In modern-day society, food delivery applications are included in daily life activities. With one tap, users can deliver their food orders from their favorite restaurants to their doorsteps. Now, let’s take a view from the restaurant owner’s side: they want an app that provides food deliveries at a low commission rate, and most popular meal delivery apps charge higher commissions. Whereas an app like ChowNow, that do not believe in higher commission fees, offers delivery and takeout options to enhance the restaurant’s experience.
A survey found that food ordering applications were valued at around $1.40 trillion in 2024 and are expected to increase by around $1.89 trillion in 2029.
This data shows how rapidly restaurants invest in meal delivery applications to increase their overall sales and reach a wider audience.
In this blog, we will explore how to build a food delivery app like ChowNow and how it can benefit businesses.
What is ChowNow?
The ChowNow app is a smartphone platform that lets consumers order food directly from their favorite local eateries. It connects clients to restaurants’ custom-branded online ordering systems, allowing them to pick up or deliver without the use of third-party services. Food ordering app like ChowNow provide a more personalized and frictionless ordering experience while promoting local companies.
- Custom Ordering
- Pickup & Delivery
- Menu Browsing
- Restaurant Support
Market Analysis of Global Food Delivery Applications
- In 2025, the online food delivery sector is expected to generate US$1.40 trillion in revenue.
- By 2029, revenue is anticipated to expand at a 83% annual rate (CAGR 2025–2029), translating into a predicted market volume of US$1.89 trillion.
- As per the global market, by 2029, there will likely be 5 billion users in the meal delivery sector.
- According to a study, by 2025, the market for meal delivery would have a 2% user penetration rate.
- In contrast, China will earn the majority of worldwide income (US$500.51 billion in 2025).
Top 10 Food Delivery Apps like ChowNow
Here is a table summarizing top food delivery apps similar to ChowNow, including their launch year, platform availability, download counts, and user ratings:
Applications |
Download Users |
Stores Ratings |
Apps Launched On |
Platform Accessibility |
| SkipTheDishes | 1M+ | 4.2 | 2012 | Android/iOS |
| Menulog | 5M+ | 3.9 | 2006 | Android/iOS |
| Glovo | 10M+ | 4.1 | 2015 | Android/iOS |
| Blue Apron | 500K+ | 4.0 | 2012 | Android/iOS |
| Foodhub | 1M+ | 4.4 | 2017 | Android/iOS |
| Seamless | 10M+ | 3.8 | 2003 | Android/iOS |
| DoorDash | 50M+ | 4.2 | 2013 | Android/iOS |
| Just Eat | 10M+ | 3.9 | 2001 | Android/iOS |
| GrubHub | 30M+ | 4.0 | 2004 | Android/iOS |
| Deliveroo | 50M+ | 4.1 | 2013 | Android/iOS |
Why do Most Businesses Invest in Food Delivery App Development?
Investing in restaurant mobile app development has become a strategic decision for businesses, particularly in light of shifting consumer behavior and technological improvements. Here are five major reasons why most businesses are investing in this area:
1. Increased Consumer Demand
Modern consumers want convenience, and restaurant delivery apps give just that. Customers demand quick, easy, and efficient access to meals from their favorite restaurants, whether they’re ordering lunch at work or dinner at home. As customers become more accustomed to ordering food through apps, businesses must adjust to satisfy the demand and avoid falling behind the competition.
2. Expanded Customer Reach
Meal delivery app like Glovo enable businesses to grow their customer base well beyond their physical location. By going digital, restaurants and food services can reach a far larger audience, including people who might not have come in person otherwise. This is especially useful for small or local firms that want to compete with larger chains and increase their market share.
3. Improved Customer Experience
The ChowNow food delivery app frequently include features that improve the consumer experience, such as real-time tracking, tailored suggestions, and simple menus. Businesses can also use loyalty programs, discounts, or promotions to promote return consumers. Cheapest food delivery apps promote consumer loyalty and long-term connections by offering a seamless and engaging experience.
