How to Develop a Restaurant Mobile App in Dubai?

The busy population of Dubai is taking advantage of the growing use of technology in every sphere of their life. This is happening because people are looking for convenience and a personalised experience, which is why the use of mobile apps has also increased.

The food and beverage industry of Dubai is also rapidly switching to operate through an app to enjoy streamlined operation and boost revenue. If you belong to the restaurant industry and wish for sustainable growth and a strong position in the market, you must develop a restaurant app in Dubai.

However, if you don’t know where to start and how to do it, then you are in the right place. We have prepared a guide that will lead you to know everything about restaurant app development.

Let’s start the journey.

What is a Restaurant Mobile App?

A restaurant app is an online software made for smartphones and tablets that helps the owners to seamlessly operate their restaurants. These apps are the perfect solution for restaurant owners to widen their audience and enhance their popularity.

Since the competition is huge in the restaurant business, it helps the owners to think outside the box about their growth. A restaurant app enhances customer experience by allowing them to browse the menu, order food, reserve a table, and more right from their couch.

Some of the benefits that can be enjoyed if anyone develops a restaurant app in Dubai.

• A restaurant app helps to enhance the visibility of the restaurants and turn them into a popular brand.
• Help restaurants gather positive reviews of their dinners and show them to the world.
• Make it convenient for the customers to try the restaurant food without leaving the house by just ordering in.
• Customers can access promo codes and offers when ordering from the restaurant app.

Overview of the UAE Restaurant App Market

Before delving into the details of creating a restaurant app and other information, such as whether it is a worthy investment, it is essential to understand the market size. We will give you an overview of the restaurant app and the online food delivery services of the UAE.

In 2024, the restaurant management software market of the UAE witnessed $179.8 million in revenue growth. It is estimated that by 2030, the same market of the UAE is going to drive revenue of $500.0 million. So, the restaurant software market of the UAE will grow at the rate of 19.1% CAGR between the year 2025 to 2030.

The online food delivery services market of the UAE is also drastically growing, which has encouraged restaurants to invest in building apps. The online food delivery services market of the UAE has witnessed a revenue growth of $9,267.3 million in the year 2024.

Additionally, the total market size of online food delivery in the UAE was estimated at $1.25 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.21%, reaching a value of USD 3.86 billion by 2030.

It is expected that by the year 2030, the food delivery service market of the UAE will drive a revenue of $14,533.3 million. The number clearly says that from the year 2025 to 2030, the market will grow at 8.3% CAGR.

In 2024, the market size of online food delivery in the UAE was $720.7 million. However, further, it is estimated by IMARC that by the year 2033, the same market will reach $1,799.1 million. So, the market size of the UAE online food delivery will show a CAGR of 10.2% between 2025 to 2033.

Reasons to Invest in a Restaurant App in Dubai

Dubai is the most populated and busiest city of the UAE, where people are looking for convenience in everything. The busy population of Dubai found food delivery services a better option than remaining hungry.

Further, as smartphone use increased, food delivery apps started to grow, and restaurants started to create their mobile apps in Dubai. This is when luxury turns into necessity.

With the restaurant apps, businesses get access to many advantages, like brand loyalty, positive reviews, etc. We have listed the key reasons to invest in a restaurant app in Dubai.

♦ Optimised the Process

The primary reason for which businesses should build a restaurant app in Dubai is that it helps to optimize and simplify the whole process of a restaurant. Having an app, a restaurant can streamline its orders, menus, table booking, inventories, and more.

Online orders can reduce the hassle for restaurant staff since they don’t need to manage the table details. Restaurants can keep track of their inventories and restock them when needed, which will reduce wastage.

When visitors can book tables from the restaurant app, staff are able to manage sitting arrangements, which reduces the wait time for customers. Managing staff will also become easy, enabling them to hire a workforce as per bookings, which will reduce exploitation.

♦ Enhance the Restaurant’s Visibility

With a restaurant app traditional online business can be shifted to the online mode, which gives them the chance to reach a wider audience. When more people know the name of the restaurant, it will boost visibility and popularity.

Potential diners are looking for convenience, and a good restaurant app that lets them order good food from the ease of their home. A restaurant will help to attract more such potential diners and stand out from the competitive crowd.

Moreover, having a restaurant app will allow the customers to find and know about it from different app stores. Satisfied customers can share their reviews on the app, which will work as word of mouth and attract more diners to the restaurants.

