions

Next, you'll have to decide on the essential features of your food delivery app. This includes integrating the primary functions like placing orders, real-time tracking, and managing menus, which are crucial for a seamless interaction for all users involved. 

Consider the advanced capabilities you wish to incorporate and sketch out a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to get your service to market swiftly, allowing for future enhancements based on user input.

Step 4: Selecting the Appropriate Tech Framework

The tech framework, or 'tech stack,' is the collection of coding languages, development environments, and digital tools that form the backbone of your app. Selecting an apt tech stack is essential as it underpins the entire user experience.

The technology required will vary depending on whether your app will cater to Android, iOS, or both. For instance, native app development for Android and iOS requires distinct codebases due to their unique languages (Swift for iOS, Java/Kotlin for Android).

Alternatively, if you opt for a cross-platform development route, enabling your app to function on both Android and iOS from a single codebase, technologies like React Native or Flutter will be integral to your tech stack.

Step 5: Hire a Specialized App Development Company

To create a food delivery app similar to Just Eat, you'll need a diverse set of technical expertise. This includes professionals like UI/UX designers, Android and iOS developers, business analysts, and QA & testing engineers. 

Partnering with a seasoned app development company provides a comprehensive team that supports you from the app's inception to its launch and beyond.

Step 6: Develop an MVP

Collaborate with a mobile app development firm specializing in creating MVPs (Minimum Viable Product), which is the basic version of your app, equipped with just enough features to demonstrate its primary function. 

The goal of an MVP is to test user interest and market viability with the least amount of investment. It's a strategic move to confirm the app's appeal to users before developing more extensively.

Step 7: Implement Thorough Testing

It's crucial not to overlook rigorous testing, even if budget constraints are a concern. Quality assurance (QA) is essential for the success of your app, especially in the competitive world of on-demand food delivery apps. 

Continuous QA and performance evaluations should be woven into every phase of development. This diligent testing process helps identify and fix any issues early on, ensuring the app is polished and ready for a successful launch.

Step 8: Launch Your App

Once your app has been thoroughly tested, it's time to introduce it to the public. This involves submitting your app to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or both, depending on where you want to make your app available. It's crucial to follow the specific submission guidelines provided by each platform to ensure a smooth approval process.

Step 9: Ongoing App Maintenance and Updates

Maintaining your app post-launch is vital to its longevity and relevance. Regular updates, bug fixes, and feature enhancements are necessary to keep the app running efficiently and meet users' ever-changing expectations.

Step 10: App Promotion

To draw attention and downloads, use strategic marketing techniques for your food ordering and delivery app. Leverage social media, precise targeting, and email campaigns to attract and retain users, ultimately driving your app's growth and sustained success.

How Much Does Food Delivery App Development Like Just Eat Cost in the UK?

The average cost of developing a food ordering and delivery app like Just Eat ranges from $20,000 to $100,000. While these costs are not final, these estimates are only FYI. The exact cost of developing such an app depends on several factors, including the features you want to include, the app's complexity, the chosen tech stack, and the development team you hire. It’s best to request a price quotation from the different mobile app development companies to get an exact cost idea.

Here’s an average cost to make an online food ordering and delivery app like Just Eat: 

Conclusion

The pandemic has significantly increased the popularity of food delivery services like Just Eat. For those in the restaurant business, it's an opportunity to create a presence in the digital food market. By considering the business and revenue models, functionalities, technological framework, and other key elements discussed in this article, you can set yourself up to successfully enter the online food sector.

Developing an online food delivery app like Just Eat is extensive and resource-intensive. Partnering with a top-tier mobile app development company, such as Mtoag Technologies, can help you enter the market and assist in quickly launching a comprehensive and efficient food ordering and delivery system.

FAQs

How to Create a Food Delivery App?

To create a food delivery app, start with market research, define your business model, choose essential features, select a technology stack, build an MVP, test thoroughly, launch, maintain, and market your app to reach your target audience.

Is a Food Delivery App Profitable?

Yes, a food delivery app can be profitable. It generates revenue through delivery fees, service charges, restaurant commissions, and subscription services. Profitability depends on market demand, user base growth, and efficient operations.

How does Just Eat Work?

Just Eat operates as an intermediary between customers and restaurants. Users browse menus, place orders, and pay through the app. Just Eat processes the order, which the restaurant prepares and delivers, or a delivery partner is assigned.