4. Data Insights and Analysis
The food ordering app like Doordash offer businesses vital information about client preferences, order history, peak hours, and regional patterns. This information enables firms to make more informed decisions about menu pricing, product offerings, and marketing methods. These insights can dramatically boost business performance and profitability.
5. Revenue Growth Opportunities
Businesses that use delivery apps can create additional revenue by catering to both dine-in and delivery consumers. As we discussed earlier with the ChowNow app development company, this multi-channel approach boosts overall revenues since the company can service more clients without requiring more physical space or resources.
7 Powerful Steps to Build a Food Delivery App like ChowNow
We provide the various steps to create a food delivery app like ChowNow with customized functionalities. It helps businesses clear all the confusion and misunderstanding of businesses and developers. So, let’s look at our food delivery app development process:
1. Identify Project Requirements
Begin by outlining your app’s purpose, target audience, and business model. Define key features like order tracking, payment integration, and user accounts. Understand competitors and plan your app’s unique selling points to meet market needs effectively.
| What are your app’s basic or core requirements? |
| Clear your app’s future goals. |
| Which online food ordering platforms are more successful in this competitive market? |
2. Features and Functions
Hire mobile app developers to choose essential features such as real-time order tracking, menu browsing, secure payments, push notifications, and customer reviews. Prioritize features like multi-language support, loyalty programs, or restaurant management tools to improve user experience and streamline operations.
| What are your app’s basic or premium features and functions? |
| Observe the existing restaurant delivery apps for the best features. |
| Make an organized sheet of features and functions to reduce data redundancy. |
3. Select Tech Stacks
Choose the right technologies for your app’s front-end, back-end, and database systems. Popular tech stacks include React Native for mobile development, Node.js for backend, and MongoDB for database management. Also, select cloud services like AWS for hosting.
| Which type of tech stacks are used in your ChowNow clone app development? |
| Define your scalability requirements. |
| Choose advanced or basic tech stacks. |
4. Design UI/UX
You need to hire dedicated developers to design a user-friendly, intuitive interface for both customers and restaurant owners. Focus on ease of navigation, appealing graphics, and simple checkouts. Prioritize mobile responsiveness and test prototypes to ensure a seamless, engaging user experience.
| What are wireframes in UX design? |
| What tools do you use for prototyping? |
| How do you ensure a responsive design? |
5. App Development
Develop the app in phases, starting with core functionalities. Implement APIs for payment gateways, maps, and notifications. Build native or cross-platform apps for both iOS and Android to reach a wider audience, ensuring robust backend integration.
| Do you want to create hybrid or native apps? |
| Choose highly talented mobile app developers. |
| Integrate a high number of features and functions. |
6. Testing and QA
Conduct thorough testing to identify and fix bugs or usability issues. Perform functional testing, performance testing, and security checks to ensure the app performs efficiently under different conditions. Beta testing with real users helps refine features.
| Make sure that all features and functions are working properly |
| Use various testing methods, such as functional and usability testing. |
| Check the app’s security measurements. |
7. Publishing and Maintenance
After successful testing, hire a mobile app development company to launch the app on the App Store and Google Play. Continuously monitor performance, fix bugs, and provide regular updates. Plan for ongoing maintenance, including server management, feature upgrades, and user feedback integration to improve functionality.
| Launch your app on selected platforms like Android and iOS. |
| Use the best marketing techniques. |
| Assign the post-maintenance phases to maintain the app’s performance. |
10 Must-Have Features of Food Delivery App like ChowNow
Creating a meal delivery service like ChowNow necessitates a balance of functionality, user experience, and scalability. Here are ten essential characteristics that ensure the app serves the demands of both consumers and restaurants:
1. User-Friendly Interface
An app like Deliveroo allows users to explore menus, place orders, and track deliveries with ease, thanks to an intuitive and straightforward design.
2. Customizable Restaurant Profiles
ChowNow alternatives provide each restaurant with its profile page, where customers may see menus, images, hours of operation, and contact information.
3. Real-time Order Tracking
The ChowNow clone app gives customers live updates on the status of their order, from preparation to delivery, increasing transparency and customer happiness.
