The global food delivery market is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and building a platform to capture a slice of that pie is a strategic move for any ambitious entrepreneur or established restaurant group. The question isn't if you should build an online food ordering app like Just Eat, but how much it will cost to develop a solution that can actually compete and scale.
Just Eat operates on an 'Aggregator' model, meaning it primarily connects customers with restaurants that handle their own delivery, though it has expanded into the 'Full-Stack' model (like Uber Eats) in many markets. This model requires a sophisticated, multi-faceted digital ecosystem, not just a single app. You are essentially building a digital marketplace app.
Based on our experience at Cyber Infrastructure (CIS) developing complex, enterprise-grade on-demand platforms, the cost to develop an online food ordering app like Just Eat-starting with a robust Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and scaling to a full-featured platform-typically ranges from $80,000 to $350,000+. This wide range is a function of feature complexity, chosen technology stack, and the expertise of your development partner. Let's break down what drives this investment.
Key Takeaways: The Cost of a Just Eat-Like App
- Core Cost Range: A feature-rich MVP for a food ordering app like Just Eat typically costs between $80,000 and $150,000. A full-scale, multi-platform solution can exceed $350,000.
- The Four Pillars: The total cost is driven by the development of four distinct components: the Customer App, the Restaurant/Vendor Panel, the Driver/Courier App, and the Admin Panel.
- Critical Cost Driver: The most time-intensive and costly features are real-time tracking (like in an app like Uber), payment gateway integration, and the complex back-end logic for order management and logistics.
- Future-Proofing: Integrating AI/ML for personalized recommendations and optimized logistics is no longer optional; it's a competitive necessity that adds to the initial cost but significantly boosts long-term ROI.
- Risk Mitigation: Partnering with a CMMI Level 5-appraised firm like CIS, which offers a 2-week trial and full IP transfer, is crucial for mitigating development risk and ensuring a scalable, enterprise-grade product.
The Four Pillars of a Food Ordering App: Feature-Based Cost Drivers
To truly understand the investment, you must recognize that you are not building one app, but a connected ecosystem of four distinct applications. Each component has its own set of features, development hours, and associated costs.
The Customer Mobile Application (iOS & Android)
This is the face of your brand. It must be intuitive, fast, and engaging. Key features include:
- User Profile & Authentication: Social media login, email/phone verification.
- Search & Filtering: Advanced search by cuisine, rating, distance, and dietary needs.
- Restaurant Listings: Detailed menus, photos, reviews, and operating hours.
- Shopping Cart & Checkout: Seamless process, ability to customize orders.
- Payment Integration: Multiple options (credit card, digital wallets, COD).
- Order Tracking: Real-time GPS tracking (a major cost component).
- Ratings & Reviews: Post-order feedback mechanism.
The Restaurant/Vendor Web Panel
This is the operational hub for your partners. It needs to be robust for managing high-volume orders.
- Menu Management: Easy addition, editing, and disabling of items.
- Order Management: Real-time notifications, ability to accept/reject orders, and update status.
- Analytics & Reporting: Sales data, popular items, and performance metrics.
- Availability Toggle: Ability to temporarily close the store or mark items as out of stock.
The Driver/Courier Mobile Application (iOS & Android)
Efficiency is paramount here, as it directly impacts delivery time and customer satisfaction.
- Driver Profile & Verification: Document upload and approval.
- Order Notification: Real-time alerts for new delivery requests.
- Route Optimization: GPS-based navigation and efficient route planning.
- Status Updates: Picked up, on the way, delivered.
- Earning & Payout Tracking: Transparent history of completed deliveries and earnings.
The Central Admin Web Panel
The control center for your entire operation, requiring high-level security and comprehensive oversight.
- User Management: Managing customers, restaurants, and drivers.
- Content Management: Managing promotions, banners, and static pages.
- Commission & Payout Management: Setting commission rates and processing payments to vendors/drivers.
- Customer Support & Dispute Resolution: Tools for handling issues.
- Advanced Analytics: Overall platform performance, revenue, and key operational KPIs.
Detailed Cost Breakdown: MVP vs. Full-Scale Development Hours
The single biggest factor determining your final cost is the number of development hours required. We break down the estimated hours for a cross-platform (e.g., Flutter) MVP and a full-featured, scalable platform.