♦ Boost Conversion Rates

Every business owner has only one motive: to see growth through boosting conversion rates. Having an app will help the owner to bring more customers to the restaurant physically and through online orders, both ways.

The app will boost the discoverability of the restaurant that you already know, and when more people find it, they will come to your restaurant.  This not only boosts the visibility of your restaurant but also increases the conversion rate.

A restaurant can generate leads by sending notifications to customers offering special dishes and offers. It will lure people to use the special offers, resulting in converting the potential leads into valuable customers. These are the marketing tactics that help restaurant owners drive better conversions.

♦ Help to Retain Customers

Just attracting new customers is important; similarly, retaining the old customers holds similar importance. Through the traditional approach, it will not be possible, but when you create your own restaurant app, retaining customers will be easy.

The main thing that a restaurant app will help build is customer loyalty, which automatically brings back old customers. This happens in various ways, which include a personalised experience, loyalty programs, push notifications, and more.

Restaurant apps are powered by modern technology with advanced app features that offer users a personalized experience. These apps allow users to order, save favorite dishes, customise orders, and receive tailored recommendations of dishes and restaurants as per their interests.

Must-Have Features to Include While Building a Restaurant App in Dubai

Now that you know investing in restaurant mobile app development is a profitable move, you should know the key features of these apps. Without the correct features, it is not worth it to create a restaurant app in Dubai, and people may dodge your app.

We have listed down some of the must-have features that a mobile app development company in Dubai can add to your restaurant app.

1. Advanced AR Menu Option

 

In this technology-forward era, advanced features like AR or augmented reality menus will make the app fun and convenient for your users. The menu is an important element when customers think of ordering food; it gives them clarity about what to order.

Exploring an AR menu will allow users to get a 3D look at their food. This will be fun and engaging for your customers to order food from your app.

2. Real-time Order Tracking

After ordering food, it is very difficult to wait for it and watch the clock tick. Users find it more satisfying when they see their order keep moving and reaching their doorstep. Include the real-time order tracking feature in your restaurant app, allowing users to see the exact location of their food.

This will enhance the experience of the users since they will receive their food order on time, and that also minimizes delays.

3. AI-powered Recommendation

AI is everywhere and revolutionizes the way people use technology today. It has also transformed the online food ordering experience of the users. Integrating AI into the restaurant app, you can let your users have a personalised experience.

This will collect the data of the users from their previous orders, browsing history, and preferences to recommend dishes & restaurants.

4. Voice Command Feature

People are shifting to user-friendly technology, which will make their lives hassle-free, and that is why voice command technology is in demand. If you add the voice command feature to your restaurant app, users can order food in a much faster and easier way.

They can search for restaurants, dishes, and order the food by just giving voice commands. As a restaurant owner, you make life easier for a multitasker with voice commands.

5. Loyal Program for Users

Do you know that a 2024 report by Deloitte has revealed that businesses can increase the life of their customers by 40% by offering a loyalty program? So, this is a good feature to add to your restaurant app to retain your valuable diners by making them feel exclusive.

Reward your customers with points for every order that can be redeemed in the next order. As part of a loyalty program, you can also offer special discounts or free meals to attract existing users.

6. In-App Digital Payment

Add the feature of in-app payment that will bring convenience to the valuable diners. With an in-app digital payment option, users can pay for their meal directly from the app before placing an order.

Users can connect third-party e-wallet apps in the restaurant app to make payments. Moreover, if someone prefers to use credit cards and debit cards, they can add information about the card and connect it with the app for making payments.

Types of Restaurant Apps You Can Develop

Having a restaurant means there will be many operations that you have to take care of, which means you can create different types of restaurant apps. We will tell you about the type of restaurant apps you can invest in for their development.

Follow the list of key mobile app ideas for your restaurant.

1) Restaurant Finding App

Today, due to the convenience of smartphones and 24/7 internet access, people search for restaurants online to evaluate their choices. Moreover, in Dubai foreign population is increasing, and having a restaurant finding app will make it easier to find their preferred place to eat.

The users can check full details of every restaurant in their locality, from price, cuisine, to rating, everything. Users can also make a reservation through the app.

2) Food Delivery App

Since life is getting busier in big cities like Dubai, most of the working population prefers to order their food online. This will not only save their cooking and grocery shopping time but also save them from doing the dishes.