4. Several Payment Options
App like Foodhub offer a flexible payment system that accepts credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, and cash on delivery, which is critical for catering to a diverse variety of users.
5. Push Notifications
Notify customers of discounts, special offers, order progress updates, and restaurant events. It helps to keep users engaged and informed.
6. GPS and Route Optimization
Real-time GPS monitoring allows consumers to trace their deliveries, while route optimization ensures faster and more efficient deliveries, improving overall quality.
7. Order History and Easy Reordering
ChowNow alternatives allow customers to browse past orders and reorder their favorites with a single swipe, making things easier for repeat customers.
8. Ratings and Reviews
An app like Swiggy allows people to evaluate and rate restaurants and delivery services. This increases trustworthiness and allows eateries to improve.
9. Search Filters
The app for food delivery helps users locate what they need fast and includes search options such as cuisine style, dietary restrictions, and delivery timing.
10. Loyalty Programs
ChowNow similar apps use loyalty awards, coupons, or referral bonuses to incentivize repeat customers and attract new ones, assuring long-term involvement.
The Cost to Build a Food Delivery App Like ChowNow
The cost to develop a food delivery app like ChowNow typically ranges from $8,000 to $25,000. Factors influencing the cost include the app’s complexity, features (like real-time tracking, payment integration, and loyalty programs), platform (iOS, Android, or both), and design requirements. Customization, third-party integrations, and backend development can also impact the food delivery app development cost. Additionally, ongoing maintenance, updates, and marketing efforts may incur additional costs. Ultimately, a high-quality app requires a balanced approach to development and investment.
Food Delivery App Development |
Estimated Cost |
Time Frame |
Basic App Development
|
$8000 – $12000 | 2 to 5 Months |
Mid-Premium App Development
|
$14000 – $19000 | 6 to 8 Months |
High-Premium App Development
|
$25000+ | 9+ Months |
What are the Factors That Affect Food Delivery App Development Cost?
The food delivery mobile app development cost is influenced by factors such as the development team’s expertise, the complexity of back-end systems, the quality of application design, the inclusion of basic or advanced features, and ongoing support/maintenance. Location, technology stack, and third-party integrations also significantly impact overall expenses.
1. Simple and Premium Features
The more intricate and feature-rich your program is, the greater its development cost. Basic features like order placement and payment processing are less expensive. However, sophisticated features like real-time tracking, voice search, and AI-based suggestions will increase the cost to develop an app like ChowNow due to their complex coding and testing needs.
Features |
Cost Estimation |
| Core Features(Real-Time Order Tracking and Advanced Search & Filters) | $8,000 – $10,000 |
| Advanced Features(Order History & Reordering and In-App Chat/Support) | $13,000 – $19,000 |
2. Development Team
The number and expertise of your development team are important factors in deciding the cost. Highly experienced engineers or specialized teams (UI/UX designers, backend developers, and QA testers) may charge extra. Labor expenses vary by region, therefore team location is also important. The development has the ability to increase the cost to build a cross-city food ordering app.
Developer’s Experience Level |
Cost Estimation |
| Entry-Level Developer | $15 – $18/ Per Hour |
| Mid-Level Developer | $18 – $22/ Per Hour |
| Senior-Level Developer | $25+ / Per Hour |
3. Application Design
Design quality, particularly UI/UX, has a substantial impact on overall costs. Custom designs that require significant work to ensure a smooth user experience will necessitate additional resources. Incorporating unique visual components, animations, or interactive features can raise the cost to create an app like ChowNow, but they are critical for increasing user engagement.
Design Quality |
Cost Estimation |
| Basic Design | $8,000 – $12,000 |
| Complex Design | $15,000 – $22,000 |
4. Back-End Development
A robust backend infrastructure is required to securely manage databases, user profiles, purchase history, and payment processing. Back-end system complexity, including scalability and interaction with third-party services (such as payment gateways or delivery tracking), can lead to higher cost to build an app like ChowNow.
