8 Top Features to be Integrated for a Restaurant App in 2021.

There was a time when customers had to make phone calls (which were often frustrating) to order food from restaurants; but not anymore, because today, in the age of mobile apps, the dining experience is just a piece of cake! 

Restaurant apps such as online food delivery apps and table booking apps are creating a new revolution among customers and generating huge revenues for restaurateurs.

In fact, market research firm Statista predicts the worldwide revenue in the Online Food Delivery segment to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% and touch US$182,327 million by 2024.

Major food aggregator apps like GrubHub and UberEats enjoy a fairly large customer base, but the huge success of famous branded restaurant apps like Starbucks, McDonalds and Domino’s are inspiring restaurant owners to follow suit.

In this article, we shall be discussing the 8 key features that are to be included in such a custom, branded restaurant app. 

So, let’s get started.

1) Easy Sign-up

A simple and easy sign-up is the first step towards impressing your customers. Do not make the whole process overwhelming for them; ask only basic information like name, contact number, email id and address (for home delivery).

It’s good if you can integrate social media links as the user data will be automatically fetched by the app, thus relieving customers from manually typing in the sign-up form. 

2) Online Food Ordering 

This should be the core feature of your restaurant app. A flawless, user-friendly UI has to be designed which is easy to navigate with appropriate shortcuts, search fields and filters. Three main options for ordering food can be given: Takeway, Home Delivery and Dine-in.

 Include a properly categorized food menu with high clarity images; if needed, a short synopsis for each dish can be given. Widgets for performing tasks like choosing the food item(s), increasing/decreasing the quantity, etc. should also be placed.

3) Deals, Discounts and Reward Programs

Who doesn’t like ordering food at reduced prices? Even better, the idea of free food will set the taste buds craving! Personalized discounts, deals, rewards and loyalty programs not only help in retaining customers; it’s also a powerful marketing strategy that can distinguish your branded app from aggregator apps.

For example, by offering mobile-only coupons, promos and deals to customers, fast food giants like Mcdonalds and Domino’s experienced improved app engagement and increase in sales.

4) Push Notifications 

Sending push notifications in the form of personalized messages and emails is an effective way to stay connected with your customers and grab their attention towards deals, discounts and other promotional offers.

This can be done on a regular basis, especially during special occasions like festivals, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. But do not annoy your customer by sending a barrage of notifications, mainly during wee hours.

5) Secured In-App Payment 

Customers would want to pay for their orders online, without any hassles. Hence, it’s important that a secured payment gateway is integrated in the app.

Incorporate multiple payment options like online banking, debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, etc., besides the standard Cash on Delivery / Pay at Restaurant option.

6) Real-time Tracking 

Updating the status of an order in real-time will let your customers know the whereabouts of their food and keep them engaged till the order arrives at their doorstep or till they reach the restaurant for pick-up/dine-in.

Also, a GPS-based location-tracking feature can be integrated to allow customers to track the movement of delivery personnel. Third-party APIs like Google Maps, MapKit and Waze’s Maps can be utilized for building this feature.

7) Ratings and Reviews Section

The success of a restaurant app greatly depends on the level of customer satisfaction. And, this can be determined by allowing customers to post their feedback about the dishes ordered and services rendered by the restaurant.

Hence, include a ratings and reviews section in the app because by analyzing feedback, you’ll be able to improve on the downsides and enhance the overall customer experience.

8) 24×7 Customer Support

Most restaurant apps have an in-built virtual assistant like a chatbot, for answering basic customer-related questions. Being programmed to converse with humans, chatbots take the role of a customer care executive and provide real-time solutions.

A chatbot will assist customers in placing and tracking their orders, processing payments and also inform them about the latest offers and deals.

Wrapping Up

On-demand food ordering and delivery is gaining immense popularity and every single player in the restaurant industry is cashing on this trend to achieve the winning edge in the market. 

You too can be a part of this revolution by hiring expert mobile app developers to build a user-friendly, branded app for your restaurant business.