Mobile Apps for Restaurants, Cafés and Takeaways

Who this is for

This page is for independent restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, bakeries, pizzerias, takeaways and small local chains. You probably have a website with your menu and opening hours, a presence on social media, and possibly a listing on one or more delivery platforms. What you may not have is a direct, branded way for your regular customers to order, book and be rewarded for coming back.

What a restaurant app can do

A menu that is easy to use on a phone

PDF menus are hard to read on a phone. An app menu can be organised by category, searchable, illustrated with your own photos and tagged for dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. Allergen information can be shown for each dish, provided you supply it and keep it current.

Order ahead and click and collect

For takeaways, cafés and lunchtime trade, ordering ahead is often the most valuable feature. Customers choose items and options, pay in advance, pick a collection time and receive a notification when the order is ready, if they have allowed notifications. You can set preparation times, pause ordering at busy moments and mark items as sold out.

Table reservations

Customers can book a table by party size, date and time. If you already use a reservation system with an API, the app can work with it; otherwise the app can include its own simple booking backend with your table capacity and opening hours.

Loyalty and rewards

Digital stamp cards or points can replace paper cards. You decide the rules, for example a free coffee after a set number of purchases. Because the app knows what each customer orders, rewards can be applied automatically at checkout.

Offers, news and reorders

Opted-in customers can receive news about seasonal menus, events or offers for quieter times. Regulars can reorder a favourite meal quickly.

How the free personalised preview works for restaurants

1. You send us your website address.
2. We review your public content: menu, opening hours, location, branding and photos.
3. We build an app concept around your business: your menu in an app layout, an order-ahead flow, table booking if relevant, and a loyalty card.
4. A person reviews the concept before it is sent.
5. You receive a private link to open on your phone or computer.

The preview is an interactive concept, not a working app. Orders, payments and bookings are simulated. It lets you, your team and a few regular customers react to something real.

How a project runs and what affects the cost

If you decide to go ahead, we agree the scope, then design, build, test and help with store submission. Production apps use React Native, Expo and TypeScript, so one codebase serves both iPhone and Android.

Custom apps start from €1,499 (indicative starting price). For restaurants, the main cost drivers are:

• Ordering and payments. Order ahead with card payments needs a payment provider integration, order management and refunds handling.
• EPOS or ordering integration. Sending orders into an existing system depends on that provider's API and adds integration work.
• Kitchen workflow. If you do not have an existing system, orders need somewhere to go, such as a kitchen display or tablet screen.
• Menu management. A way for your team to update dishes, prices, availability and allergens without a developer.
• Loyalty rules. Simple stamp cards are quicker to build than tiered points schemes.
• Locations. Multiple sites with different menus and hours add complexity.
• Maintenance. Ongoing updates for new iOS and Android versions and connected services.

Honest limitations

• Your own app does not replace discovery. Customers rarely download a restaurant app before they know you. The app works best for regulars you already have.
• Integrations depend on your providers. Not every EPOS or reservation system allows third-party apps to connect.
• Payment fees still apply. Card payments go through a payment provider with its own fees.
• Store review is Apple's and Google's decision. An app that only shows a menu and opening hours may be considered too close to a website. Ordering, booking and loyalty give it genuine functionality.
• Notifications are opt-in. Customers must allow them on iPhone and on recent Android versions, and too many messages lead people to switch them off.
• Allergen and menu accuracy is your responsibility. The app displays what you provide.

Is an app right for your restaurant?

An app is most worthwhile when a good share of your trade comes from regulars, collection orders or repeat bookings, and you want a direct relationship with those customers. A seasonal venue that mostly serves tourists may get more from a fast website and marketplace listings. The free preview is a practical way to see what your own app could look like before deciding.