10 Restaurant Apps That'll Make Your Food-Lover's Heart Skip a Beat
Why do you need a restaurant app?
The COVID-19 pandemic made it absolutely essential for restaurants to get their food through third-party logistic partners or direct deliveries to their consumers. In a world where everything from your toothbrush to refrigerator units can be purchased online, keeping your restaurant off the virtual grid could prove lethal. Today, always-connected diners want to browse the internet for sumptuous meals and get them delivered to their doorstep with just a few taps on their mobile screens.
Research suggests that 60% of local mobile searches translate into buying customers within the hour. Starbucks, a company that has been the torchbearer of industry trends, has reported that 16% of its total transaction were from mobile orders. In monetary terms, this means that the company generated $1.6 billion through its app alone.
Apart from the fact that restaurant apps harbor the potential of considerably increasing revenue, they are also a great way to lure new customers and retain old ones with deals and referral or loyalty programs. Restaurant apps also enable seamless internal order fulfillments as they eliminate the possibility of human errors. Most millennials conduct their business on their mobile phones and ordering food is no different. That's a huge demographic to tap into!
Top features of a restaurant app
There are a variety of restaurant apps out there, and each one offers features that are specific to its restaurant philosophy and strategy. But there are certain features that most restaurant apps should have. One is an accurate and detailed e-menu. Every little detail here matters. Whether it's enlisting the main ingredients, the pictures that accompany the name of the dish, or smart filters, they all impact food ordering on the app. Designing the menu in a way that makes it comprehensible and seems appetizing is the most important aspect of a food ordering app. Most restaurant apps also have fields for cooking suggestions, reviews, and meal ratings. Many customers look at well-rated dishes when placing an order for the first time. Reviews and ratings could help you better market your bestsellers. Most food delivery apps have loyalty programs that reward frequent customers and send notifications about new dishes on the menu or promotions. These are some of the features that are now so common with restaurant apps that one without them would be seen as incomplete!
Finding a restaurant with good food can be a challenge
ZipChecklist’s list of 10 best restaurant apps will help you find the perfect restaurant for your next meal
What do customers expect from a restaurant app?
Customers have plenty of apps to choose today and it's important for restaurants to consider certain factors in order to stand out. But in order to do that, restaurants must know the pulse of their customers. What do they really want from your restaurant app? While there is no easy answer to that question, most customers would agree that they are looking for a simple, easy-to-use food ordering app that loads quickly. Delivery trackers are also hugely popular with customers. So, it is important that the app be bug-free and offer information on a real-time basis. It could also be beneficial to offer customization or personalization options on your app. These features could help you differentiate your app from other restaurant apps. It is also important for many using apps for online ordering to know that their personal information such as credit card details, email addresses, and other contact details are kept safe. And finally, customers expect to be heard. Take their feedback seriously and sportingly, and make amends to let them know that they matter.
Types of restaurant app
While there are a variety of restaurant apps that cater to today's diners, the most popular ones include-
Restaurant Review App- This app helps diners find new restaurants and decide if they want to visit or order from them based on others' reviews. Yelp is a good example of this kind of restaurant app.
Restaurant Menu App- This type of app has an interactive e-menu that potential customers can access from their smartphones. Restaurant menu apps are customizable SaaS solutions that help restaurants digitize their ordering system. They are mostly offered on tablets or smart tables that have a pre-installed digital menu for customers to browse through.
Restaurant Delivery App- This is possibly the most popular type of restaurant app. These apps allow customers to place orders using a restaurant app and enjoy their favorite food from the comfort of their homes. There are two subcategories of this type of app aggregators or on-demand delivery apps (UberEats, GrubHub, etc.) and custom ordering apps (Domino's).
Restaurant Booking App- Restaurant booking apps help customers to reserve a table for themselves through an apps. This function can be incorporated into other online ordering systems and apps, or it can be a standalone app such as OpenTable.
Best restaurant apps of 2022
It truly is the age of restaurant apps! Customers can reserve a table, customize their food, geolocate restaurants and get their sumptuous food delivered to their doorstep with just a few taps on their phones! But the space is increasingly getting crowded. Here's a list of restaurant apps that truly stand out.
You’re hungry and you want to eat out. You have no idea where to go or what to order
We have done all the hard work for you! We have selected 10 restaurants that will make your food-lover's heart skip a beat
1. Yelp app
Yelp helps customers search for local restaurants and cafes in over 20 countries and base your decision of visiting the place on reviews and ratings by other diners. The app also allows users to add comments, mark restaurants, and search by price, category, cuisine, and of course, location. It also offer built-in maps and a check-in feature. The app is available on Google Play as well as the App Store.
2. Zomato app
Zomato is one of the most popular Online Food ordering apps. The app lets users search and view restaurants that are in their vicinity. It also allows users to search for restaurants on the basis of cuisine or even a particular dish. While the app is available for free on both iOS Android devices, it works on a point-based system. Customers can collect points every time they visit a restaurant and once enough points are collected, they can be redeemed as a gift card or coupon.
3. GrubHub
GrubHub is a food delivery service that is available in over 4000 cities in the US and the United Kingdom. The app has an extensive reach and delivers food from both local as well as national food chains. It's an easy-to-use app that supports multiple payments methods. The iOS Android app is free to use but a $9.99-per-month subscription allows users to enjoy free delivery.
4. UberEats
UberEats lets users find restaurants from the comfort of their homes. The app, available on both the App Store and Google Play, allows customers to access local restaurants, reviews, and ratings to make informed decisions about where they want their next meal from! A unique aspect of the app is the calorie count feature. It helps customers track calories (much like fitness apps), earn rewards, and avail discounts.
5. Trip Advisor
TripAdvisor helps travellers find new nearby restaurants and is perfect for people who research restaurants before they travel. Available in over 49 markets, the restaurant finder app also works as a travel guide to point you towards the right meals, drinks and activities during your vacation. The app is available for both iOS and Android users.
6. OpenTable
The app, available only for Android devices, helps users find restaurants using the OpenTable restaurant locator that scans the entire city to spoil their customers for choice! It's user-friendly interface, restaurant map search, simple navigation options and discount deals has won it a loyal user-base. The app also offers reviews and ratings of restaurants along with key information such as price range, cuisine types and much more!
7. Domino's
The Domino's app for both iOS Android lets users conveniently order their favorite menu items from the restaurant. It's quick and easy and hugely popular with Domino's massive customer base.
8. Delectable Wine
The Delectable Wine app allows users to access some of the world's best wines. All they have to do is take a picture of the wine label and the app instantly churns out a description and ratings. The app also allows its users to keep a wine journal where they can enter their own ratings, and tag people and locations. It sort of works as a checklist app that allows users to keep track of what wine is housed by which restaurant. The critically acclaimed app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
9. Starbucks
The Starbucks app is known to be designed to perfection. Through a simple and easy-to-use app, customers can place an order for their favorite cuppa and nibbles with just a few nibbles The app has a rewards system and allows users to order on the app and pay at the cafe's physical locations. It is one of the most popular Restaurant Apps in the world and is available on both Google Play and the App Store.
10. McDonald's
The app helps users find the nearest McDonald's outlet and keeps them apprised of new launches, offers and the Happy Meal toys of the month. The app, available for iOS and Android, also offers nutritional insights about all their products.
When it comes to ordering food, it can be a pain to know what's available and what you want
Make most of our list of 10 best restaurant apps with different features and benefits to suit your needs
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