While consumers cannot decide which app they want to use for ordering food online, food startups worry about competition and the possibility of a coronavirus epidemic. We have collected the top food delivery apps and some important guidelines for dealing with coronavirus, the flu, and other viruses to help you start your online business.
It seems that the online food ordering market has become saturated. Saturation is everywhere, but it is also a sign of activity. Saturated markets are active.
It is time to go online if you own a restaurant. You can’t go wrong with an app that allows you to order food online. If you’re a startup looking to create an app for online food delivery, research the market first and then go for it.
People are becoming more isolated and disengaged due to the coronavirus epidemic. However, groceries and comfort food are necessities that everyone is looking for. Your business can help people stay inside and meet their immediate needs by being a food delivery service provider or ordering service.
When it comes to your online food delivery startup in such a critical virus or flu season, you need to be more specific about curating features and functionalities. We have listed the top five on-demand food delivery apps that you can use to analyze your market before creating your food app.
Let’s first look at Canada’s top food delivery apps before we get to the list.
The market for Online Food Delivery is Growing
- Canadians ordered $4.3 BILLION worth of meals in 2018, with $1 billion spent on meal delivery apps such as Foodora or SkipTheDishes.
- In 2019, a Large number of people choose online food ordering Canada. Total Canadian revenue from online food delivery was US$2.004 billion.
- Online food delivery is expected to grow at 10.2% per year, resulting in a market volume of US$2,959m for 2023.
- The market’s largest segment is Restaurant-to-Consumer Delivery and is projected to have a market volume of US$6,098m in 2025.
We are a leader in web and mobile apps and software development, so we know the market demand for food processors. Space-O Technologies has helped numerous startups and companies with their online ordering and delivery.
We have the expertise to develop apps in various genres such as food, taxi, and laundry. We have curated Canada’s top food delivery apps based on their downloads, features, functionality, and other factors.
- Apple App Store Rating:
- Google Play Store Rating
- Downloads: 1,000,000+
1. SkipTheDishes
SkipTheDishes was first launched in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 2012. The app initially served in Canada but later expanded to other countries and the US. It has been associated with more than 16000 restaurants around the world. This company employs over 2000 people and has delivery executives who strive to make it one of Canada’s best food delivery companies. Crunchbase reports that this app received a total funding of CA$8.5M. SkipTheDishes, Canada’s most downloaded food delivery app, has received a lot of ratings and downloads.
Let’s take a look at some of the cons and pros of this app before we move on to the other applications. This will give you a better idea of how to develop your food delivery apps.
Pros & Cons
- Live GPS order tracking and real-time order tracking.
- To find nearby delivery options with a $0 delivery charge, filter restaurants by delivery fees.
- You can re-order your favorite dish by accessing your order history.
- There are very few filters in the app, leading to dissatisfaction.
- The food app does not have proper delivery settings, such as multiple delivery addresses.
- Integration issues with the payment gateway and checkout
2. Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons was established in 1964. It now has more than 4500 locations. Since its inception, Tim Hortons has been making delicious doughnuts and coffee. However, they decided to go digital in 2017, opening an online ordering system and restaurant app. It is available in all major Canadian cities and smaller towns. Statista estimates that Tim Hortons (restaurant chains) generated approximately US $3.29B in revenue.
- Apple App Store Rating:
- Downloads: 1,000,000+
Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the food application to get more information.
Pros & Cons
- You can add items you have recently purchased or modify your order with just one tap.
- You can earn rewards by ordering at a restaurant using a digital loyalty card.
- Pick up the delivery method to deliver your order right at your door.
- The interface is not intuitive.
- There is no seamless login process.
- There are errors in the online payment system.
3. DoorDash
In 2013, the app was launched in San Francisco, California, United States. Their delivery executives and 6900 employees make it easy to deliver food. It’s one of Canada’s most popular food delivery services, with Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg locations. Crunchbase estimates that it has received $2.1B in total funding.
- Apple App Store Rating:
- Google Play Store Rating
- Downloads: 10,000,000+
Take a look at the pros and cons before moving on to the next app. This will allow you to avoid any development obstacles in your app.
Pros & Cons
- You can schedule deliveries from anywhere at any time.
