How Much Does It Cost to Build a Restaurant App?

In today’s digital world, restaurant mobile apps have become a game-changer for food businesses. Whether you’re running a small café, a multi-chain restaurant, or a cloud kitchen, having your own mobile app can significantly boost your sales, streamline operations, and improve customer engagement.

But one of the most common questions restaurant owners ask is, “How much does it cost to build a restaurant app?”

The answer depends on several factors like features, design, technology stack, and development team location. In this blog, we’ll break it down in simple terms so that even a non-technical business owner can understand how restaurant app development costs are calculated.

Why Your Restaurant Needs a Mobile App

Before discussing the cost to build a restaurant app, it’s important to understand why investing in one makes sense for your business.

1. Improved Customer Experience:
   Customers can easily browse your menu, place orders, make payments, and track deliveries all in a few taps.
2. Increased Brand Loyalty:
   Features like reward points, discount coupons, and push notifications encourage repeat customers.
3. More Orders, Less Effort:
   Apps help restaurants manage more orders efficiently, especially during peak hours.
4. Direct Customer Connection:
   You don’t have to rely entirely on third-party delivery apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash that take heavy commissions.
5. Valuable Insights:
   Restaurant apps can provide analytics on customer preferences, order history, and feedback to help you improve.

Clearly, a restaurant app isn’t just a luxury. It’s a smart business move in 2025.

Types of Restaurant Apps

The cost to build a restaurant app varies depending on the type of app you want. Here are the most common categories:

1. Restaurant Ordering and Delivery App:
   Similar to Domino’s or Pizza Hut, these apps allow customers to order food for home delivery or takeaway.
2. Restaurant Table Booking App:
   Apps like OpenTable help users reserve tables at specific times.
3. Food Aggregator App:
   Like Uber Eats or Grubhub, these apps list multiple restaurants in one platform. They’re complex and costly to build.
4. Loyalty or Reward App:
   These are simple apps that focus on offering discounts and points to regular customers.
5. Restaurant Management App:
   Designed for restaurant owners to manage inventory, staff, billing, and menu updates.

Depending on which type suits your business goals, the cost will vary significantly.

Key Features That Affect the Cost

The features you choose are the biggest factor in determining the cost to build a restaurant app. Let’s look at the most common features and how they impact pricing:

1. User Panel Features (Customer App)

1. Easy sign-up and login (via email, phone, or Google)
2. Browse restaurant menu with photos and prices
3. Add to cart and place an order
4. Real-time order tracking
5. Online payment (credit card, UPI, PayPal, etc.)
6. Ratings and reviews
7. Push notifications
8. Order history

2. Restaurant Admin Panel

1. Menu management (add, edit, delete dishes)
2. Order management dashboard
3. Payment tracking
4. Customer data and analytics
5. Offers and promo code setup
6. Inventory management (optional)

3. Delivery Agent Panel (if applicable)

1. Delivery requests and route navigation
2. Order status update
3. Earnings dashboard

4. Advanced Features (Optional but Powerful)

1. AI-based food recommendations
2. Multi-language and multi-currency support
3. In-app chat with customer support
4. Loyalty programs and gamification
5. Integration with POS (Point of Sale) systems
6. Voice ordering or chatbot assistance

Each additional feature adds to the cost because it requires more development time and testing.

Design and User Experience (UX/UI)

Design plays a crucial role in how users interact with your app. A clean, modern, and easy-to-navigate interface attracts more customers and keeps them coming back.

1. Basic UI Design: Simple layouts with limited customization result in lower cost.
2. Custom UI/UX Design: Branded look, animations, and interactive menus come at a higher cost.

If you want your restaurant app to stand out, investing in a custom UI is worth it. However, it can add around $1,000 to $3,000 to your total cost.

Technology Stack

The technologies used also influence the cost to build a restaurant app. You can choose between:

1. Native App Development:
   Separate apps for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin). High performance but higher cost.
2. Cross-Platform Development:
   Single codebase for both platforms using Flutter or React Native. Faster and more cost-effective.

For most restaurant owners, cross-platform apps are ideal because they save time and money while maintaining good performance.

Development Team and Their Costs

The location and experience level of your development team greatly impact pricing. Here’s a rough idea:

Region	Average Hourly Rate	Total Estimated Cost
USA / Canada	$80 – $150/hr	$50,000 – $100,000+
Europe	$50 – $100/hr	$30,000 – $80,000
India	$20 – $50/hr	$8,000 – $25,000

These are average estimates. The actual cost may vary based on your unique requirements, number of features, and customization needs.

How to Reduce the Cost to Build a Restaurant App

If you have a limited budget, here are some smart ways to reduce costs without compromising quality:

1. Start with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product):
   Build only essential features first and add more later as your business grows.
2. Use Cross-Platform Development:
   This lets you launch your app on both Android and iOS using a single codebase.
3. Outsource Development:
   Partnering with a professional offshore company like Infylo Techsolutions can save up to 60% on costs.
4. Avoid Unnecessary Features:
   Focus on features that truly matter to your users like ordering, payments, and tracking.
5. Plan Properly:
   Clear requirements and communication can save development time and reduce rework.

Why Choose Infylo Techsolutions for Your Restaurant App Development

At Infylo Techsolutions, we specialize in building custom mobile apps for restaurants, food delivery startups, and cloud kitchens.

Here’s why our clients across the U.S. and globally trust us:

1. Experienced team of mobile app developers
2. Affordable pricing with no hidden costs
3. High-quality UI/UX design
4. Scalable and secure solutions
5. Timely delivery and full post-launch support

Whether you need a simple food ordering app or a complete restaurant management solution, we can bring your idea to life efficiently and cost-effectively.

Final Thoughts

The cost to build a restaurant app depends on multiple factors like type of app, features, design, and development approach. On average, you can expect to invest anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 for a quality restaurant app.

While it might seem like a big investment initially, a well-designed restaurant app can quickly pay for itself by increasing customer orders, boosting brand loyalty, and reducing dependency on third-party delivery platforms.

If you’re ready to take your restaurant digital and reach more customers, Infylo Techsolutions is here to help.

Contact us today to get a free quote and expert consultation for your restaurant app project.