On-Demand Food Delivery Apps are taking the Market by a Storm

With the world coming to our feet and everything being within the reach of our mobile phones, every sector is becoming technology driven and is availing the most hyped platform i.e. online to stay in the competition. And so of course, even the food sector hasn’t been left behind. On-demand food delivery apps are now raiding the market and are making their way towards the top.

Food outlets that have tie-ups with the online delivery apps (eg. FoodPanda, Zomato, Swiggy and much more) get more than 20% of their business from them as compared to 2014.

The process of using these apps is very basic, customers can order food on the app and it will be delivered to their doorstep within an estimated time. These apps make life easier for the people who have immense jam-packed schedules and cannot find the time to go out and eat.

If we go by the numbers, the two major players in the online market, Zomato and Swiggy have both seen a major increase in their revenues in the last two years.

This year, Zomato hit 3 million orders in a period of one month. When they started in 2015 and had one million orders in a period of over a year.

Similarly, the biggest competitor of Zomato, Swiggy has also seen a commendable rise. In 2016, they had almost 42,000 orders per day and by 2017, it increased to almost 78,000 orders per day.

Benefits of On-Demand Food Delivery Apps

The On-demand apps are becoming the “trend” because of the benefits that come with it. They have seen almost a 500% growth rate in the number of customers over the last four years. The rate is expected to go even higher by 2022.

If given a choice, a person would mostly prefer to eat at home rather than going out to a restaurant after a very long day. That is why on-demand food delivery apps fit in like a puzzle; they make life easier for the users!

The main question that every app developer has in their mind is “how convenient can we make it for the users?” because that is all today’s market is about, getting better than the others in terms of convenience.

On these apps, with just a single swipe, customers can find restaurants that have good reviews and place their order. With so much competition coming in this field as well, there are additional features that some apps provide. For instance, some apps have the option where they don’t charge/ charge partially if their delivery is late by the expected time, making it all the more beneficial for the users.

How can app developers make their apps more appealing to users?

It is not easy to attract users to your app while so many app development companies are trying to make their way right on the top. Which is why there are some points that app developers need to keep in mind so that their app can be appealing to the users. Majorly, it all revolves around who makes it more convenient, so the overall focus should lie around that.

1. Emphasize on the UI/UX-

The time that customers spend on an app is very valuable, and it doesn’t take them very long to switch apps if they find it boring. Try to make your design very interactive and unique, but don’t make it too complex for the users. Lie your focus in both the areas, the app should look great and be easy to use at the same time i.e. both the UI & UX should be exemplary.

Also, to retain the user’s attention, the app should be made as presentable as possible. The information provided about any restaurants on your app should all be in one place. The users always prefer that they do not get navigated from one location to another a lot.

2. Mention time of delivery-

The expected time of delivery should always be known to the customer so that they would at least have a fair idea of when the food will be arriving. Also, always keep some spare time in hand, just to be sure.

No customer would like an app that doesn’t deliver their order on time. And would be likely to switch from that. On the other hand, if the food reaches before the expected time, it would only make them like the app even more.

3. The option of tracking location-

The users like being aware and want to know the details about their order, just for the sake of it. Providing them with the feature of real-time location tracking will be a step further in keeping them engaged within the app.

4. Allow the users to give feedback-

The best feature of the online platform is that there is room for two-way communication. Keep the option of feedback open for your users so that they can put up reviews about your app or the food that they ordered.

This way, you can always know where you need to improvise with the help of the reviews you receive. Other than that, ratings and reviews also help the other customers in deciding whether a restaurant is good or not, making the app more appealing and likeable.

5. Keep the availability of multiple payment methods-

The most important aspect is the payment option on the online food delivery apps. Initially, customers preferred the Cash on Delivery (COD) option because of its convenience. Nowadays with the help of online networks, users like to keep it cashless and finish the payment online itself.

Also, users sometimes choose to download only the apps which have the payment method available that they use. Therefore, keep all the options that are frequently used like Paytm, PayPal, Net-Banking, Payment through Debit or Credit card.

6. Stay connected on Social Media platforms-

The work doesn’t just end with the mobile app development companies building an app that works well for the users. The major connect has to be with the youth. Staying active on social media is very necessary and will enhance your position in the eyes of your customers.

Keep posting updates about the kind of services that you provide, or what new changes are you bringing so that the customers will always be in touch with you and remember your app over the others.

7. Enforcing the latest technology-

In food delivery apps like UberEats, the designs in both Android and iOS have some difference in giving the users an altogether different experience. In its location tracking feature, the Android users can access it with the Google-based API. And on the other hand, the Ios users can access it on the Core Location Framework. Similarly, Ios users can access MapKit and the Android users can access Google Maps API for accurate directions.

Also, The Internet of Things (IoT) powered app solution has a feature that intimates the delivery boy and restaurant if the temperature inside the delivery boxes drops below the optimum value with the assistance of the temperature sensors.

As an app developer, there are a lot of tools that you can use to design your app more creatively. Take, for instance, Foursquare’s API, that is known to be the best in adding new restaurants to your list. Therefore, to grab the attention of the users, this should be taken into consideration.

Conclusion

It doesn’t take a lot to comprehend that on-demand food delivery apps are going to the next big thing! They are already in the market, and on an average, half of the people prefer using these apps to order food rather than having to go out.

The only thing that app development companies need to keep in mind is that being creative is what is needed the most right now. With the conflict being so high, everyone is aiming towards making their app more convenient for users. But as an app developer, if you try to input more creativity in the features that you are providing, chances are that the users will always choose your app!

Hemendra Singh

My name is Hemendra Singh. I am Managing Director and co-founder of PuzzleInnovationz, a Mobile App Development Company. I am having a keen interest in the latest trends and technologies that are emerging in different domains. Being an entrepreneur in the field of IT sector, it becomes my responsibility to aid my audience with the knowledge of latest trends in the market.