Backend Development |
Cost Estimation |
| Basic Backend Process | $10,000 – $18,000 |
| Premium Backend Process | $20,000 – $28,000 |
5. Support and Maintenance
The food delivery app maintenance services are critical to keeping the app effective and secure. Ongoing maintenance, such as bug repairs, security patches, and feature upgrades, will increase the long-term costs. Apps that require frequent updates or upgrades based on user input will demand a continuous commitment of resources.
Maintenance Phase |
Cost Estimation |
| Simple Maintenance Phase | $2,000 – $4,000/year |
| Complex Maintenance Phase | $7,000 – $9,000/year |
5 Monetization Techniques of Food Delivery Apps like ChowNow
The food delivery apps like Seamless and ChowNow use a variety of monetization strategies to earn cash while offering value to both restaurants and customers. Here are five main strategies:
1. Commission for Orders
The best food delivery apps like Just Eat generate revenue by charging eateries a commission for each order placed through the network. This normally ranges between 10% and 30% of the entire order amount. Apps generate revenue whenever a user submits an order, providing for scalable revenue growth as the user base grows.
2. Subscription Fees for Restaurants
Many meal delivery apps provide subscription-based models in which eateries pay a predetermined monthly cost to be included on the site. This may include additional features including increased visibility, access to marketing tools, and order management systems. Subscription fees generate predictable, consistent revenue for the platform.
3. Delivery Fees
The food takeaway apps like SkipTheDishes can charge clients delivery costs, which can be fixed or based on the distance between the restaurant and the customer’s location. These fees contribute to the cost of delivery logistics, such as driver pay and vehicle upkeep, and can be changed during peak hours or special promotions.
4. Advertising and Promotions
The similar app like ChowNow can provide paid advertising for restaurants, allowing them to promote their listings or special deals to a specific audience. These advertisements can appear within the app or in email marketing campaigns, generating additional revenue through sponsored content.
5. In-app Purchases
The ChowNow similar apps provide premium services or additional features to customers, such as loyalty programs, unique discounts, or speedier delivery choices that may be obtained through in-app purchases. An app like Menulog or ChowNow promotes user engagement while also increasing income for the app.
Conclusion
Building a food dispatch app like ChowNow involves thorough planning, from defining your target audience to choosing the right technology stack. Focus on user-friendly design, efficient order management systems, secure payment gateways, and real-time tracking features. Ensure scalability and security while integrating restaurant-specific tools. Collaborating with restaurants for custom branding and offering seamless customer support are key elements. Are you looking to create a food delivery app like ChowNow? So, what’s holding you back? Just share your project requirement with a food delivery app development company to receive budget-friendly development solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Much Does It Cost To Build a Food Delivery App like ChowNow?
The cost to build a food delivery app like ChowNow typically ranges from $8,000 to $25,000+ depending on features, platform (iOS/Android), design complexity, development team location, and additional integrations such as payment gateways and GPS.
2. How Much Time Does It Take To Develop a Food Delivery App like ChowNow?
To make a food delivery app like ChowNow, it typically takes 3 to 6 months, depending on factors like app complexity, features, platform (iOS/Android), and the development team’s expertise and efficiency.
3. How Can I Monetize a ChowNow-Like App?
You can monetize a ChowNow-like app through commission on orders, restaurant subscriptions, delivery fees, in-app advertising, premium features, loyalty programs, and targeted promotions to generate revenue from both users and restaurants.
4. What Are the Key Challenges When Building a Meal Delivery App?
Key challenges in building an online food delivery platform include ensuring scalability, managing logistics and deliveries, integrating third-party services (payments, maps), providing a seamless user experience, and maintaining security and data privacy.
5. How Do I Market My Food Ordering Apps?
To attract and retain users, market your food takeaway apps through SEO, social media marketing, influencer partnerships, referral programs, local restaurant collaborations, targeted ads, and exclusive discounts.
6. Which Technologies Are Used to Make a Food Delivery App like ChowNow?
There are various robust technologies that are used to build a food delivery app like ChowNow:
- Java
- Python
- C++
- React Native
- JavaScript