- No contact delivery guarantees the safety of customers and employees.
- Subscribe to DashPass and get $0 in service fees and a delivery fee
- DoorDash takes a long time to load its online food ordering service.
- There is a problem with the app’s payment integration feature.
- Customers are unhappy with the online delivery service because of several issues in its functionality.
4. Foodora
The original location of this food delivery company was in Berlin, Germany. It was established in 2014. The acquisition of Hurrier in Toronto allowed it to expand into Canada. They have partnered in partnership with more than 9000 restaurants across many countries. It’s one of the most popular apps for food delivery in Canada. The app is available in Calgary, Quebec and Toronto, and Edmonton and Vancouver.
- Apple App Store Rating:
- Google Play Store Rating:
- Downloads: 1,000,000+
Let’s take a look at what the Foodora app has to offer. We will be discussing its smooth functioning and any technical issues that may occur in the app’s user experience.
Pros & Cons
- Users can schedule in advance to pick up their orders.
- You can track the food in real-time.
- Choose your favorite dish from the local favorites.
- Checkout error in the food app
- The app does not have “delivery near me” options to provide quick delivery.
- There are no vegan options on the delivery app, but a few vegetarian and allergy-friendly options are available.
5. Little Caesars
Little Caesars Pizza was founded in Garden City, Michigan, USA, in 1959. It has since become one of America’s most popular pizza chains. This app, launched in 2018, is a must-have for Canadian food delivery. The unique features of this app, which is similar to Uber for food delivery, include TouchID/FINGERPRINT login and FaceID login.
- Google Play Store Rating:
- Downloads: 1,000,000+
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this app before we get into the details of other delivery apps.
Pros & Cons
- Order custom food and track your orders in real-time
- It is simple to navigate the specially prepared menu.
- Intuitive user interface.
- The app’s delivery function is not working seamlessly.
- Promo codes can be annoying and affect the user experience in-app.
- There is no option to place an order online and pay in-store for a takeout.
We have just touched on the top Canadian food delivery companies. Let’s look at these food delivery companies and how they are dealing with the global coronavirus pandemic.
What Food Delivery Apps Do to Deal with Coronavirus Circumstances
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted to food. It also said that someone could get COVID-19 from touching an object or surface with the virus and then touching their face.
Online fast food delivery companies can fulfill their mission and deliver necessities to quarantined persons by following the kitchen takeout delivery guidelines. These online food delivery growth methods are important if you want to create a “deliveries nearby me” app and be the best takeout food app.
- Contactless delivery and carryout: As a food ordering app, it is important to offer various delivery options. This will ensure that your customers and workers in the gig economy are safe. These features don’t allow either party to be in direct contact at order delivery.
- No delivery fees or charges. You can offer food delivery at a flat fee and no delivery fees. No additional charges should be imposed on the consumer, regardless of whether it’s a credit card/debit/cash payment.
- An emergency kit for restaurant partners or sole food delivery apps. You should have a list of recipes, basic food combinations, and breakfast delivery in ottawa ready to meet increasing demand. Stock up on your inventory, and sell it without any commissions and with the best food quality. This will increase traffic to your app’s food service.
- Online payment only: In order to avoid having to deal with your customers in person, ensure that food delivery apps like GrubHub or Postmates have this feature enabled for critical times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Encourage customers to pay online the cost of money for the food that they have ordered.
- Hand hygiene: To ensure safety for your client and your employees, make sure that your food delivery driver has gloves on when delivering parcels. Customers who prefer cash payments can be provided extra gloves. Before paying for their food package, the customer must wear gloves.
- Takeaway or pick-up orders: If the customer chooses to pick up their order at your place, ensure that you place it indoors on either a table or chair. It can be placed outside, or you can address it from a distance.
These are some of the top apps for food delivery and apps for restaurants in Canada. These apps are a great example of how you can compete. You will need strategies to differentiate yourself from the rest.
Four Tips from Our Expert to Create the Perfect Uber Food App
Look for advanced and unique features.
- There are a few features that all apps that deliver food share in common. These features include ratings, search filters, and real-time tracking.
- You must include at least one feature to help your app stand out from the crowd of food apps.