If you make a restaurant app in Dubai that can deliver food to the doorstep from the restaurant will be a worthy investment and will make life easy. Users just have to register themselves on the app, find their favorite restaurant, and place an order.

3) On-Table Menu and Order

Modern technologies are making life easier, and restaurant businesses are revolutionising their operation using technologies. You will not find the physical menu in the majority of cafes and restaurants today because it will be available in their restaurant app, which has an in-table menu and ordering option.

These have made it seamless for restaurants to take in-house orders and receive bills from the customers.

4) App for a Loyalty Program

You can create a restaurant app that will be dedicated exclusively to running your royalty program. Users can get reward points for every order, which can be redeemed in the next order.

These points include exclusive offers, discounts on meals, free meals, and other rewards. Your customers love to get rewards, and using these apps helps to collect them.

Top Restaurant Apps Available in the Market

In the fast-paced life of Dubai, several restaurant apps are available in the market, from food delivery apps to dining reservations and more. Among the various options, there are some top restaurant apps available in Dubai, which we have listed below.

Let’s get to know them, which helps you to develop a restaurant app in Dubai similar to them.

• Talabat

Talabat is one of the leading names in the food delivery apps available in the UAE. This food delivery app is home to more than 10,000 restaurants across the UAE, making it a convenient platform for users to order food. Foodies can find restaurants of different cuisines and destinations to get delivered to their doorstep.

Talabat is also the top choice because it provides its users multiple payment options of payments and can be used from anywhere and at any time. This app remembers every meal you order and can help you with your next meals with personalized options.

• Careem NOW

Careem NOW makes it seamless for restaurants to deliver food orders directly to their customers’ doorsteps. This is actually a ride-hailing food delivery app taken into use by restaurants to deliver food in no time.

At Careem, users will have access to a wide variety of restaurant options that promise fast delivery. Careem offers convenience to the users and the restaurant owners.

• Deliveroo

Deliveroo is one of the best food delivery apps in Dubai that delivers food from a variety of restaurants, from low-ranked to luxury restaurants. If you want to enjoy the gourmet food of 7-star restaurants in your home, Deliveroo is the app you need.

You can access the top options of restaurants in Dubai in this app and get them delivered to your doorstep. You can also get easy payment options with this app

• Noon Food

Noon Food is a delivery app that comes with a wider scope for the users. This app delivers groceries and food to everything that the people of the UAE need.

Noon is an all-in-one delivery app that helps users get assorted products and services. This delivery app supports the local food businesses of the UAE. This app also offers fair commission and a flexible platform to local businesses.

Steps to Create a Restaurant App in Dubai

To develop a restaurant app in Dubai is not easy; it takes strong skills, expertise, planning, attention, and consistency. It is best to hire a mobile app startup in Dubai and let them develop a well-performed restaurant following the right steps.

We have covered the steps below that are followed to develop a restaurant app.

Step 1: Define your Goal

Planning and defining a goal are the primary steps of app development. If your groundwork is not ready, it will affect the whole development process. Plan why you are building the app, what you want to offer to your audience, then finalise the feature, and finally, know your target audience.

Know the pain point of your target audience and then list features that can meet the pain points. This will help you to develop a restaurant app in Dubai that will offer the best features and fulfill user needs.

Step 2: Understand the Market

After defining the goal, you should jump straight into understanding the market. By doing market research, you can see the competition in the restaurant app market, which tells you what is working best and what is not working out.

Analyze the restaurant apps made by the competitors, see what the audience loves about them and hates about them. See if the audience has any special requirements. Find the gap that you can fill and monetize from it. As part of market research, it is essential to know the trends of restaurant apps.

Step 3: Design the App

It’s time to design the app, which starts with wireframing and creating a prototype of the restaurant app. Wireframing lets you outline the structure and user flow of the app, and a prototype is a blueprint of the app’s design.

UI/UX is crucial because it will help bring the look and feel of the app to life. UI or User Interface ensures users can effortlessly guide through the app, and UX or User Experience ensures users have the best experience of the app.

Step 4: Development of the App

After the design part comes the development of the app, which includes front-end and back-end development. Front-end development includes the app interface, and backend development includes management of server-side logic, APIs, and databases.

To develop a well-functioning restaurant app, you must choose the correct technology, which has different types. For iOS, Swift technology is used, and for Android, it’s Kotlin; this is Native app development. For cross-platform development, Flutter, React Native that is dependent upon the budget, time, and features.