Note: These are estimates based on a CMMI Level 5-compliant team structure, including Project Managers, Business Analysts, UI/UX Designers, Front-end, Back-end, and QA Engineers.
| Development Phase / Component | MVP (Minimum Viable Product) Hours | Full-Scale Platform Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & Planning (BA, UI/UX) | 120 - 180 | 200 - 300 |
| Customer App (iOS & Android) | 400 - 600 | 800 - 1200 |
| Restaurant Panel (Web) | 250 - 400 | 500 - 750 |
| Driver App (iOS & Android) | 300 - 450 | 600 - 900 |
| Back-End & APIs (Core Logic, Database) | 500 - 800 | 1000 - 1500 |
| Quality Assurance (QA) & Testing | 250 - 400 | 500 - 750 |
| Deployment & Launch | 50 - 100 | 100 - 150 |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED HOURS | 1,870 - 2,830 Hours | 3,700 - 5,550 Hours |
Using an average blended hourly rate of $40-$60 (typical for a high-quality, CMMI Level 5 offshore partner like CIS), the estimated development cost is:
- MVP Cost Estimate: $74,800 - $169,800
- Full-Scale Cost Estimate: $148,000 - $333,000+
Remember, this is the development cost. It does not include ongoing maintenance, cloud hosting fees, or marketing, which are essential for long-term success.
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Request Free ConsultationThe Competitive Edge: Integrating AI and Advanced Features
In a market dominated by giants, your app must offer more than just basic ordering. The future of food delivery is AI-driven. Investing in advanced features is what moves your project from the 'Standard' to the 'Strategic' tier.
- AI-Powered Personalization: Using machine learning to suggest restaurants and dishes based on past orders, time of day, and weather. This can increase order frequency by up to 15%. (See: How Much Does It Cost To Develop An AI Software).
- Dynamic Pricing & Surge Management: Algorithms that automatically adjust delivery fees based on driver availability, demand, and traffic conditions.
- Advanced Logistics & Route Optimization: AI-driven dispatch systems that minimize delivery time and fuel costs, a critical component for profitability.
- In-App Chatbot Support: Conversational AI for instant customer service, reducing the load on your human support team.
The CISIN Advantage: According to CISIN's internal project data, leveraging a specialized, CMMI Level 5-compliant offshore team can reduce the total development cost for a full-featured food delivery platform by an average of 40-50% compared to equivalent US-based teams, without compromising on enterprise-grade quality. We achieve this by utilizing our dedicated AI Application Use Case PODs and proven frameworks.
2026 Update: The Rise of AI in Food Delivery & Evergreen Strategy
While the core development phases remain consistent, the competitive landscape is rapidly evolving. The key trend for 2026 and beyond is the shift from simple aggregation to AI-Augmented Operations. Platforms that fail to integrate AI for logistics, fraud detection, and customer personalization will struggle to maintain market share.
Evergreen Development Strategy: To ensure your investment remains relevant, focus on a microservices architecture. This allows you to update, scale, and integrate new technologies (like Web3 payment rails or advanced marketplace features) without overhauling the entire system. This strategic approach, which CIS champions, ensures your app is built for a decade, not just a year.
Conclusion: Your Path to a World-Class Food Ordering App
The cost to develop an online food ordering app like Just Eat is a significant investment, but it is a calculated one that buys you a seat at the table of a booming industry. The final price tag is a direct reflection of your ambition: an MVP will cost you less than $170,000, while a full-scale, AI-enabled, multi-platform solution will likely be in the $350,000+ range.
The critical decision is not the price, but the partner. You need a technology partner who understands enterprise-grade scalability, security, and the necessity of AI integration. Cyber Infrastructure (CIS) is an award-winning AI-Enabled software development company with 1000+ experts, CMMI Level 5 appraisal, and a 95%+ client retention rate. We offer a 2-week paid trial, free replacement of non-performing staff, and full IP transfer, giving you the peace of mind to focus on your market strategy while we build your world-class platform.
This article was reviewed by the CIS Expert Team, ensuring accuracy and adherence to world-class software development standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to build a food delivery app MVP?
The most cost-effective approach is to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) using a cross-platform technology like Flutter or React Native, which allows a single codebase to run on both iOS and Android. This can reduce the total development hours by up to 30%. Focusing only on core features (login, menu, order, basic tracking) is essential for keeping the initial budget in the $80,000 - $120,000 range.
What are the hidden costs of a food ordering app like Just Eat?
The hidden costs often surprise first-time founders. They include:
- Post-Launch Maintenance: Bug fixes, OS updates, and feature enhancements (typically 15-20% of the initial development cost annually).
- Cloud Hosting & Infrastructure: AWS or Azure fees, which scale with user traffic.
- Third-Party APIs: Costs for SMS gateway, payment gateway transaction fees, and premium map services (like Google Maps or Mapbox).
- Legal & Compliance: Data privacy (GDPR, CCPA) and payment compliance (PCI DSS).
How long does it take to develop a food ordering app MVP?
Based on the estimated 1,870 - 2,830 hours for an MVP, the typical timeline for development, from discovery to deployment, is approximately 4 to 6 months. This assumes an agile development process with a dedicated, cross-functional team (POD) in place.
Don't let a vague cost estimate derail your food tech vision.
Building a scalable, enterprise-grade food delivery platform requires CMMI Level 5 process maturity and AI-Enabled expertise. We don't just build apps; we build market leaders.