- The Little Caesars and Tim Horton’s apps allow users to customize their pizzas, drinks, and other menu items. DoorDash offers Group Ordering; some apps allow you to schedule orders and book tables for dine-in.
- It is possible to integrate features such as order pooling and monthly subscriptions.
Prepare to face the competition.
- It is impossible to have everything, at least not initially. Before you take any action, it is a good idea to clearly define your goals.
- This will be illustrated with an example. Let’s say you own a restaurant. You need to make your digital presence visible online to keep up with the competition. Don’t rush to put all of your menus on the app. You might find certain sandwiches that are too soggy to be delivered.
- Similar to a food startup, it might be necessary to offer free or discounted food to start to build a customer base. There will be established and new competitors. Only your determination will determine if you are able to withstand the test of time.
Make sure customers and restaurants are happy.
- You will need to manage delivery services if you own a restaurant. This could add another burden to an already heavy workload. But customer service is not to be compromised.
- Startups don’t have to manage restaurants, but it is important to maintain a good relationship with them. Restaurants are often unhappy about high commission rates and other issues.
- Customers and restaurants must be satisfied.
You can try your hand at different types of on-demand services.
- Postmates is the best example. You can order food online and also order alcohol or groceries. Customers will love the ease of ordering multiple items from one location. As a leader in on-demand app development, we can recommend you the best Uber delivery options for your business.
- There are many options:
- Uber for alcohol delivery
- Uber for groceries
- Uber bakery
- Uber for ice cream
- Uber beverages
- Uber for Weed
We have developed the top On-Demand apps.
Space-O Technologies Canada has developed more than 30 applications on-demand. We will be discussing two of them.
Delivery app for on-demand orders
- Toronto residents have an app that allows them to order on-demand delivery services. The app is feature-rich and allows residents to order groceries, snacks, electronics, pharmacy products, and other daily items. Check out the amazing results of our app.
- These are some of the features that we added to the app
- Filter your product search
- Schedule delivery service for later
- Send personalized gift delivery
- Order items you wish to reorder from an earlier order
On-demand Delivery App for Weeds
- This app allows users to order prescription marijuana online and deliver it right at home. They can also order online and list. Both dispensaries and consumers have benefitted from this app. Take a look at the how.
- These are some of the features that we added to the customer’s app
- Face ID/ Touch ID
- Checkout is easy
- History of orders
- Push notification
Check out the features of the driver’s application and admin panel in this case study about this on-demand marijuana delivery app.
FAQ about Best Food Delivery Apps
What are the responses of food delivery apps to coronavirus?
People are socially distancing due to the coronavirus epidemic, forcing them to rely upon online meal delivery apps while at home. To keep up with the increase in food delivery apps, they have removed the fees and are working on contactless delivery and order features.
What are your favorite food apps?
We’ve compiled a list of delivery services that deliver food to customers.
- DoorDash
- GrubHub
- Foodora
- Tim Hortons
- SkipTheDishes
What are some tips for ordering food online during coronavirus?
These are some tips for ordering online food:
- You can choose to have contactless delivery through the app.
- You can leave the outermost delivery bag at the door and bring the container.
- Wash your hands after transferring the food from the container into your dish.
- To kill pathogens, you can also heat your food at 165°F.
- You can recycle or throw out packaging, clean your dishes, and wipe down your tables and counters.
What is the cost of developing an app like UberEats?
The cost of developing an app like UberEats is largely dependent on its features and functionality. Yet an average app development cost may range between $10,000-$30000. A fully-featured app, developed by a Toronto-based app development company like ours, can be purchased for $30,000 and $60,000.
What support do you offer after the app is deployed?
Yes, after the app is deployed on the platform, we offer support. After the launch, we provide free technical support for 90 days to resolve any bugs or update issues.
Do you want to create a Canada-specific food delivery app?
We hope we were able to help both food lovers and food-tech startups. Contact us if you have questions about building a food delivery app, what mistakes to avoid, or if you want to launch a delivery app or dinner delivery app. You can begin by developing a minimum viable app (MVP) if you don’t have the budget for development.
You should consider building an application to automate your cafe or restaurant.