Step 5: Adding a Payment System

A crucial element of the restaurant apps is that they must have a secure payment system. This feature ensures customers can make smooth payments for the meals they ordered and also tip the delivery partners.

Adding a payment gateway is crucial it offers encrypted payments that can save customers from any kind of fraud. The app must allow users to connect third-party payment apps to the restaurant app, and can also connect their credit and debit cards.

Step 6: Testing and QA

After all the designing and development of the restaurant app, the next step is their testing and QA. Without testing, no app will be ready to be deployed in the market since it may have bugs and other issues.

Every business wants its customers to have a good experience with their apps. Testing and QA will help to identify and fix the glitches, crashes, performance issues, broken links, and bugs. User testing should also be done so that developers can identify and fix the issues that they may have overlooked and those identified by the customers.

Step 7: Launch and Marketing

After successful testing and QA, your restaurant app is finally ready to be deployed or launched on multiple app stores. For the successful growth of the app, you must do its marketing on social media platforms and emailers to encourage potential users to download the app.

You can offer free trials, offers, and discounts through exclusive promotion of the app that can drive traffic to your app and encourage users to download the app.

Cost to Develop a Restaurant Mobile App in Dubai

The next crucial thing you must know is how much an app development company in Dubai will charge you. The cost to develop a restaurant app in Dubai typically ranges from $20,000 to $250,000, and sometimes it can go beyond that. The cost of development depends on various factors like design, features, complexity, tech stack, and more.

If you wish to develop an app for your small restaurant business with simpler features and technology in Dubai, then it will cost you from $20,000 to $50,000. The cost of a medium-sized restaurant app that will have additional features will be from $50,000 to $80,000.

If you want to integrate some advanced operating systems, complex features, and other more advanced elements, then the cost will fall from $80,000 to $250,000. To build a full-stack restaurant app with smart features, AI integration, and more, that will cost you more than $250,000.

How to Make Money by Building a Restaurant App in Dubai?

You have an excellent opportunity to earn money from your restaurant app, and there are various ways to do that. We have broken down the ways you can monetize your mobile app in Dubai.

Let’s get into their details.

➢ Commission Fees

You can charge a fixed commission percentage from the restaurants when customers order food through the restaurant app.

This is a good way for the restaurant app owners to earn extra bucks after developing a restaurant app. The percentage of commission you can earn from the restaurant will be decided by both parties upon an agreement.

➢ Service Fees

You can charge a platform fee from the users every time they order food from the app. Many food delivery apps in the UAE include a small percentage of platform fees.

The platform fees are based on the distance between the customers and the restaurant from which food is ordered. So, to monetize from the restaurant app, you can calculate the service fees.

➢ Premium Subscription

Offering a premium subscription to the app users can be a good idea to monetise the restaurant app. You can offer basic functionalities of the app with the free version, but to use more advanced features, they have to switch to the paid subscription plan.

Moreover, with the paid subscription plan, users can avail of discounts, priority support, and exclusive deals from the restaurants.

➢ Advertisements

Restaurant app owners can offer other restaurants to run their advertisements directly on the app, which is a good idea to monetize.

The other restaurant can use your app as a medium to promote itself and reach a wider audience with a banner. An additional fee has to be paid by other restaurants that wish to run their ad on your app.

How Nimble AppGenie Can Help You Develop a Restaurant App in Dubai?

Planning to enter the competitive market of the restaurant industry with a fully functional app? Here you go, you have chosen the correct path, but you need a trustworthy partner on this journey.

Nimble AppGenie is a leading Restaurant App Development Company in Dubai that helps you develop a restaurant app in Dubai with unique features that stand out from the competitive crowd. Our team of skilled developers will do everything for you, from market research to the whole app development.

Still stuck with the question of how to develop a mobile app in Dubai? Try out our service today and launch your app successfully in the competitive market.

Conclusion

Start investing in the thriving restaurant business market of the UAE with an app that simplifies the whole process and offers the best user experience. You know the criteria that need to be followed if you want to develop a restaurant app in Dubai.

This article teaches you everything from the cost of restaurant app development to the steps and knowledge about types of apps. We also tell you about the top restaurant app in Dubai, which you can explore for ideas.

It is the perfect time to start serving food through the digital window at the customer’s doorstep.

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