Understanding Restaurant App Development Cost
Thanks to technology – and people’s gluttony – the food industry is always growing. The use of mobile apps has skyrocketed in recent years, and restaurants have benefitted from this like other businesses. If you run a restaurant and want to venture into the app space, this article is for you! We will see how an app can boost your business, the features to include, and, most importantly, the restaurant app development cost.
Restaurant app development can be as cheap as $2,000! On the flip side, prices can soar as high as $40,000. The total cost will vary depending on different factors. Before we dive into it, let’s look at the benefits of having an app for your restaurant.
Why Does Your Restaurant Need An App?
- It boosts your brand awareness. An app will improve your restaurant’s visibility and make it accessible to more people. You can post pictures of your food and decor to attract more customers.
- Sending and receiving payments becomes significantly easier. Whether ordering online or dining in your establishment, it will be easier for your customers to pay online through your app.
- Customers can book tables effortlessly. Instead of having to call ahead, your customers can make reservations with the touch of a screen.
- You can get quality customer feedback. Based on this feedback, you can make improvements and additions.
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Factors That Affect Restaurant App Development Cost
Restaurant app development cost mainly depends on the type of app you build and the features you include. A simple app with only the essential features will cost around $2,000 to $8,000. Apps with higher complexity, brimming with numerous features, may fall within the price range of $20,000 to $40,000. Including more features in your app results in an increase in both the cost and the time it takes to develop.
| Type Of App | Time Taken | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | 2-3 months | $2,000 – $8,000 |
| Mid-sized | 3-6 month | $10,000 – $30,000 |
| Complex | 6-12 months | $20,000 – $40,000 |
1. The Size Of Your Business
The larger your restaurant business is, the larger your app will be! While a smaller company may focus mainly on dine-in customers, a bigger one will probably look to offer online delivery, menu customization, and other such additional services. While your customers will probably welcome more support, this will increase the size of your app.
2. The Platforms You Build For
Your customers will probably access your app in different ways. So as not to lose customers, your application has to work well on all the different platforms and devices that people use today. To guarantee the optimal experience for your users, it is advisable to create distinct app designs for various platforms. Unfortunately, this can turn out to be very heavy on the pocket.
Alternatively, you can choose to develop an app accessible to both iOS and Android users. Though this approach will result in saved development time and reduced restaurant app development costs, it’s essential to consider that there will be a trade-off with the overall app quality.
3. Features And Functionality
As we mentioned earlier your restaurant app development cost will increase with added features. That being said, there are some features without which your app will make no sense! These are the features that your app will require.
1. Menu
It’s hard to have a restaurant without a menu! This is the section of your app where you can feature your signature dishes and display pictures of them to attract more customers.
2. Geolocation
You might think this only applies to those businesses that fulfill online orders, but this isn’t the case! Even a dine-in-only restaurant needs a map feature on its app to help patrons find their establishment.
3. Push Notifications
In the present times, capturing anyone’s attention has become challenging due to the overwhelming volume of content being both created and consumed daily. Push notifications allow you to stay at the top of the customer’s minds, whether by offering them deals or giving them information about their bookings and orders.
4. Ratings And Reviews
For better or for worse, most people make their dining decisions depending on a restaurant’s ratings and reviews. You should give your users the option to edit their reviews so that they can share their opinions even if they change.
Here Is A List Of Additional Features That (If You Have A Larger Budget) You Can Include In Your App
- Menu customization. This feature will be popular among those with dietary restrictions.
- Online ordering. This will allow your employees to spend time on other tasks, making your business more efficient.
- Payment processing. Hardly anyone uses cash these days, and being able to pay for an order as soon as they want is a feature that will attract customers.
- Table booking. Instead of having to make a phone call and talk to a real person, your patrons can reserve a table with the touch of a button.
- Loyalty programs. Offering repeat customers rewards and discounts will incentivize people to return to your establishment.
4. UI/UX
How your app looks and feels is just as – if not more – important than the functions it offers. After all, nobody will want to install your application if it is a struggle to use. In addition, you want to make sure that your app’s design reflects that of your brand.
5. Your Development Team
As an app gets more complex, it requires a larger team of developers to work longer hours. Naturally, your mobile app development cost will reflect this. However, you also want to think carefully about the expertise of the developers you hire. If they are specialists who have worked in the food industry for a long time, they would probably give you better results…at a higher rate.
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6. App Maintenance
This is the last factor that affects restaurant app development prices. Unlike the others mentioned above, the cost of maintenance is a recurring one, because this process never really ends. To ensure your app remains bug-free, constant monitoring is necessary. You also have to update it from time to time as technology changes.
Still Confused About Restaurant App Development Cost?
iTrobes is here to help. We are an app development company that will work with you throughout the app development process. Partner with us for quick turnaround times and a bug-free product, and round-the-clock maintenance and support. Contact us today to get started!
