Mar 21, 2023
by Alexei Falco

Much-Needed Features in Restaurant App Development

In the era of mobile apps, having an app gives businesses a competitive advantage. It also holds true for the restaurant business. Furthermore, restaurants may benefit from mobile apps in a number of ways: customer attraction and retention, automation, improved operation efficiency, increased sales, and more. However, it’s not the restaurant app design that makes it happen but in-app features.

While restaurant app development sounds quite enticing, you may wonder what to add to the app to help your business reach a set objective. In this article, we’ll talk about features that are much-needed for various types of restaurant apps.

Features of a Restaurant App

Restaurant apps come in various types and serve multiple purposes. Consequently, each of them will have a different set of features. Let's look at the most common types of restaurant apps and must-have features to make the restaurant app development reach a set goal.

Nearby Restaurant App

Restaurant locator apps help users to find a restaurant at a specific geolocation. Such apps have an integrated database of restaurants in the region that is constantly updated.

The restaurant app features include the following obligatory features:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • Filtered search for a restaurant;
  • Restaurant listing;
  • Restaurant info and photos;
  • Feedback and ratings;
  • Menu;
  • GPS and maps.

Table Reservation Restaurant App

Today, young people don’t like phone calls and strive to avoid them. One of the reasons why a restaurant business may need a table reservation app is No need for phone calls. In addition, the app makes reserving a table faster, as there is no chance that the phone will be busy or no one will pick up the phone.

So, if you’re thinking about a restaurant app development solution for table booking, consider the following features:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • Calendar of availability;
  • Data and time selection;
  • Table booking with an ability to enter details like several visitors, etc.;
  • Menu;
  • Geolocation;
  • Feedback and ratings.

Food Delivery App

The food delivery app may be a way to expand the business, acquire new customers, and increase sales. The global market for online food delivery is expected to reach $132,2 billion by 2027 from its current level of $132,2 billion. It’s crystal clear that deliveries nowadays are an integral part of our lives and a perfect chance to grow the restaurant business. The reason behind it is simple - it’s incredibly convenient.

Based on Celadon’s experience in food delivery app development, such software usually includes separate apps for customers, admin, and delivery persons.

Customer app features:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • In-app search;
  • menu;
  • carts and ordering;
  • geographic location and maps;
  • Delivery status;
  • In-app Payment with multiple methods;
  • Notifications;
  • Ratings and feedback.

Delivery person app features:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • Customer’s contact info;
  • MessenIn-app calls to a client or manager or messenger;
  • GPS-powered maps to make up a route;
  • Notifications.

Admin app features:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • Tracking of drivers’ route and delivery time;
  • Automated order distribution;
  • Customer’s contact info;
  • Delivery people management;
  • Calls or messenger;
  • Notifications.

Ordering App

Food ordering app development for restaurants may come together with delivery or in-restaurant orders. By pre-ordering food, restaurant guests do not have to wait for it at a table; it will be ready at a specific time. For takeaway orders, customers no longer need to wait for their order to be cooked; instead, they can pick it up at a specified time. In restaurants, such apps help reach a broader customer base and increase sales.

Such apps are also often used as payment apps that will make billing more transparent and add on convenience.

Ordering and payment apps can help eliminate the necessity for paper menus and provide your customers with more payment alternatives so they can select the one they like most.

So, what features of a restaurant app are required to make it work:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • In-app search;
  • Interactive menu;
  • Carts and ordering;
  • Geographic location for picking the closest restaurant;
  • Order status tracking;
  • Loyalty programs;
  • Automated billing;
  • Payments and bill split;
  • Tips.

Loyalty Program App

While loyalty programs may be built into other restaurant app types, they may also arrive as separate apps. Such apps contribute to customer retention and loyalty, motivate customers to buy more, and help to attract new customers.

Such a restaurant app aims to lure people in with compelling deals. Here’s the list of features needed to reach the app’s goal:

  • Signing up and logging in;
  • Many sorts of bonuses (discounts, complimentary food, and beverages, special offers);
  • User reward configuration (for admin panel);
  • Menu;
  • Pre-ordering;
  • Payment;
  • Notifications.

The list of features you may want to add to an app may stretch far beyond the ones mentioned above, as the article covers a much-needed set. Relying on your business needs and preferences, you and your tech partner will need to develop a unique feature set that will help your business make the most out of restaurant application development.

Restaurant Application Development with Business Goals in Mind

The app is unlikely to get your business growing if it is developed without focusing on particular business peculiarities. The decision on the feature set should also rely on a particular restaurant business and its goals. The key to success here is to hire a dedicated app development team that will prioritize your goals.

Celadon is a software development partner, and restaurant app development is one of our strengths. Our team of highly experienced professionals will do their best to create an app that will take your business to the next level. We’ll start with research to understand what features will work the best and then move to select a modern and the most efficient tech stack for the restaurant app. Our designers will make up an intuitive and user-friendly restaurant application design according to the best UI/UX practices, while QA engineers won't miss a single bug. Moreover, Celadon’s restaurant app developers will keep their work going after the app launch to assist you in reaching success.

Contact us to find out what we can offer and estimate the cost of app development.

Drop Us A Messageand we will get back to you in the next 12 hours